Introduction
Modern cinema usually depicts Latinos as somewhat one-sided and biased. Often, they are shown as poor illegals, desperately trying to make ends meet. This is just one side of the coin, but there is another story about how people, doomed to lose, finally gain their victory. Immigration reform remains one of the urgent problems in the USA. Latino young people are as interested in it as no one else in the United States because future changes depend only on them (Tatum 17). Stories with a happy ending become some kind of positive motivation for future generations of migrants, which are obliged to fight for a place in the sun every day. However, sometimes these stories are so unrealistic and absurd, that genuine heroism and desperate struggle for the rights of Latinos go by the wayside. This film does not belong to this type.
Main body
“McFarland USA” is a true story of Jim White, a professional coach, who was fired from his previous workplace for his bad temper. Jim decides to start from scratch in a small, poor Latin American city McFarland, which convictions bear little resemblance to the USA. He came to school as a PE teacher, assisting the football coach. Finally, he decides to join the usual Hispanic bullies to create a team of athletics. Thanks to the professionalism of the coach and the tenacity of young people, the team of misfits become the champion team. Jim White proves, that even one person can make a difference. This film is not just a story of great success; it is a kind of survey of Latino life in the USA. The film’s location is rather meaningful, mostly the land of Latino farmworkers. History knows a lot of examples of their bravery. Cesar Chavez was one of the first, who made a difference. However, this issue still demands fundamental changes and reforms. McFarland becomes the center of Latin culture with all its diversity, but common to all mankind problems are not alien to the inhabitants of this city. Poverty, unemployment, family problems, all these aspects, certainly, affect the outlook and lifestyle of the people, living there. However, strong faith in themselves does not leave them in their desire to become the champions. “McFarland USA” illustrates Latino hospitality and cordiality in the best possible way. Perhaps, it is one of the few films that demonstrate this part of a migrant’s life. The motto of this film is: “Champions can come from anywhere”, it inspires and motivates a lot, regardless of the historical background of your life, and you still have chances to win. McFarland seems to be the place of broken hopes and beliefs, but the strength of mind changes everything. Despite the challenges and difficulties of life in McFarland, people stay true to their traditions and revere their customs. Many people turn a blind eye to the problems of migrants, which, actually, exist in the US today. This film is a kind of window into the world of these people.
“McFarland USA” is hardly a masterpiece of modern cinema art, but it’s hard to deny the fact, that the film achieved its main goal; it reminded the audience of the page of history, which many people try to ignore. It should be noted, that all the characters in the picture are shown with great tolerance, but there are lines of parent-child conflict in the movie. Father wants children to work with him, he is against their involvement with Jim’s sports team. White decides to help their brothers, and the next day he helps them to work with their father. However, unlike other films of similar subjects, these scenes are so insignificant, that they don’t breed one more reason for stereotyping. Latino family still seems to be very friendly and welcoming to strangers or guests (Noricks 23). This film also shows the reality of the American dream, even for people, who are considered to be a minority.
The film “McFarland USA” is an excellent inspirational picture for Latino youth and not only for them. Very often in films of such sort, white people help Latinos to overcome various problems and obstacles, but this film is absolutely different. It shows how fruitful intercultural cooperation can be. In “McFarland USA” one can’t easily determine who is saved and who is the savior, because, people, who lost faith in themselves, retrieve it, thanks to each other.
Regardless of skin color, gender, and political views, all people are united by the things that can inspire or hurt them. Feelings and emotions are something, that unites all of us. People all over the world should never forget it, in spite of the historical events, political situations, or other circumstances. All people are worthy of happiness equally, although, someone gets it easily, and someone is to fight for it like grim death, as we see it in the film “McFarland USA”.
Conclusion
While politicians are engaged in reforming immigration policy in the United States, the ordinary people, in turn, are obliged to do everything possible to decide the problems of racism, discrimination, and segregation once and for all (Mize and Delgado 4).
Works Cited
Mize, Ronald L, and Grace Delgado. Latino Immigrants In The United States. Cambridge, UK: Polity, 2012. Print.
Noricks, Michael. Latino And Hispanic History: The Story Of The USA’s Majority Minority. Colorado: Denver: Outskirts Press, 2014. Print.
Tatum, Charles M. Encyclopedia Of Latino Culture. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2014. Print.