Hidden Figures (2016)

• Year: 2016
• Released: 06 Jan 2017
• Country: United States
• Adwords: Nominated for 3 Oscars. 37 wins & 94 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hidden_figures
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/hidden-figures
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: PG
• Genre: Biography, Drama, History
• Runtime: 127 min
• Writer: Allison Schroeder, Theodore Melfi, Margot Lee Shetterly
• Director: Theodore Melfi
• Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe
• Keywords: biography, 1960s, scientist, racism, historical fiction,

	7.8/10
	74/100
	93% – Critics
	93% – Audience

Hidden Figures Storyline

Approximately one year (early 1961 to early 1962) – what is the height of the American-Soviet space race – in the life of three female friends who worked in the female African-American computing section of NASA at Langley, is presented. Their largely unheralded at the time contributions to the advancement of the American space program are dramatized, their contributions which they were able to achieve despite facing both gender and race issues, the latter as much of the US, including NASA, was still segregated. Mary Jackson, assigned to the space capsule heat shield team, is encouraged by one of the engineers on the team to apply for one of the more senior engineering positions, he seeing her expertise. In what ends up being the Catch-22, Mary does not have the necessary qualifications for the promotion, and cannot get those qualifications as the extension courses are not taught in any high school accessible to African-Americans in Hampton where she lives. Her struggles are exacerbated by her husband Levi Jackson, a civil rights activist who only sees the advancement of African-Americans in a narrow view. Dorothy Vaughan has been acting supervisor of the section, only having the responsibilities but not the title or the associated pay. Dorothy believes not getting that promotion is largely the doing of her Caucasian supervisor, Vivian Mitchell. With the first IBM mainframe computer just having been purchased at NASA, Dorothy, with the odds stacked against her, tries to learn as much as she can on her own about its workings to make herself and the entire African-American female computing section relevant in this changing time. And widowed mother Katherine Gobel is the mathematical genius whose expertise in analytical geometry gets her assigned to the Space Task Group under the lead of Al Harrison, a no nonsense man who wants the job done at any cost. To get to Harrison, Katherine has to go through lead engineer Paul Stafford, who sees her as an irrelevant underling, he always falling on the excuse of clearance to quash Katherine’s ability to do her job effectively. Her burgeoning romance with National Guardsman Jim Johnson is also dramatized, their relationship despite their rocky start.

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Hidden Figures Movie Reviews

Appropriately inspiring.

“Hidden Figures” came out several months ago and there are already quite a few reviews for it. Because of this, I don’t plan on saying a lot.

The film is the story of some inspiring black women who worked in the space program during an era when black women were highly marginalized. The acting is terrific and the production all around is well made and enjoyable. Not surprisingly, the movie did well in the box office and no doubt you’ll have a nice time if you see the film.

Do I have any quibbles? Well, a few details here and there were changed to make the story more cinematic…which is the norm for Hollywood films and something I can look past since the story is essentially true.

Not a film to remain hidden

Wanted to see as many 2016 films as possible, especially those that won or were nominated for the big awards. ‘Hidden Figures’ also had the further interest on being based on an incredible true story, with just as incredible people, set during a very interesting and still hard-hitting period of history.

‘Hidden Figures’ was one of the best-received films of the year critically and it is not hard to see why. Not saying that it’s perfect or one of my favourites of all time, and it won’t work, and has not worked, for everybody. Can definitely see the criticisms directed against it, or at least a few of them. There are a lot of exceptional elements here too that make it an illuminating and entertaining film that is hard to dislike regardless of any factual inaccuracies and distortions.

The film is very well made, beautifully shot with the 60s setting recreated and evoked expertly. The direction keeps things moving while giving some breathing space, allowing the character interaction and situations to shine through (and shine through they do) and making the most of the story and period. The music is a dynamic fit.

Particularly good here are the performances, with Octavia Spencer and especially Taraji P. Henson giving two of the year’s best performances. Kirsten Dunst is given her meatiest material in years and her performance is one of her best, likewise with Kevin Costner. The three lead characters are ones you root for all the way, ones you laugh with, are moved by and are inspired by. Katherine in particular.

Much of the script sparkles in sharpness, wit and insight. Parts are amusingly absurd which provides a levity that stops the film from becoming overly-serious. Parts make one reach for the tissues. Parts make one angry in a way that is appropriate. And throughout a great job is done honouring these characters while not making them complete saints.

Not everything works. The colleague characters, though acted very well, are nowhere near as interesting or well developed. They are instead too one-dimensional and pat, with only Costner’s character showing a glimpse of any kind of an open mind.

It does get a little heavy-handed, a hard trap to avoid with the subject matter and period and credit is due not trivialising segregation. Especially true in most of the characterisation being too neat, parts that are a little preachy and the coloured bathroom running gag getting a little repetitive. Personally wouldn’t call ‘Hidden Figures’ offensive, more that subtlety isn’t a strong suit.

Overall, very well done, not a film to remain hidden and does inspire to read more about the story, the characters and the period. 8/10 Bethany Cox

great story

Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) work at NASA’s Langley colored calculating division in the still segregated Virginia. The facility is waiting for the new IBM computers and calculations are done by hand. The Russians are rocketing ahead. Katherine is assigned to director Al Harrison (Kevin Costner) who is under pressure to launch an American into space. Dorothy is a supervisor in practice but Vivian Mitchell (Kirsten Dunst) won’t let her have the title. When the IBM computers are installed, Dorothy quickly learns to be an expert programmer leading the other colored girls. Mary must fight to attend an all-white school to be an engineer. The hard work culminates in John Glenn’s flight on Friendship 7.

This story is a great unknown American history. Sometimes, it pushes too hard on the social commentary button. It’s not really necessary since the story lays it out so well. There is no need for Taraji to make that big speech. A simple proclamation of her bathroom use and the fact that she’s dripping wet should be enough to allow for a great moment for Al Harrison. There is also no need for him to take down the bathroom signs in such a theatrical way. The problem with these theatrical moves is the diminishment of the inherit power of those moments. Instead of commenting on the coffee pot, somebody could later drink her coffee as a point of transformation. While it doesn’t make the movie bad, it is unnecessary for this great story.