Three against-type minds are responsible for finding the Hidden Figures in getting to the moon in a race against rivals. As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the unbelievably true life stories of three of these women, known as “human computers”, we follow these women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history’s greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteeing his safe return. Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer), Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), and Katherine Johnson (Taraji P Henson) crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes. Hidden Figures is directed by Ted Melfi, and is rated PG for thematic elements and some adult language.
Hidden Figures is the first feel good hit of the year, balancing a force of positive energy and historical accuracy, and that emphasis on positivity brings something home for the whole family, not just the female and black aspect that the movie caters dearly to. This is very much a story about defying the odds over a situation that our three female protagonists were placed into because of society, and the kinds of burdens and handicaps that they have to overcome to achieve greatness in their career fields. That concept alone has always been one that I have clung so closely to, but it becomes a hell of a lot easier when an old idea is given a fresh take over a different backdrop. One thing that did worry me after seeing the trailers was that this movie would force-feed too much comedy into the script. Thankfully, my fears were put to rest, as this is very much a dramatic and honest presentation to this inspirational story that never settles for desperation to grab and hold its audience.
This is a story that pushes two themes equally. The last word being the key to any story allowed two hours to bridge what could be two evenly distributed and interesting movies during similar times. The first is of course the demeaning fashion of inequality among races. What’s refreshing about this particular example is that we’ve never seen it presented with the NASA foreground, and those lifestyle burdens more-than reared their ugly head in the work force of some of the highest branches of government offices. There’s something highly passionate about the ringing irony of one of America’s biggest institutions communicating aloud that one can be judged by their color, and that salty, bitter taste is what gives the movie a majority of its dramatic pulse. The second story is within the race itself that America had with Russia over the concept of space orbit. This is where the movie gets its urgency because we see the tension and the restlessness over IBM and the positives and negatives that such technology had on achieving their mission. The dawn of the computer pushed many people out of the door, so that essence of inevitability rings true in this gift. Perhaps a devil in the details sort of plot that solidifies how America paid the ultimate price to reign supreme.
Kudos to Ted Melfi for his vibrant, yet controlled style of shooting this movie and bringing back the dreamers age to the silver screen. It’s quite easy for biopics to feel hokey or wooden in their portrayals. A lot goes into performances, but the look is so much tougher to achieve in production. Visually, Hidden Figures is a film that looks like it very well could take place in modern day, and that direction in artistic design is something that is so much easier to relate to and compare it to the very negatives we still face in the race game. The budget is certainly there to communicate that this is the 60’s, but it never overlaps the real importance of the story or the characters, and that’s what gives Ted’s tribute to a high-stakes time a very selfless and honorable one. Melfi lets the developments be the true merit in his vision, without ever sacrificing one for the other with style and substance. I also greatly enjoyed the musical score produced by Pharell Williams that provided a vibrant energy for a movie that could easily be weighed down with such dark and disturbing themes. There’s always the promise of hope in the air, and that crisp air highlighted my experience tenfold because of the fun that transfers marvelously in his soft-spoken delivery in vocal range and musical tones.
The film does have its negatives, but it didn’t weigh too heavily on my final rating. For the first two acts, the movie is soundly paced in presenting its two stories in entertaining and somber lights that never dragged nor depleted. The problem with the final half hour is that the film sacrifices one, tying it up a little too carefully, to focus on the other that never gave us any surprises or elevation to add to the urgency that the first hour of the movie gave so carefully. That actually leads to my second and only other problem with the movie; the inevitability of predictability. Whether you know or don’t know much about these women, there’s never any surprises or kink in their directions to ever throw off the audience. There’s conflict in the movie, but I feel like as a screenwriter Melfi and co-writer Allison Schroeder don’t let it resonate long enough to feel the immense gravity of its disposition. This could very well be a Disney live action adults film for its heartwarming fashion, but the performances elevates it from being too safe during the climax.
What I love about this movie is that even though Henson is clearly the central protagonist, Spencer and Monae are given ample time to get their characters across, and they offer a triple threat of diverse offerings that engage the audience brilliantly. Taraji P Henson finally gets a film to shine her powerful delivery that builds up behind these foggy glasses. As Katherine, Henson is the brains of the group, omitting a side of confidence and intelligence that outshines the so-called experts in her field. Henson has an Oscar-worthy moment midway through the movie when her voice raises, and everything comes full circle with her rising pressures. This moment shook me in my auditorium seat, and only testified what we already knew about Henson; she’s a leading lady in any decade. Octavia Spencer is the brawns of the group, battling a snob boss in Kirsten Dunst’s character that limits her potential. Spencer’s soft-spoken Dorothy feels like she is the supervising figure for this race of women who are treated differently, and it’s in Octavia’s ability to demean the narrow-minded with such “A-matter-of-fact” retort that we don’t know whether to laugh or scream in solidarity. The biggest surprise of all continues to be Monae, who’s sass and determination made Mary my favorite character of the movie. Janelle’s performance does feel slightly a bit to modern for this age, but it doesn’t mean that her sarcastic delivery didn’t delight me behind every drop. Monae amazed me in last year’s Moonlight, but here she is given more time to hone her craft of witty persona and powerful feminism that make her the strong black woman that she shines on stage during musical performances today.
Hidden Figures adds up to something charming and appealing for all ends of the audience spectrum. Outlasting some biopic predictability and some spotty pacing that could’ve sliced ten minutes or so off of the finished product, Melfi’s entertaining and consistent reveal of this untold side of racism during the space age provides plenty of inspiration for women and African-Americans alike, that makes this drama an early treat in an otherwise usual January wasteland. Henson, Spencer and Monae are too magnetic to ever look away.
7/10