Review of 42 (2013) by Nesbitt10 — 05 Jul 2013

“42” is warm-hearted and a respectable film, but it doesn't enrich or heighten Jackie Robinson's legacy. Jackie Robinson is arguably the single most important sports figure of the 20th century. Robinson's story is historically extraordinary and utterly captivating. In sharing Robinson’s inspirational story, some risks could have been taken in the approach to film making as well. Regrettably, you can’t shake the feeling that writer/director Brian Helgeland is playing it safe, and not swinging for the fences.

“42” tells the story of how Jackie Robinson broke the Major League color barrier in 1947, becoming the first black player to appear in a Major League baseball game since 1884. In 1946, Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) is a Negro League baseball player who never takes racism lying down. Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) is a Major League team executive with a bold idea. Rickey recruits Robinson to break the unspoken color line as the first modern African American Major League baseball player. As both anticipate, this proves a pivotal challenge for Robinson and his family as they endure unrelenting racist hostility on and off the field, from player and fan alike. As Jackie struggles against his nature to endure such abuse without complaint, he finds allies and hope where he least expects it.

The performances are generally solid and highly believable. For his first major theatrical role, Chadwick Boseman turns in an impressive performance, and quite possibly the highlight of the film. While Robinson's story is worthy of the utmost respect and admiration, Helgeland plainly illustrates that in film making even a great man's life can get a bit bland. “42” effectively tells of Robinson's year in the minors and his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers, while not doing a very good job of capturing Robinson's personality. He's portrayed more as a historical icon than a fully developed character. “42” feels like an overly sincere history lesson more so than a biography, but it's a history lesson of which we regularly need to be reminded.