On paper, "42" is seemingly untouchable. The story of Jackie Robinson is simply MADE for film. It has everything you could expect from an inspirational, crowd-pleasing sports film. It doesn't tell you anything you didn't know or hadn't seen before but it will make the audiences clap and walk away feeling good. In that respect, "42" succeeds. It is only a partial success though as the movie is hurt by some very 21st century filmmaking flaws, odd direction, and a lack of editing.
"42" tells the story of the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford). Rickey is trying to find the next source of income for his ballclub. He decides that bringing a talented African American player will help draw up ticket sales and maybe a bit of controversy. In comes, Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman), a quick-witted player with a great woman by his side (Nicole Beharie). He knows that breaking the color barrier in baseball will be difficult. It turns out that it is, in fact, difficult. Jackie is not the one who needs to make changes. It is his teammates, ball club, and an entire sport that must change.
"42" is a movie that is screaming for a good director. This is the kind of story that deserves a filmmaker like Ron Howard. Howard can take any subject and make it a crowd-pleasing film that might not go down as a classic but that you will definitely enjoy and more than likely won't turn off when it is playing on TNT. Films like "Cinderella Man" and "Seabiscuit" show he can make a sports film. Unfortunately writer/director Brian Helgeland is not ready for a film of this magnitude. He shoots scenes far too close so that they lose any drama or scope. Shots of old ball clubs end up being awkwardly framed. Actual baseball playing contains obvious and distracting CGI. I know that it is unlikely that the cast is going to become highly accomplished baseball players before filming begins. A film like this deserves a realistic portrayal of baseball. Any CGI-trickery is tacky in a world where so many period sports films have succeeded. Helgeland's script isn't the problem. It is all about his presentation. When you have a story this good and pre-packed, your presentation becomes the key to a truly "good" movie. Without Ford, this movie could have easily been a large-budget "made for cable" film. You do not want to say that about such an epic story.
The cast is uniformly good. Harrison Ford does his first real acting since I can't remember when. Boseman does a fine job as Robinson although I'm not sure what prospects he has in the future. He looks so much like a vintage baseball player that I don't know how he can segue into standard film. The supporting cast including Christopher Meloni, Alan Tudyk, and John C. McGinley is all great but underused. All three receive not nearly enough screen-time. The casting of these three talented and recognizable faces almost makes the audience wish they had more time to really show their talent. While Ford's character has some good moments, it would seem that a little editing and more character development would have made this film better.
The biggest surprise in "42" is not Ford's performance but the characterization and writing of the relationship of Robinson and his wife Rachel (Belharie). This film easily could have just been about how they overcame adversity together and how she handled his fame and attention. Their scenes are very genuine and Belharie might be someone to watch in the upcoming years.
It is difficult not to recommend "42". It is a well-acted, interesting story that will most certainly make you think about the accomplishments of Robinson and the African American baseball players that followed. It is all entertaining but seems to be missing something special that matches such a perfect story. As it is, "42" is worth your time but you are probably better off tracking down the 1996 HBO film "Soul of the Game". It is a solid single but could have easily knocked a run in had it tried just a little more.
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