Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures tells the stories of Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), three African-American women in employment in NASA, working towards John Glenn's "Friendship 7" mission in 1962 and towards equality during the time of segregation in the United States.
It's a greatly likeable film, if one that hits a lot of familiar beats. There's no real getting around the fact that watching women write equations on blackboards is not all that exciting, but these scenes are used sparingly. The film subtly exposes the racial discrimination of the time, although those who would prefer a more thorough examination of the issue are probably better served seeking out something like Selma.
Prior to this year, I predominantly knew Janelle Monae as the guest vocalist on Fun's terrific "We Are Young. Between this and Moonlight, she's beginning to develop a reputation as a charismatic screen presence. She lights up every scene she's in here and her argument to convince a county judge to permit her to study for a qualification at an all white institution is one of the film's stand out moments.
There's solid work too from Kevin Costner amongst others. It's difficult to refer to Jim Parsons as anything other than The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons but he shows decent chops as a straight actor here, mistrustful of Katherine before she eventually gains his respect. The narrative concludes much in the manner you'd expect but there's joy to be had along the way.
It's a greatly likeable film, if one that hits a lot of familiar beats. There's no real getting around the fact that watching women write equations on blackboards is not all that exciting, but these scenes are used sparingly. The film subtly exposes the racial discrimination of the time, although those who would prefer a more thorough examination of the issue are probably better served seeking out something like Selma.
Prior to this year, I predominantly knew Janelle Monae as the guest vocalist on Fun's terrific "We Are Young. Between this and Moonlight, she's beginning to develop a reputation as a charismatic screen presence. She lights up every scene she's in here and her argument to convince a county judge to permit her to study for a qualification at an all white institution is one of the film's stand out moments.
There's solid work too from Kevin Costner amongst others. It's difficult to refer to Jim Parsons as anything other than The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons but he shows decent chops as a straight actor here, mistrustful of Katherine before she eventually gains his respect. The narrative concludes much in the manner you'd expect but there's joy to be had along the way.
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