I Saw 42 and Loved It.

I must preface this post by disclosing that I am not a huge sports fan so I am definitely not a fan of sports movies. The last movie I saw about sports was Any Given Sunday. I may have fallen asleep in the theatre.

Not this time.

I had the privilege of attending a private screening of 42 this week at the Studio Movie Grill in Dallas. I literally sat with my head in my hands like a kid totally engrossed in this film. The acting is top notch. I and one of the girls with my group kept getting excited when we would recognize an actor. Such is the acting that the actor is eclipsed by the character's presence. It was not until I was home did I google this and realize it is indeed Harrison Ford – nearly recognizable – as GM Branch Rickey.

42

I have a new crush – Chadwick Boseman. He gave Jackie Robinson heart. His character is human and fallible with natural talent and determination. Cliches aside, this is an inspirational movie. I literally want every young man in this country to see this film and become inspired to do more – do better.

42 is a bit sanitized, no doubt to attain the PG-13 rating but there is one intense scene that pretty much sums up the relentless racist abuse Jackie Robinson endured and his humanity – as well as heroism – in opposition to it.

This movie has got everything love/hate, villain/hero, and of course, baseball. I have a new appreciation of the sport. The audience actually applauded at the end. The last time I saw that happen, I was watching The Princess and the Frog with a nearly all-white audience. Mostly children. If we could all see with the eyes of children.

 

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