Hidden Figures, 2016.
Directed by Theodore Melfi.
Starring Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Mahershala Ali, and Jim Parsons.
SYNOPSIS:
Hidden Figures explores the role of Katherine G Johnson and her contribution to NASA in their space race with the Russians, during a time of segregation, civil rights struggle and cultural change. How she breached a staunchly white male workplace, and through mathematics, became the first African American woman in Sixties America to help put men in orbit.
With three Oscar nominations including Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Motion Picture, Hidden Figures invites expectations. Taken from a book by Margot Lee Shetterly and co-written by director Theodore Melfi with Allison Schroeder. It’s funny, feisty and heartfelt.
Charting the rise of Katherine G Johnson engagingly play by Taraji P Henson, from maths prodigy to chief number cruncher at NASA during America’s space race. Hidden Figures is more concerned with depicting that journey, those relationships and what these contributions ultimately meant rather than drawing focus away. Meaning scenes of protest, segregation and the associated stigma are alluded to but never left to overpower our central theme.
Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae fill out their roles alongside Henson as Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. Making this trio the beating heart behind the film in a matter of minutes. Sub-plots concerning race discrimination and professional segregation are scripted with a deft hand, whilst tonal shifts are always even handed. Mahershala Ali’s performance as Colonel Jim Johnson rounds out another good year for this actor, as his moments opposite Henson are heartfelt, honest and feel grounded.
Elsewhere Jim Parsons is in familiar territory as Jim Stafford, taking his globally known persona and going against type, while Kevin Costner is dependable in a solid non-showy supporting role. Giving us rousing speeches, paternal pep talks and plentiful gum chewing. But in the end Figures belongs lock stock and barrel to its three leads. Where female empowerment is topically and literally front and centre, whilst civil rights, nonsensical separation and intolerance through ignorance play their part.
Hidden Figures and Fences are cast iron reminders of what that time in history represented to a lot of people. It is true that men went to space, but equally true that a movie celebrating African American contributions to this unsung fact was long overdue. Just as Fences seeks through its’ narrative to illustrate a divide based on cultural expectation not colour. In the end though, that both films made their point reducing me to tears is recommendation enough.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Martin Carr – Follow me on Twitter
Originally published February 13, 2017. Updated November 29, 2022.
