When people think of symbolic sports figures triumphing over adversity, Jackie Robinson is one of the first to come to mind — the man who tore up baseball’s gentlemen’s agreement, who fought against malignant racism with nothing but a bat, glove and cleats.

No. 42 is the ultimate athletic hero, whose mythical sports biopic sat upon a pedestal for decades as filmmakers like Spike Lee and Robert Redford tried — and failed — to grasp it.

Robinson already played himself in a biopic (“The Jackie Robinson Story,” 1950), and it took 63 years to find someone brave enough to step into those colossal shoes. That someone is relative newcomer Chadwick Boseman, the intensely stoic lead of writer and director Brian Helgeland’s “42: The True Story of an American Legend.”

As conventional a sports movie as they come — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing — “42” keeps it simple by chronicling Robinson as the symbolic figure more than the complex man underneath.

The straightforward story is more of a snapshot of the man than a true biopic, focusing almost entirely on Robinson’s minor league and first major league seasons from 1946-47, surrounded by picturesque 1940s sets and a delightful supporting cast.

Harrison Ford, in particular, does his best acting in years as iconic Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey.

After Rickey recruits Robinson — then a Negro league player for the Kansas City Monarchs — in 1945, he and wife Rachel (the effervescent Nicole Beharie) move to Florida for the 1946 season training camp. Robinson begins training with the Dodgers’ minor league affiliate, the Montreal Royals. The Robinsons aren’t allowed to stay in hotels, so they live with local black families.

In 1947, Robinson famously signs his major league contract, shocking the baseball world as starting first baseman for the Dodgers. Throughout the course of the season, Robinson endures racial jeers and abuse from around the league, even from some of his teammates. But as anyone with the faintest knowledge of baseball knows, he courageously overcomes it to lead the Dodgers to the pennant and wins Rookie of the Year.

Everything about “42” is direct and genuine, a step-by-step history lesson showing how Robinson broke the color barrier and earned his hallowed legacy. While the movie is infused with light humor and sporadic dry wit, Helgeland depicts racism, segregation and bigotry with blunt realism.

Racism is the film’s villain, and it antagonizes from start to finish. There’s the small-town sheriff who kicks Robinson off of a minor league field, the flight attendant who gives away his seats to a white couple, pitchers throwing at Robinson’s head and piles of hate mail.

During a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk) spews a virulent tirade of N-words and racial slurs so reprehensible, it’s shocking to hear while watching from a modern setting.

Boseman embodies Robinson with a controlled rage bubbling under his calm demeanor. Only when he’s alone in the dark tunnel behind the dugout does Robinson crack, smashing his bat to pieces in mad frustration. But Boseman’s best scenes are silent ones, taunting pitchers with a wide grin as he steals base after base.

The supporting cast fills in the entertainment value to complement Boseman’s stoicism. Christopher Meloni (“Law & Order: SVU”) adds comic sarcasm as gruff, philandering Dodgers manager Leo Durocher, while “Scrubs” vet John C. McGinley steals his scenes with witty commentary as announcer Red Barber.

Yet the most indelible performance of “42” belongs to Ford as Rickey. Finally embracing old age, Ford saunters around with a protruding gut, puffing cigars, growling clever quips and compassionate speeches in that deep, gravelly voice.

“42” has a deliberately classic feel, from the slow-motion baseball scenes to its orchestral soundtrack, swelling to underscore dramatic moments like Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) hugging Robinson on the field.

An American hero like Robinson carries expectations of a larger-than-life biopic. While it’s fun to imagine what a filmmaker like Spike Lee would’ve done with Robinson’s deeper back story, the old-fashioned reverence of “42” is still an inspiring, enjoyable depiction of Robinson’s legacy.

Like “Chariots of Fire,” “Hoosiers” or “Rudy” before it, “42” is a straightforward sports movie, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Published on April 18, 2013 at 12:30 am

Contact Rob: rjmarvin@syr.edu