Kevin Costner has been on a roll lately, headlining sports movies that shouldn’t work, but end up being something unique, something special. “Draft Day,” released last spring, was a surprisingly engaging film that revolved around the NFL Draft, with very little typical “sports action.” On paper, that would seem like a risky move to me. The result was quite the contrary – “Draft Day” provided a unique look into a side of football that I had never seen before.

In a similar vein, “McFarland, USA” also seems like a movie that might not necessarily work on paper. Football movies work, basketball movies work, even the occasional hockey movie works. But a cross country running movie? That’s a much harder sell.

“McFarland, USA” is a true story set in the predominately hispanic town of McFarland, California in 1987. Kevin Costner, who plays coach Jim White, leads a cast of talented, if relatively unknown, young actors.

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical about this film. I didn’t know a ton about it before seeing it, but nevertheless, a movie about a cross country team sounded a little boring to me. “McFarland” is anything but boring. The sports action is engaging; and, like “Draft Day,” “McFarland” is a window into a, comparatively, much narrower section of the wide world of sports.

Equally important to the film’s success is the Disney formula. There’s heart, there are life lessons, and there’s an indefatigable optimism that will race hearts. This is still very much a sports movie. On the surface it may not look as exciting as a football or basketball movie, but the core structure remains identifiable. “McFarland, USA” is easy to recommend to just about every demographic. It’s a good family movie, it’s a good date movie, it’s a good Kevin Costner movie, it’s an all-around satisfying flick.

5 of 6 stars