Disneys latest film McFarland, USA due out Feb. 20 is based on the true story of Jim White, a cross-country coach who brought a farm towns Latino high school running team from zeroes to heroes. Although the film leaves out much of the religion of its main characters, the real-life Jim and Cheryl White, a religious couple, still endorse the film.
According to The Christian Chronicle, the Whites are devout members of the Church of Christ and used their faith to inspire the high schools runners. But this doesnt show up in the movie. Instead, just one prayer is said in the film.
McFarland residents and friends of the Whites told the Chronicle that both of them constantly went to church and used scripture when speaking to others.
He was a man of God, and he shared his faith with the kids, Ryun Fisher told Christian Chronicle of Jim White. I know some of them became believers because of him.
But McFarland, USA doesnt focus on that. White motivates his runners and is nice to his family, but the prayers, scripture and church elements of his real life are left out.
This isnt the first time a character's faith has been left out of a film. According to the Religion News Service, many of the faithful aspects from Chris Kyles memoir were left out of the American Sniper film. Even though Bradley Coopers Kyle carried the Bible with him throughout the film, there were discussions about God and religion in the memoir that werent in the film.
This could be because of a shift in film culture. The Oscar nominees this year left out many faith-based films, even though this was a year when biblical stories such as Exodus and Noah hit the box office.
Still, the Whites said its important to remember God in times like these, even when the producers dont get the story straight and faith doesnt make the final cut.
They only showed one prayer in the movie, but at least they showed that, Cheryl White said, according to The Christian Chronicle. We know that this is totally Gods blessing. Were just country bumpkins. Were not used to all this media and all this attention. How do you explain this? Its a God thing.
According to The Christian Chronicle, the Whites are devout members of the Church of Christ and used their faith to inspire the high schools runners. But this doesnt show up in the movie. Instead, just one prayer is said in the film.
McFarland residents and friends of the Whites told the Chronicle that both of them constantly went to church and used scripture when speaking to others.
He was a man of God, and he shared his faith with the kids, Ryun Fisher told Christian Chronicle of Jim White. I know some of them became believers because of him.
But McFarland, USA doesnt focus on that. White motivates his runners and is nice to his family, but the prayers, scripture and church elements of his real life are left out.
This isnt the first time a character's faith has been left out of a film. According to the Religion News Service, many of the faithful aspects from Chris Kyles memoir were left out of the American Sniper film. Even though Bradley Coopers Kyle carried the Bible with him throughout the film, there were discussions about God and religion in the memoir that werent in the film.
This could be because of a shift in film culture. The Oscar nominees this year left out many faith-based films, even though this was a year when biblical stories such as Exodus and Noah hit the box office.
Still, the Whites said its important to remember God in times like these, even when the producers dont get the story straight and faith doesnt make the final cut.
They only showed one prayer in the movie, but at least they showed that, Cheryl White said, according to The Christian Chronicle. We know that this is totally Gods blessing. Were just country bumpkins. Were not used to all this media and all this attention. How do you explain this? Its a God thing.
