Chapter 8: Mcfarland, U.S.A. (2015)

McFarland, U.S.A. (Caro, 2015) depicts the creation of a Latinx high school cross country team in McFarland, a small agricultural town, in California’s Central/San Joaquin Valley. Even though the nascent team has no experience with competitive running, and is composed of teenagers who support their families in farm labor, this motley crew perseveres against all odds to find success. Thus, at its core, McFarland, U.S.A is a film that uses sports to advance a type of ‘American Dream’ narrative– an idea that perseverance and grit ultimately win in the end. In fact, Disney (n.d.) offers the following description on its streaming site, “based on an inspirational [true] story, a coach helps his team of underdogs triumph over tremendous obstacles to become champions in this heartwarming celebration of the human spirit.”