Review by John M. Delia, Jr.
The important true and historic film Hidden Figures reveals the many African American women behind America’s success in space exploration during the 1960’s. The struggles with racial equality during that period was at a high point, yet it took a specialized group of African American women to make huge strides in our countries ability to send a man into space. The movie opens yet another significant window in the continuous struggle for equality in America.
Three of the most important figures to the space program in the 1960’s were unknown to the public, but were fundamental contributors to the United States on a path to making it to the moon. The film shows how Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), a Physicist, space scientist, and mathematician, made substantial contributions to the aero dynamics of the space flight projections. She helped us overcome the statistical anomalies that were keeping America behind the Russians. One of her colleagues and close friends, Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), mathematician and aerospace engineer, helped design the space capsule to withstand wind tunnel trusts and drag forces.
While, Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), mathematician, found a way to impact the computerization of the findings of the space scientists for quicker outcomes. Dorothy discovered and learned electronic programming (FORTRAN) and taught it to her co-workers making them important assets to the company. Her knowledge of computer development calculated the needed information that helped the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA – later NASA) make its extraordinary flights into space and return safely.
Director Theodore Melfi does an excellent job recreating this remarkable event and its important characters. He creates a very good film from a significant script co-written by Allison Schroeder from a book by Margot Lee Shetterly. Well depicted the motion picture event is realistic and deserves Oscar recognition. The special effects and camerawork are well done showing the pressure on the space task group that needs to up their game or fail against the Russians.
Adding a steadfast performance, Kevin Costner as Al Harrison the Director of the Space Task Group, turns the space race around by giving a chance to a determined group of ladies. Late in the game and with his back to wall, yet knowing he could feel a backlash for his decision to upgrade a person of color and female gender in a space scientist world of white males, he unflinchingly gives Katherine Johnson a chance to calculate the reentry of John Glenn’s historic space flight.
But Hidden Figures is not all on how we caught up in the space race, but a heartfelt story about how giving respect to our fellow Americans can turn the tide and open the minds of those who were not aware that all people have the ability to accomplish great feats. In this case it shows how humanity, given the chance to excel no matter the color of your skin, will provide a stairway to a better future for all people.
Final Grade: I give this a 4.5 of 5 stars, for its historical and informative storyline and excellent acting by the main characters.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons.
Directed by: Theodore Melfi
Genre: Drama, Based on a True Story
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements and some language
Running Time: 2 hrs. 7 min.
Release Date: January 6, 2017
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox