A movie that captures one of the greatest sports stories of all-time.

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2013)

As the years have gone by, the sports industry has become more and more of an emotional attachment to so many people across the globe. Stories in the sports world have a bigger impact on people than they ever have before, and sometimes these stories or events are ones that can change a country. In the case of 42, the movie brings one of the greatest sports stories ever to life, a story that certainly changed America in many ways.
This story is the one of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American man to ever play in Major League Baseball. The movie does a terrific job in giving back story to Jackie's road to the MLB, squeezing in every detail about his life in the 128 minute run time. There are some ways that his story could have been expanded even more, but this doesn't hurt the movie in any major way. We see Jackie work his way up, and some of his life's greatest and most inspiring moments come off the baseball field, giving the movie a sense of depth that extends further than just his heroics on the diamond. The screenplay is written wonderfully, and director/writer Brian Helgeland deserves much credit for his work on this film, including the smooth direction and smart screenplay.
Where this movie hits hardest are during the scenes where Jackie has to face some of the largest adversities a man can face. Being targeted by white men who are threatening to kill Jackie, his first minor league game, and his arrival in the MLB are just a few. One true standout moment was during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, were Phillies manager Ben Chapman unleashes a whirlwind a racial slurs towards Jackie, who fights with every ounce of his body to resist attacking Chapman. We later see Jackie retreat to the dugout where he smashes his bat against the wall and letting out screams of agony. Some scenes such as these are so powerful, they make you sit back and just think about the past and how some of these adversities could ever exist in the first place. 42 captures Jackie's darkest moments on his path the the big leagues, and it's those moments that move you in so many different ways.
Now a movie with this much emotional weight couldn't be done without the right actors. Chadwick Boseman proudly and respectively portrays one of the most prominent African-American figures in America's history, and down to a tee I might add. Boseman is spot on in evoking so many different emotions. Whether it's anger, sadness, laughter or happiness, Boseman's performance was one that will be remembered for a long time, and a role that I'm sure was a tremendous honor for him to play. Harrison Ford also joins the cast as Branch Rickey, President and General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. A man with integrity and innovation, Rickey is played wonderfully by the legendary Ford. Nicole Beharie plays Rachel Robinson, wife of Jackie, and also gives the movie a shining performance as Jackie's love life and the woman that he was motivated by.
42 is truly a sight to behold. From his start in the Negro League to his eventual time with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the story of Jackie Robinson's life is one that moved mountains and the film does a excellent job in capturing just what is what like for number 42 to overcome the obstacles that he did. With a screenplay written to near perfection and acting that brought the movie to life and then some, 42 will forever be a movie that was able to take one of sports' greatest stories ever, and present it in a way that will leave a lasting memory in all its viewers.
9/10