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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

42
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, T.R. Knight, Christopher Meloni, and Lucas Black
Synopsis: In the spring of 1947, an infielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers named Jackie Robinson changed the world. Sixty-six years later it’s easy to see that, and he’s celebrated as a hero. But at the time, it was a gamble for Robinson and the Dodgers, as he became the first player to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Growing up in a different era — particularly if you live in a place like California — it’s easy to fail to appreciate what Robinson’s presence on the Dodgers meant to baseball, America and African American youth throughout the country who saw him as a symbol of possibility. “42,” a new biopic on Robinson’s path to the Dodgers and his first season with the organization, seeks to put that into perspective in a real way. It’s not overly romanticized or overly harsh, but rather seeks to honestly portray the people involved and chronicle an important moment for our country. Writer/director Brian Helgeland has had a varied career. Most notably in 1997 he won an Oscar for his work on “L.A. Confidential” and a Golden Raspberry award for his work on “The Postman.” With “42,” Helgeland returns to the 1940s — a time period featured in “L.A. Confidential” — and delivers another moving story full of rich characters and an appreciation for the historical context of the story he’s telling. “42” doesn’t soft-peddle the trouble Robinson found — both from other teams and managers and even from some of those who he shared a locker room with. But it’s also a story that shows appreciation for all those that stood with Robinson. It is easy to look back and have appreciation for all Robinson endured to be a trailblazer. One of the best early scenes in the film features Robinson asking Rickey if he’s looking for a player that “doesn’t have the guts to fight back.” Rickey responds he’s looking for a player that “has the guts not to fight back.” That was Robinson. Boseman does a great job of embodying the legend, and his struggles. One of the most riveting scenes is follows a particularly ugly exchange between the manager of the Phillies and Robinson. Unable to speak back to defend himself, Robinson drops into the tunnel beneath the Dodger dugout and unleashes his fury on the wall. Boseman does a great job of portraying that raw emotion, a tribute to all the silent suffering Robinson endured from a world that wasn’t ready to embrace him. The film is also a nice tribute to Rickey and the members of the Dodger organization — players, coaches and front office personnel — who fought to give Robinson a chance and stood with him during the maelstrom. It does a good job of chronicling the period between Robinson’s signing with the Dodgers and the end of his rookie year, when he was named Rookie of the Year. Overall, “42” is a well-written, well-made biopic about a landmark moment in baseball and in America. Long before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers were making history. It’s a story that shouldn’t be forgotten, and “42” keeps it alive for a whole new generation.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements including language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, April 19 — "Oblivion"

Friday, April 26 — "Pain and Gain," "The Big Wedding"