Plot
The life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 7.6/10 (1,439 voted)
Director:Brian Helgeland
Storyline
The life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey.
Release Date:
Filming Locations: Rickwood Field - 1137 2nd Avenue W, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The role of Branch Rickey was originally intended for Robert Redford. See more »
Quotes:
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User Review
Extraordinary Performances by young actors
Rating: 10/10
I'm a middle-aged black man now and sometimes I wonder if young people
get it.
I was born in Richmond, VA, and I'm 1 (ONE) generation removed from
segregation.
It is because of this that I was FLOORED by the performance of these
young actors. Chadwick Boseman & Nicole Beharie did a magnificent job
portraying the grace and courage of the Robinsons.
I couldn't have done it. Boseman has an UNCANNY resemblance to Jackie,
and his performance was so visceral that it proved to me that I
couldn't have done it.
I wouldn't have had the courage to stand up to racism by NOT fighting
back. I wouldn't have had the patience to bide my time until folks
decided it was time to see me as being more than sub-human. I
absolutely wouldn't have taken the risk of playing a game while people
threatened my wife and child.
When Jackie finally got angry enough to smash his bat against a wall,
that was the ONLY thing I could relate to - then to realize he had to
go back out there because it was about MORE than just him - I was
flabbergasted by his courage.
This is more than a film about baseball. The nuances like watching
people in second class seating still turning out to support Robinson in
full-on "Sunday church service" dress was poignant to me.
This movie ain't just about Jackie.
My mom is from New York, and she was 7 years old when Jackie joined the
Dodgers. She remembers this clearly.
It's obvious why you (as I did) would take your kids to see this film
as it shows what happened and how far we've come. For me, it shows what
other people did FOR ME that I was incapable of doing for myself.
This film has some corny parts to it - like most films of this ilk, it
sanitizes some things and does tie a nice bow on some issues glossed
over in the retelling...
..that doesn't mean it's not a darned good film.
I'm pretty cynical these days. It's not often that I watch a film with
a lump in my throat the whole time. I am indebted to the young actors
who portrayed the people of my grandparents' generation with style,
class and urgency.
I will own this film when it becomes available and that date can't come
soon enough.
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