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The story focuses on Robinson’s first season, where he faces numerous challenges. His Dodger teammates sign a petition stating they refuse to play alongside Robinson. Manager, Leo Durocher, insists that Robinson will play whether the players like it or not. After receiving the backing from the team manager, it isn’t long until Robinson is left in the shade again. Durocher is suspended by the Dodgers after it is made public that he is having an affair with a celebrity. Robinson has only one way to win his teammates over and that’s by performing. After fighting his way through a barrage of racial slurs during the 1947 season, Robinson proves his worth by hitting the home run that sends the Brooklyn Dodgers to the World Series.
Chadwick Boseman plays Jackie Robinson winningly. His hard work in preparing for the role of Jackie Robinson certainly paid off. At no time during the film do you see him kink under the strain of playing such an iconic figure. Harrison Ford’s role of team executive Branch Rickey is probably the shining light of the film. Branch Rickey is a hard nosed, no nonsense man and Ford’s portrayal is exactly that. Alan Tudyk’s performance of racist Philadelphia Phillies coach Ben Chapman is the most emotionally stirring. Although he’s only in the film for a brief time, he manages to rise emotions of true hate from you.
“It’s a story of the daily struggle to gain dignity in a racial society”
42 deserves praise for it’s recreation of pivotal games Jackie Robinson played in throughout his rookie season. It’s a thin line to walk when reenacting a moment, it’s far too easy to make it too dramatic or corny, which enviably decreases the sentimental value of the scene. 42 took the challenge on, with great results. The game footage wasn’t overly theatrical, it felt emotionally raw. These scenes actually stirred quite well in the overall built of the story. The racial slurs that Robinson faced every time he walked onto a baseball field, where tastefully played out. Although I can imagine it being worse than it is shown, we get the message without the filmmakers being too forceful with the matter.
42 is good film, but if it’s anything, it’s educational. For non-baseball fans or people who don’t follow American sports, you’ll gain a better understanding of why Jackie Robinson is so important in the history of American culture. It’s a story of the daily struggle to gain dignity in a racial society. In that sense, 42 is very moving. The only downside to this film is the story is only a snippet of a very inspirational man.
Robinson was one of a few who opened the door to African American’s wholly acceptance. For that reason, I felt a little cheated from gaining a full sense of who this man truly was. 
- James Arthur Armstrong
filmOA | score
70%
worth the popcorn
