42 parents guide

42 Parent Guide

Director and screenwriter Brian Helgeland hits one out of the ballpark with his movie "42".

Overall A

Jackie Robinson (played by Chadwick Boseman) was the first colored baseball player to sign with a white team. Named after his jersey number, 42 follows the true story of this history making athlete.

Release date April 12, 2013

Violence B-
Sexual Content C+
Profanity C
Substance Use C+

Why is 42 rated PG-13? The MPAA rated 42 PG-13 for thematic elements including language.

Run Time: 129 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Director and screenwriter Brian Helgeland hits one out of the ballpark with his movie 42. The tale of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson scores across the bases with strong messages and stellar performances by an impressive cast.

It may also be a redemptive homerun for one of the film’s executive producers. Dick Cook, the former Chairman of Walt Disney Studios, was ousted from the Mouse House in 2009. In 2011 it was rumored Cook was seeking funding to produce his own family friendly movies. While 42 isn’t suitable for all family members, the historical drama will play well to both baseball fans and general movie audiences.

Veteran actor Harrison Ford stars as the pioneering, cigar-chomping general manager Branch Rickey who signs Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers. John C. McGinley portrays Red Barber, the team’s colorful commentator with a bat bag full of sporty colloquialisms. Both performers create convincing characters that are a far cry from Hans Solo of Star Wars or Dr. Perry Cox of Scrubs. But it is small screen actor Chadwick Boseman that rockets this script into orbit like a squarely hit pitch. Without the distraction of other big theater roles on his resume, Boseman brings a fresh face to this sound depiction of the famous rookie.

Following the details of the true story, the trail-blazing Branch questions the Major League Baseball’s color barrier during a shameful period when African American soldiers returned from fighting in World War II only to face racial discrimination and Jim Crowe laws at home. Luckily for Robinson, the audacious executive is willing to challenge this prejudice on the ball diamond. While capturing the virulent hostility Jackie faces on the field, the movie also shows the support he receives from his wife Rachel (Nicole Beharie), African American sportswriter Wendell Smith (Andre Holland) and teammates Eddie Stanky (Jesse Luken) and Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black).

The script includes a deluge of racial slurs, infrequent profanities and a tirade of offensive sexual comments along with racial discrimination. Bullying and an adulterous relationship also rack up errors against this film’s content. Unfortunately many of the depictions, including the haze of cigar smoke that hovers around Branch Rickey, are true to the time.

However for older teens and adults, number 42’s journey to the big league is more impressive than even his stats. Credited with helping to spark the civil rights movement, his stance against racial barriers continues to serve as an example today. Choosing to deal with his agonies in private, his gentleman demeanor and unwavering love of the game in public inspires even his Dodger teammates to face their prejudices and become a real team. In a current era where various sports leagues are confronted with labor disputes, bloated egos and performance-enhancing drugs, Jackie Robinson remains a role model to young players ready to pick up the bat and play ball.

Directed by Brian Helgeland. Starring Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Alan Tudyk, Lucas Black. Running time: 129 minutes. Theatrical release April 12, 2013. Updated

42
Rating & Content Info

Why is 42 rated PG-13? 42 is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for thematic elements including language.

Violence: Black characters are bullied and discriminated against throughout the film. A man is intentionally hit in the head with a baseball bat and slashed on the leg with cleats. Characters receive threatening letters and hate mail. A group of men’s verbal argument escalates into pushing and shoving.

Sexual Content: A couple, engaged in an adulterous relationship, is shown in bed together. A man makes crude and offensive comments about sexual activity to another character. Brief kissing and embracing are portrayed along with brief and mild sexual references.

Language: The script includes numerous racial slurs in a historical setting, as well as some scatological slang, terms of deity and mild and moderate profanities.

Alcohol / Drug Use: A character is frequently shown smoking a cigar. A man holds a pipe in his hand. Several secondary characters are shown with alcohol.

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42 Parents' Guide

One character says it is easier to break a law and get away with it than it is to break a code, and warns about the danger of ignoring such unwritten laws. What codes or unwritten laws of behavior can you think of? Who enforces them? What are the penalties for breaking them?

Wendell Smith is assigned to work as an advance man for Jackie Robinson. What responsibilities does he have? What role does he play as a chronicler of the baseball player’s life? How does he, and other reporters, use newspapers to promote their own views about Robinson and convince readers to share the writers’ opinions?

How does this movie define a hero? Is there a difference between a hero and a role model? Who serves as role models in this film? How does Pee Wee Reese’s actions toward Jackie challenge the views of the young boy who attends the game with his father? How does Jackie feel about his roles of father and husband?

How does Branch Rickey incorporate his religion into his work life? What expectations does he have for his players and employees? How does Jackie serve as a redemptive opportunity for Branch? Is it fair to ask Jackie to endure what he does so that Branch can feel absolved?

What does it mean when a team retires a player’s number?

Learn more about the real men depicted in this movie:

Jackie Robinson

Branch Rickey

Red Barber

Wendell Smith

Eddie Stanky

Pee Wee Reese

Home Video

The most recent home video release of 42 movie is July 16, 2013. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: 42

Release Date: 16 July 2013

42 releases to home video with the following extras:

-  Stepping into History

-  Full-Contact Baseball

- The Legacy of the Number 42

Related home video titles:

Coach Don Haskins made history when he became the first to recruit African American players for his college basketball team in the 1960s. His story is portrayed in Glory Road. Another discriminated against group of players gets a chance to play ball in A League of Their Own. Overcoming the racial divide of sports is also explored in Remember the Titans and Brian’s Song.

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