TheHG

I went in expecting nothing more than to be spared mediocrity and boredom. The only lure (promise of a worthwhile movie experience) was the presence of Jeff Bridges ... and he delivered. There were also two cast members that gave extremely good performances: Newcomer Cynthia Erivo, and the young Lewis Pullman. He looked somewhat familiar to me, and duh, his last name ! .... He is Bill Pullman's son !! Back to the movie itself .... I can summarize by saying that overall, it was highly satisfying in much the same manner that L. A. Confidential was. In the end, everything is nicely wrapped and concluded smart-and-efficient-like. You can't ask for much more !!!

Maybe it is the shallowness of the story or the less than stellar performances of the leads, ... but in the end one is left unsatisfied by the aimlessness of it all ! This movie is a total sham beginning with the pretentious title itself. In the end, you will be left asking: What is the whole point of this misadventure? I could say more, but I don't want to spoil it for the fans of McConaughey and Hathaway.

I must confess that I haven't written a movie review in a very long time. The reason basically is that I haven't had the motivation or the interest. Indeed, there are good movies out there for sure, but they hardly ever see the light of day. They are relegated to special community theaters that are mostly artsy in nature. But I am glad that "42" did not fall into that category. It is a good thing that it is achieving wider notice.

To a naturalized American from Ethiopia, this movie is not only generally educational but also deeply and emotionally nerve-wracking. This country that I love has gone thru the wringer historically in extricating itself from ignorance, hate, and ugliness of the human soul. It has been a long and continuous struggle. And although some would like you to believe that there is no more hate or discrimination in the U.S.A., one only needs to remember that these evils are like persistent garden weeds that need constant digging out. They are not completely eradicable. They manifest themselves in a variety of ways. That is why the Civil Rights battles must continue.

This country will persevere because of heroes like Jackie on one side and quiet, decent, justice-minded Americans on the other. May God truly bless and keep America on the right path!