Kevin Costner‘s excellent performance, a great story and some absolutely wonderful characters make McFarland, USA one of the best movies so far this year. What’s more, it’s based on a true story that seems really likely. Too many of these films depend so much on created drama that it’s hard to see the real people. That’s not a problem in McFarland, the personalities shine through and make this film a joy to watch.

McFarland, California is a mostly Hispanic and very poor agricultural community. Many of the community’s workers are “pickers,” which simply means they spend hours every day harvesting produce by hand. It’s extremely hard work and the rewards are slim. When Coach Jim White (Costner) is forced to find a job, any job, he’s stuck with McFarland, one of the poorest towns in America.

White was consigned there because of his temper and an incident in Idaho. As football coach, according to the film, he threw a cleated shoe and accidentally hit his team captain. He was forced out and almost no school in the country wanted to touch him. Enter McFarland, where the choices were equally slim. Few coaches wanted to end up there.

Upon arriving White notices something startling; many of the local teens are forced to get up before dawn to pick produce until school and then do the same after. What’s even more startling is the speed they must run to be on time. An idea forms: what if he could take these kids and their blistering speed and create a cross country team? That is McFarland, USA. The story of an inspired coach and some very talented boys.

What makes the film so special is that it dives into the intense relationship the White family developed with this so different community. Director Niki Caro managed to skillfully break down the barriers between this very “white” family, even using the name White as a running pun, and a very Hispanic village. What was unexpected was that he was also doing that with the audience. I soon found myself relating more to the Hispanic youngsters and their  parents than the Whites (yes, pun intended). By the end of the film I too wanted to live in McFarland.

The easiest way to talk about McFarland, USA is a comparison to Hoosiers. Caro, in McFarland, managed to get nearly that same involvement in the lives of the players as David Anspaugh did in Hoosiers. I really wanted to know more about the players. I couldn’t wait till the end to find out where everyone ended up. Having said that…Hoosiers gets a 5 out of 5 stars (it’s just flawless), but alas, McFarland, USA gets a measly 4.5.

Both movies though are very, very re-watchable.