Bottom Line: Swinging for the fences and only
ending up with a double, this compelling and yet often flat and somewhat
disjointed account of the breaking of Major League Baseball’s race line would
have been more informative via a sixty-minute, same-subject DVR recording on
The History Channel. Ford and Boseman
crackle with chemistry as the team owner and player who set a course to see the
season through (and make some money in the process) – but this formulaic yet still
inspiring cinematic tale of tolerance and perseverance only strikes a few minor
chords in terms of intrigue, sympathy and a simple love for the game. It’s almost always engaging but never fully
moving – I never truly felt the full weight of hatred or that the stakes, with
each passing game, had risen. 42 may be
a bit anticlimactic and lack a full range of inherent, sports movie emotional
depth, but it’ll still please a crowd and hit a homerun in terms of box office
success.
Starring: Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford
Directed by: Brian Helgeland
(A KNIGHT’S TALE and PAYBACK)
Rated: PG-13
Running time: 128 minutes
Story: Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but
heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. "42"
tells the story of two men-the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn
Dodgers GM Branch Rickey-whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed
the world by changing the game of baseball. In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison
Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson
(Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball's infamous color
line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the
public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every
side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by
not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey's
hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking-ultimately
winning over fans and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way
for others to follow. (c) WB
Trailer: www.42movie.warnerbros.com
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