42
Jackie Robinson confronts baseball’s color line and relentless racism while Branch Rickey backs his historic push into Major League Baseball.
Overview
A powerful story of courage and resilience in the face of adversity.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- earnest
- inspirational
- stirring
- sports movie night
- history viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as an earnest, inspirational, and respectful biography elevated by strong performances, while noting its safe and old-fashioned conventionality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story dramatizes Jackie Robinson’s recruitment and emergence as the first modern African American Major League player.
Jackie must withstand racist abuse from players and fans without responding in kind.
Branch Rickey recruits Robinson to challenge Major League Baseball’s unspoken color line.
The film places Robinson’s breakthrough in the racially segregated United States of the mid-1940s.
Films like 42, and why
The Express
shared biographical sports drama, racial prejudice, and inspirational underdog arc
Moneyball
shared baseball-centered drama, historical realism, and institutional barriers
Remember the Titans
shared civil rights history, principled resistance, and earnest inspirational tone
Race
shared sports biography, social change, and determined outsider protagonist
Movie Details
- Director
- Brian Helgeland
- Release Date
- 2013-04-12
- Runtime
- 128 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (2015)
Cast
- Chadwick Boseman
- Harrison Ford
- Nicole Beharie
- Christopher Meloni
- Ryan Merriman
- Lucas Black
- André Holland
- Alan Tudyk
- Hamish Linklater
- T. R. Knight
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is 42 about?
- Jackie Robinson confronts baseball’s color line and relentless racism while Branch Rickey backs his historic push into Major League Baseball.
- What is 42 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 42 as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is 42 violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in 42 as moderate.
- What did critics think of 42?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as an earnest, inspirational, and respectful biography elevated by strong performances, while noting its safe and old-fashioned conventionality.
- Which films are like 42?
- Films with a similar feel include The Express, Moneyball, Remember the Titans, and Race.
- How long is 42?
- 42 runs 128 minutes.
- Where can I watch 42?
- In United States, 42 streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
