Tags
42, baseball, Chadwick Boseman, cry, escape, Harrison Ford, Jackie Robinson, laugh, movie
I’ve been trying to decide if I want to see 42 – normally I LOVE based on a true story sports movie (so much so that my husband teases me about it), but for some reason I didn’t feel that usual pull toward 42. I even discussed it with friends – was it baseball that made me pause, was it lack of knowledge about Jackie Robinson, was it something else I couldn’t identify (for the record I still have no idea). After seeing the movie, I really have no idea! All the things I LOVE about based on true story sports movies were there…
1. The main character is the underdog
2. The emotional roller coaster of his battle
3. The anticipation of the sport
4. The information and pictures of the real people portrayed in the movie at the end
I am so glad I decided to see this movie – it was truly enjoyable (whether you are a baseball fan or not)!! Chadwick Boseman did a phenomenal job as Jackie – the courage it took to “turn the other cheek” was amazing and his struggle to do so came through loud and clear. Branch Rickey, played by Harrison Ford (who still looked like Professor Jones at times), was a man that knew what he wanted and provided the leadership and encouragement to achieve it. Rachel Robinson played by Nicole Beharie, was a strong woman that made her husband stronger by believing in him and supporting him. I also enjoyed watching some of Jackie’s teammates change their opinion about him. Quiet determination (quiet being the key word) can make a difference.
This movie is full of great life lessons, tons of feel-good moments, some laughs, and maybe even a few tears. I could never begin to tell you everything I took away from this movie, but here is an example: there is a scene in the movie where one of the ball players comes to Mr. Rickey because of one threatening letter he received – he is very distraught and concerned. Mr. Rickey proceeds to show him stacks and stacks of threatening letters that had been sent to Jackie Robinson. It’s all about perspective – I hope to never lose sight of how blessed I truly am.