42 (2013)
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 139
Fresh: 107 | Rotten: 32
42 is an earnest, inspirational, and respectfully told biography of an influential American sports icon, though it might be a little too safe and old-fashioned for some.
Average Rating: 7/10
Critic Reviews: 39
Fresh: 28 | Rotten: 11
42 is an earnest, inspirational, and respectfully told biography of an influential American sports icon, though it might be a little too safe and old-fashioned for some.
liked it
Average Rating: 4.2/5
User Ratings: 36,484
My Rating
Movie Info
Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. "42" tells the story of two men-the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey-whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball. In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball's infamous color
Cast
-
Chadwick Boseman
Jackie Robinson -
Harrison Ford
Branch Rickey -
Nicole Beharie
Rachel Robinson -
Christopher Meloni
Leo Durocher -
Ryan Merriman
Dixie Walker -
Lucas Black
Pee Wee Reese -
Andre Holland
Wendell Smith -
Alan Tudyk
Ben Chapman -
Hamish Linklater
Ralph Branca -
T.R. Knight
Harold Parrott -
John C. McGinley
Red Barber -
Toby Huss
Clyde Sukeforth -
Max Gail
Burt Shotton -
Brad Beyer
Kirby Higbe -
James Pickens Jr.
Mr. Brock -
Gino Anthony Pesi
Joe Garagiola -
Brett Cullen
Clay Hopper -
Jesse Luken
Eddie Stanky -
Jamey Holliday
Pete Reiser -
Derek Phillips
Bobby Bragan -
Jamie Ruehling
Spider Jorgensen -
Blake Sanders
Gene Hermanski -
Johnny Knight
Carl Furillo -
Clint O'Brien
Hugh Casey -
Dusan Brown
Ed Charles -
Cherise Boothe
Ed's Mother -
Friedel Pinkston
Birmingham Catcher -
Linc Hand
Fritz Ostermueller -
Thomas Helgeland
Everett McCooey -
Matt Clark
Luther -
Peter Mackenzie
Happy Chandler -
Joe Inscoe
Bob Cooke -
Monnae Michaell
Mallie -
Karole Foreman
Duff Harris -
C.J. Nitkowski
Dutch Leonard -
Scott Callaway
Andy Seminick -
Aaron Farb
Phillie Two -
James Rackley
Phillie One -
Anthony Goolsby
Monarch Batter -
Lou Criscuolo
Reporter One -
Ross Hughes
Reporter Two -
Joe Knezevich
Reporter Three -
Mark Harelik
Herb Pennock -
Kenny Cook
Fan One -
Rhoda Griffis
Miss Bishop -
Dan Fenlan
Babe Hamburger -
Maury Covington
Policeman -
Henry Friedman
Freckles -
Jon Kohler
Spectator Two -
Marc Gowan
Doctor -
Jackson Walker
Jimmy Powers -
Danny Vinson
Eddie Dyer -
Ari Blinder
Photographer -
William Flaman
Cracker -
David Sweeney
Fan Two -
Denise Moye
Older Woman -
Peter Jurasik
Hotel Manager -
Dan Mengini
Spectator One -
Michael H. Cole
Another Reporter -
Janet Metzger
Jane Ann -
Dax Griffin
Racist City Island Fan -
Holden Hansen
Freckle's Dad -
Jayson Warner Smith
White Gas Station Atten... -
Jeremy Taylor
Boy -
Christopher Harvey
Bus Driver -
Kelley Alice Jakle
Alice -
Jud Tylor
Laraine Day -
Tobias Michael Finn
Panamanian Kid -
Ercell Grimes
Shouting Fan -
Dwight Houser
City Island Umpire -
Barry Suttle
Roosevelt Home Umpire -
Andrew B. Roberts
Ball One Umpire -
Jimmie L. Coleman
Negro League Umpire -
Steve Hicks
Umpire One -
Wayne Hickey
Umpire Two -
Andrew Mullins
Umpire Three -
Dennis A. Spears
Umpire Four -
Gary Miller
Umpire Five -
Todd Wilson
Reporter Four -
David Thoms
Enos Slaughter -
Richard Tavernaro
Deland Umpire -
Hunter Clowdus
Dodger Bat Boy -
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All Critics (139) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (107) | Rotten (32)
A square, uninventive, but detailed and stirring bio-pic devoted to the two years in an athlete's life that changed a nation.
Top Critic"This is a competent but mostly unexceptional film about a most extraordinary man."
This story inspires and entertains with a vital chapter in this nation's history.
The filmmaking is TV-movie-of-the-week dull and Robinson's ordeal is hammered home to the exclusion of virtually everything else in his life.
"A kind and decent film, though it doesn't add to Robinson's legacy."
[Boseman] captures, in a clenched jaw or a sidelong glance, a lifetime's worth of dearly attained dignity and barely contained rage.
Writer-director Brian Helgeland never balks in letting us experience the ugliness of racism over and over, as Robinson forces himself to bite his tongue as slurs, insults and baseballs are fired at his increasingly cool head.
Even if it may not necessarily read on Helgeland's more surface-skimming page, it subtly yet deeply reads in Boseman's eyes Robinson's wrenching day-to-day struggle to maintain almost superhuman composure amid literally, viciously in-his-face prejudice.
If life-affirming inspirational stories are a turn-off, 42 is still worth watching.
a script that touches the well known base paths of Robinson lore without penetrating the man's heart
42 delivers a powerful story, adding one more crucial piece to the puzzle that is American history. But as for a fleshed-out biopic that provides more pieces to the puzzle that was Jackie Robinson, the man? For that, you'll have to wait.
A terrific cast helps lift it above the crowd pleasingly routine fare typical of the genre, producing a solid triple of a baseball movie.
It can't be argued that 42 reaches the depth and complexity of [L.A. Confidential], but what Helgeland does give us is a wonderful, huge, glossy, mythical portrait of America's growing pains.
With overtones of "The Natural" and "Hoosiers" this is the best movie of 2013 so far.
Solid and heartfelt, '42' is less the story of Jackie Robinson than the story of how those around him reacted to the man who broke the color barrier for Major League baseball.
Boseman hits just the right notes as Robinson. He's not a saint. He's a man, with many of the same flaws all men have. He wears his emotions on his sleeve and he's not afraid to show them.
The story is compelling. The acting is good and the historical period, including the old ball parks, are recreated very convincingly. The baseball scenes are well done.
It manages to be something that inspirational biopics, in my experience, virtually never are: inspiring.
This film reminds us that how we feel about our sports figures mirrors how we feel about our nation.
Competent but superficial historical tribute to baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
Helgeland's handling of the material is simply too by the book, giving us the milestone in place of the man.
The baseball scenes are realistic, the acting is at the level of Lincoln, and the message is not overstated.
It's not easy to steal home when you've got a halo over your head but Boseman somehow manages.
"42" is a glorious tale of staying strong and having perseverance in the face of hatred.
There should be a Lifetime Sports channel. 42 would be a good movie for it
Audience Reviews for 42
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| Guess the Tomatometer | 1 day ago | 85 |
| Oh great, another "whites are evil" movie | 7 days ago | 106 |
| two things i hate about the world we live in. | 13 days ago | 5 |
| Hope they do this right | 24 days ago | 3 |
Latest News on 42
April 15, 2013:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: 42 Breaks Records and Barriers in First PlaceJackie Robinson made history again as the new film 42 delivered the best opening ever for a baseball...
April 11, 2013:
Critics Consensus: 42 Is Earnest and InspirationalThis week at the movies, we've got a pioneering ballplayer (42, starring Chadwick Boseman and...
April 11, 2013:
Parental Guidance: 42, Scary Movie 5This week, 42 brings the heroic, inspirational story of Jackie Robinson's color barrier-breaking...
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