McFarland USA, Movie Review

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 Stars

Sport movies seem to be a dime a dozen, and both Disney and Kevin Costner, who helm this new underdog true story, are familiar faces in the sports genre. We've seen baseball and football stories done over and over again.  Hockey with Mighty Ducks and Miracle.  Ice Skating in Ice Castles and Blades of Glory.  Horse racing in Secretariat and Seabiscuit. A delightful movie about rugby in Forever Strong.  Etc.  And now, in McFarland USA, we have a sports movie about a cross country running team.  (Side note, do you ever think they'll be a movie about Curling?  That would make a fantastic comedy.)

There's nothing wrong with having a new sports movie.  It's hard to complain when we're constantly receiving book-to-screen adaptations, romantic comedies, action, and the ongoing Marvel vs. D.C. battle.  The problem with sport pics is that they are typically based on true stories about winning teams, because no one is going to do a movie based on a sports team who fails.  In short, sport movies tend to be incredibly formulaic and predictable.  These two traits are hard to avoid.

In McFarland USA, despite the formulaic sports plot, there's still new material drawn upon that is seldom shown on the big screen: the sport of Cross Country running and agricultural life in southern Central California.

It shows the side of California most people outside of California don't think about or realize, unless you've lived there.

McFarland CA is located between Bakersfield and Visalia, 1 1/2 hours south of Fresno, and 33 miles from Porterville, where I grew up.  A town nestled amongst orange groves, cotton fields, and walnut groves.

It's the Fall of 1987 when recently fired football coach Jim White, Costner, suddenly finds himself moving his family to McFarland, an impoverished Hispanic community.  When they first drive through the town White's younger daughter asks "Are we in Mexico?"  McFarland is nothing like Boise Idaho, where they are from, and suddenly the White's are in culture shock.

Circumstances don't improve when Jim White, as assistant football coach, clashes with the coach, and suddenly White is without a team, teaching only life science and physical education at the High School.  During P.E. class White discovers some of his students running really fast, and the idea of coaching cross country, of which he has no experience, is born.

It's through coaching these students that White begins to appreciate McFarland.  These students work hard, picking crops morning and night between school and training, running all the way.

Sure, McFarland USA is a cookie cutter Disney family film which comfortably stays within its PG rating.  (For the record we need more family friendly PG flicks).  Many of the conflicts and resolutions are predictable.  But this movie has heart, and if a movie can make me feel something, then I can forgive the formula.  I was totally crying at the end.

The legacy of Jim White is quite remarkable. 


MPAA: PG for thematic material, some violence and language.

Draft Day: Movie Review

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

The low rating I've given Draft Day, staring Kevin Costner, may in part be a reflection of my overall lack of knowledge in all things sports, but that gives me an interesting perspective.  "Moneyball", in which Draft Day is largely compared, was a movie I was able to follow and understand.  (Well, I do have fond memories going to The Los Angeles Angels games as a kid, and enjoy attending Orem Owlz games.)  When it comes to American football I'm a total dunce, and I spent a bit of time watching Draft Day lost and confused over the NFL draft, because this is a movie for the sports aficionado.  I'm obviously not the target audience, though I like sport films.

Sonny Weaver, Jr, aka Kevin Costner, is the general manager of the Cleveland Browns.  His father, who was a legendary coach for the team, recently passed away. The co-worker Sonny's been sleeping with (Jennifer Garner), a gal he isn't fully committed, is now pregnant with his first child.  The Cleveland Browns are on a thirteen year losing streak.  Browns owner Anthony Molina, Frank Langella, isn't happy with Sonny's job performance and demands a stellar Draft pick to save the team. Needless to say Sonny has a lot on his plate this Draft Day.

There's a countdown during the whole of the movie, constantly reminding us how long Sonny has to work out last minute deals.  Split screens abound during telephone calls, in which there are many, for this is a talking drama.  The split screen scenes come across film school campy to me, trying too hard to snazzy up the talking.  Whenever the movie shifts to a new location, an aerial shot is used, and with the Cleavland Browns the same aerial shot is used multiple times. Super repetitive.

Little football is shown.  Everything in this movie is about Sonny's family/personal drama while time runs out, bargains made, tapes reviewed, multiple office closet scenes with Garner (no kissing, just relationship talk), and snapshots with those being drafted.

And at the last possible moment, with 2 hours before all the teams take turns "going on the clock" during a live NFL Draft telecast, Sonny's Mother, played by Ellen Burstyn, decides that day, at that very moment, is when the ashes of Sonny's father should be scattered at the 50 yard line.  So now, on top of everything, Sonny is a disrespectful son for wanting wait till the next day, and not scatter ashes during these crucial moments.  Family drama!  Let's throw everything and the kitchen sink into this 12 hour countdown to make this movie as intense as possible.

One thing Draft Day does get right is its involvement with the NFL, who usually doesn't allow official licensing during sport movies.  Any sports buff should love this aspect, since there are cameos throughout.

As a note to parents, the MPAA says "brief strong language," but there's a heavy amount of language throughout.  The Lord's name is taken in vain many, many times, and in many forms.

If you want a great Football movie stick with Rudy and Remember the Titans.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 on appeal for brief strong language and sexual references.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Movie Review

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I've never seen the other Jack Ryan movies, based on the Tom Clancy books, so I do not have them to compare, but Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is an origin story of the character, so a familiarity to the other plots are not needed.  This is also the first Jack Ryan movie that isn't based on one of the books. 

Chris Pine stars as Jack Ryan, a character previously portrayed by Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck, and twice by Harrison Ford, who is at this time a foreign exchange student in England studying economics.  It is there that he notices students running to buildings to view the television.  He follows, confused, until he sees smoke billowing from the Twin Towers in New York.  Next we see him as a Marine fighting in Afghanistan. A man of action. No hesitation.  He's injured and must learn to walk again, thus leading him to the two people who will influence the next chapter in his life: His future love interest Cathy Muller (Keira Knightley) and CIA mentor Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner).

You may think I've given away most of the plot detailing these events, but I haven't.  Everything I've stated is all in the exposition.

This new Jack Ryan movie is intelligent and fast paced.  You can't sleep through the story and understand everything that is taking place and why it's happening.  The general theme of this movie is scary, feeling as if such a scenario is possible.  And Kenneth Branagh, who both directed and played the villain, is interesting and quite the foe.

Where I feel the movie lacks is in some of the scene transitions and pacing.  The first part of the movie jumps around a little, and the motivations of the characters briefly explained.

Overall a fun thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and intense action, and brief strong language.