42

I never do this...but when I saw "42", it seemed appropriate.  The Dodgers were playing a day game in New York (of all places) during the movie, so I left my phone on silence, and I checked in on their progress while I was watching the story of Jackie Robinson unfold.  As the film ended with the end of Robinson's rookie season, I looked down at my phone, and the Dodgers had just defeated the Mets.  Watching this movie about the most significant Dodger ever made me want to check in with my team while I was watching the movie.  It occurred to me that even though Jackie Robinson will always be remembered for the remarkable contributions he made to humanity, it might be forgotten that had he not played the game of baseball very well, he would not have made the progress that he made.  So, in that light, it seemed in the spirit of the film to check in on the Boys in Blue as I watched the drama unfold on the movie screen (there were 5 people in the theater, so I didn't shine a light on anyone, in case anyone wondered).

This is a story that begs to be told on the movie screen.   It involves great human drama, an underdog story, and a love story.  It follows the pursuit of not one, but two men, and how they accomplished that shared goal together.  It also follows the journey of a remarkable couple, whose love for each other made the success of the pursuit possible.  The young actor cast to play Robinson is Chadwick Boseman.  He is well suited to the role.  He brings Jackie Robinson to all of us, as we see before us how this man was able to help integrate America's game.  Jackie Robinson was no pacifist.  One of the reasons he was chosen by the Dodgers' owner was that he had stood up to racism in the past (Robinson had been court marshaled during WW2 because he refused to follow segregation rules on a military bus).  Boseman is able to show the simmering anger that Robinson felt, but also his commitment to controlling his temper.  As the Dodgers' owner, Harrison Ford inhabits Branch Rickey very well.  If the viewer thinks he is hamming it up in the role, watch old film footage of Branch Rickey.  You will see that Ford's portrayal is note perfect, and it would be good to see Mr. Ford recognized for his work next Oscar season, an honor that has alluded him so far in his long acting career.  The other essential partnership which made this story possible is the love story between Jackie and his wife Rachel.  Rachel Robinson is played by Nicole Beharie, and brings the right balance of tenderness and strength to portray a woman who needed both of those things to support her husband who had to go through a living hell.  The story of these three people is the heart of the movie.

Beyond that, since many of the anecdotes depicted in the movie are well known, the movie was more of a warm, inspirational story told well.  As Robinson makes his way to the big leagues, he is defended in surprising ways.  Perhaps the best scene in that vain is the scene in which Dodger manager Leo Durocher (played very well by Christopher Meloni) confronts the team regarding a petition certain players had circulated stating that they would not play for the Dodgers next to a black man.  Durocher stymies their rebellion, but not before some colorful language is used, and he makes known to the players the Robinson is only the first of many talented players from the Negro Leagues who will enter the Majors, and that they better play well if they like their jobs.

The movie also brings back 40's baseball well.  It brings us into that world, and it aids the story very well.  The spring training facility at the beginning of the film does not look glamorous.  The grass is not well manicured, and it reminds us that baseball was not the big business then that it is now.  Also, the technology of digital effects is used to bring to life old ball parks that have been gone for decades.  Seeing Ebbet's Field, The Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, and other places come to life again was great for this baseball devote. 

However, in spite of all the window dressing, the heart of the movie is the human drama.  We get a glimpse into the close partnership between Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson.  Both of those men gave credit to the other man for the success of their experiment until the day they died.  Harrison Ford plays the role with great gusto, and the scenes of him encouraging Robinson and demanding loyalty from his other employees are some of the movie's best scenes.  The movie also reserves a special place for Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), a journalist for the African American newspaper "The Pittsburgh Courier" who followed Jackie Robinson's rookie year and chronicled it.  And finally, we see the love story between Jackie and Rachel played out before our eyes.  Their need for each other is evident in one scene specifically.  As they stroll through a Florida neighborhood together, they are approached by a man who sees them strolling.  The man is doing some city work on a power line, but wants to speak with them.  As he stops his work to approach the couple, they become concerned.  With the abuse they have already endured, they are understandably defensive as this stranger approaches them.  But, as he reaches them, he makes known to both of them that he is "pulling for him," and that he deserves a shot like everyone else.

I doubt very much that this movie will win any awards next award season.  It is not a groundbreaking masterpiece.  However, I spent more than half of this movie with a lump in my throat.  This is a story I know very well, and the story is brought to the screen with accuracy and dignity.  In the end, that is enough.  Some of the reviews have stated that the movie played it safe.  I cannot totally disagree, but I can say that I have rarely had a more satisfying emotional experience at a movie than I did seeing this movie.  Cinema can be avant garde and cutting edge.  But it can also be the keeper of inspirational stories like this one.  The story tells of people not only motivated by a desire for fairness, but also motivated by a faith in Christ that gives them the strength to overcome barriers.