42 (2013)
Genre: Biography / Sport
Duration: 128 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Brian Helgeland
Stars: Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman and Christopher Meloni
IMDb score:
7,5 (108.249)
Releasedate: 12 April 2013
42 plot
"The True Story of an American Legend"
The story follows the innovative manager Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) of a baseball team. As an executive of the Major League Baseball organization, he caused a great deal of controversy at that organization by appointing African-American Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Not only was this the first step to a storied career, but Robinson's presence in the prestigious MLB league was seen as a breakthrough in the baseball world itself. It stood for further professionalization, in a competition previously largely dominated by whites.
Actors and actresses
Jackie Robinson
Branch Rickey
Rachel Robinson
Leo Durocher
Dixie Walker
Pee Wee Reese
Wendell Smith
Ben Chapman
Ralph Branca
Harold Parrott
Reviews & comments
Insignificance
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- 3220 messages
- 5589 votes
The fact that in racially colored sports dramas or biopics like this one somewhere along the way, accompanied by exciting music, you get a considerable chunk of sentiment rammed down your throat is (unfortunately) inevitable, but what Helgeland achieves here defies description. I normally find these kinds of stories quite interesting and the theme, if presented a little subtly, should be able to cause some commotion. However, this is nothing more than a collection of clumsy scenes that are all about the problem. Also served in a rude manner.
It essentially does nothing more than jump from one wry fact to another, every narrative structure seems to have been thrown overboard. Then it is also one of which you can pick out the falsification of history, apparently it needs to be a bit more dramatic. For example, when in the hallway the bat goes in half. Around the Pee Wee fans will be just about the low point, although Ford's laughable performance and gnawing is a solid competitor for that matter. Not to be taken seriously. Neither is this simple and tacky film. The carrier of #42 undoubtedly deserves a lot better.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Vidi well
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- 540 messages
- 703 votes
42 is a very beautiful film with an inspiring story. Still, it didn't quite get to me. Where a film like Green Book (similar theme) fascinated me for more than 2 hours, I noticed that the attention was regularly lost. Perhaps because the story is so predictable? Or because the dramatic twists and turns are so obviously predictable?
I could sympathize with Jackie. His role is well played, and the pent-up anger at the injustice that happens to him time and again is well portrayed. For the rest, the film is populated by clichéd characters, which I did not remember. I also felt that his entire team consisted of interchangeable faces.
The obvious sentiment with which the film is told has pros and cons. A big plus is the wonderful 1940s atmosphere, with beautiful sets, costumes, music and color filters. The disadvantage is, I think, a very clearly turned on zeitgeist, which now and then tends to a parody.
The film has a good message and wants to make this clear time and again. Morality is therefore regularly pushed through, with or without Biblical references, which eventually becomes tiresome. And of course the countless string orchestras that have to make this story even more dramatic than it already is, would have liked less of me.
Despite the clichés and the bold morality, a very fine and inspiring film. And the fact that it's a true story makes it definitely worth seeing.
3*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Lovelyboy
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- 3953 messages
- 2955 votes
Fair at best.
The first, not exactly uninteresting, steps of the first colored baseball player in the MLB are followed. The expected picture of racism, insult, threats and other terrifying events pass by, of course, at the end 'fraternization' and the fact that Robinson succeeds and is accepted by his own team.
In itself a subject from which a lot can be learned and which would make a great drama or biopic, were it not for the fact that, as mentioned by many above, the film is a succession of clichés. The film doesn't surprise anywhere, even though Ford, Black, Boseman and Meloni do their best to make the most of it.
The film exudes a certain quality, yet the film never exceeds the limit of average. All in all, a film that brings nothing new under the sun and is almost boring and even good. Too bad, because a story like this might have deserved more.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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