MovieChat Forums > McFarland, USA (2015) Discussion > From someone who has actually been to th...

From someone who has actually been to this town

posted 9 years ago by rob_r_deleon
27 replies | jump to latest

The kids there are proud of their accomplishments and I hope people don't try to take that away from them by turning this movie into a race thing or calling it white guilt movie because I truly think it's amazing what they've accomplished

As someone who's walked the streets of McFarland for 2 years as a gas company meter reader, I can say this story looks to be authentic and had to be told, whether Disney got it right remains to be seen.

I don't know what this town may have looked like years ago or who lived there, but now, I can say this, meeting the residents and seeing extreme poverty first hand, the hopelessness that town exudes takes a toll on you after a while. The people are proud there, and it is mostly Hispanic populated now. It's the kind of rural town I imagine where there is really nothing to do as a young adult but thinking of getting away. You either stayed and worked the fields, or you've left. A midst all this desperation, There was one shining gleam of hope and it was proudly displayed on the McFarland High School gym wall. Countless championship titles from a school in the middle of nowhere in a town you've never heard of. While so many kids are just shuffled through the system, someone (a coach) cared a little more than most would have.

[–] otterprods 9 years ago

If you scroll down a bit on the main page, you'll find this thread...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2097298/board/thread/240075469?d=240076852#240076852
Written by Jeanie, who grew up in McFarland in the 50s & 60s.

Otterprods, to keep those aquatic Mustelidae in line.

[–] MariMcCabe 9 years ago

A white guilt movie? Why would anyone call it that?

Can there be any movie about minorities that does not bring out droves white people convinced that its somehow meant to guilt them?

[–] JSSTyger 9 years ago

"white guilt"...yeah kind of!!

It would have been nice if his team wouldn't have basically called coach a quitter for considering leaving after his daughter about got killed. They guilt tripped him into thinking the team was more important than the safety of his kid.

There were a couple of those moments in this film where I totally didn't appreciate how inconsiderate those kids were. Some of them were downright A-holes to the coach.

[–] CitizenCairParavel 9 years ago

That didn't make it "white" guilt. It make it "using other people as a ticket to advance yourself"'guilt. Huge difference. The user just happened to be white.

[–] zolazona 9 years ago

I didn't see it as a case of white guilt, either. These students/runners could have said it to any of the hispanic teachers who had gotten an opportunity to "get out and leave them behind".

[–] JSSTyger 9 years ago

They were calling him "blanco" all movie long so I think its fair to bring race into this. So yeah, its white guilt. He was a white guy out of place in Mexican culture...and they made sure he knew that the whole movie long.

[–] julie-hodas 9 years ago

Yeah, It had nothing to do with the fact his name is James White and blanco is the Spanish word for white. Silly me that was the connection I was thinking.

[–] JSSTyger 9 years ago

It was a racist pun by arrogant teenagers who thought they could say whatever they want to whoever they want. Go find a black guy with the last name Black and call him Negro ('haha because thats the word for black!!'). He's not gonna like it. That would burn him and make him angry. He'd much prefer "Coach Black."

[–] BluntForceDrama 9 years ago

Go find a black guy with the last name Black and call him Negro ('haha because thats the word for black!!').

This.

You've clicked on this before. Don't you remember?

[–] ruiz_bowie 9 years ago

AS a 28 year high school teacher - that was normal and actually respectful behavior. They do it to irritate but because they like him. If they didn't like him ... they not only would not be there and do what he asked, they would make the movie R rated with all the cursing!

[–] doggie_rodriguez 9 years ago

So the real life kids were being respectful b/c they didn't want the movie made about them 30 years later to be rated R?

I like it!

[–] freshy 9 years ago

Actually I thought all movie that was the reason. His last name, not because he was "white". No Mexican would call anyone "Blanco". Believe me I know. It only makes sense within the story because of his last name White=Blanco. Otherwise it sounds silly. In any case, if they had referred to him using an adjective that was related to his skin/hair color, they would've called him "Guero" (Blond)

[–] shadowlez 9 years ago

And gringo.

[–] freshy 8 years ago

Gringo refers to someone from the US. Nothing to do with hair or skin coloring

[–] mec_os 9 years ago

actually guero means white or light skin. rubio means blond.

[–] freshy 8 years ago

Guero means both things. It's the colloquial term and as far as I know it's only used in Mexico. Rubio is more formal.

[–] ruiz_bowie 9 years ago

Its not white guilt - its a white savior coming to get us Hispanics into the world cause we need him. What would we Hispanics do without white people coming over to show us how to live, how to be responsible, how to enjoy the beach?

[–] hoz49 9 years ago

"after his daughter about got killed". WTF is this? Did the daughter die in the book? In real life? Cause she didn't die in this film.

[–] Maryandmarie1921 9 years ago

Some of them started out A- holes and as time went on they trusted him and showed him the respect he deserved. Far as making him feel guilty for wanting to move, they're kids. Kids are so sometimes selfish in that way. They were hurting and handled it the way they did. He understood that and was still planning to move. They didn't guilt him into staying, he did that on his own. His family wanted to stay as well.

[–] leophy 9 years ago

It would have been nice if his team wouldn't have basically called coach a quitter for considering leaving after his daughter about got killed. They guilt tripped him into thinking the team was more important than the safety of his kid.

There were a couple of those moments in this film where I totally didn't appreciate how inconsiderate those kids were. Some of them were downright A-holes to the coach.

In reality, his daughters were much older than the actresses in the film. Coach White had three daughters and one graduated college in 1985 the others a few years later. The accident scene is fictitious and did not happen. He also was teaching in the McFarland district since 1964 and had not moved there in the 80's as depicted in the move. When he began teaching in McFarland, it was an all white town. He also had not been fired from many positions as depicted in the movie. It says at the beginning of the film that this is based on a true story. You should research the real life team and school so that you don't become upset by fictitious depictions. Or, if you do become upset, it is for the right reasons and not the wrong ones.

[–] elduderino09 9 years ago

I liked the movie. After reading the leophy reply, I find it hard to accept it's "based on a true story." Entertaining yes, but factual liberties taken at every turn. The only truth seems to be the HS indeed won that many state long distance titles.

[–] shoppermom26 8 years ago

Most of the fictitious additions had to do with how/when he got to McFarland and the set up for becoming the XC coach. MANY of the events in the movie actually did happy. Like the the incident with Thomas and the coach on the bridge. I'm sure it's not exact but it did happen. Also, Jim White did help in the fields if his runners needed the help. He took them to see the ocean. He rode an old rickety bike next to the kids for training. And most importantly many of those on his XC teams went on to college. Then returned to McFarland.

[–] dslacker-683-753931 9 years ago

Have you ever been around teens - minority or not ? A coach from another race, another economic status, another culture, and another place is going to get tagged with some nicknames. "Blanco" seems almost affectionate compared to most of the things teens say. I taught and coached for years - you need 'selective hearing' to survive among teens. They are disrespectful (a trait I consider a positive), and much more so to adults who earn their disrespect.

[–] jayhn1111 7 years ago

Well, there's also the other side of the coin where people get mad that movies portray that the white guy swoops in to save everybody's lives. I don't see it either way in this movie.

[–] mikeyflatley 9 years ago

Good synopsis

[–] thegailo 9 years ago

http://www.examiner.com/review/mcfarland-usa

[–] Noufa 8 years ago

I take exception to the implication that Jim White would have been a "sellout" if he left for Palo Alto. If that really had happened to his daughter, he would have been negligent to stay. Fortunately, that never happened. It was just heavy handed Hollywood rubbing our noses in liberal white guilt.

And I don't think saying so detracts from the athletes' accomplishments. What they did was still very cool. I'm mostly annoyed that racial politics were used to distract us from an otherwise good story.

I think what they were trying to do with the scene is explain the entire white flight phenomenon. And I give them credit for showing that the flight is a response to an increase in violent crime. But no man should apologize for protecting his daughter.