Hidden Figures
Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Costner
Directed by: Theodore Melfi
Rated: PG
It always amazes me when a person is genuinely great at math. How do they do it? How do they understand the numbers and apply them to equations without double checking a million times? How do they not break a sweat when the alphabet starts working its way into the mix? As you can tell, math is not my strong suit. However it was for the women in Hidden Figures.
Hidden Figures documents the lives of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson as they work for NASA as mathematicians. They push through racial tension, sexism, and extreme stress to help America in the space race.
Taraji P. Henson is a standout as math prodigy Katharine Johnson. Katherine is determined to succeed at NASA, no matter the obstacles put in front of her. When she is asked to move into the all white "Space Task Group", she is underestimated by all of her peers. She must work twice as hard to prove her skill to a team unable to see past the color of her skin.
Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae give strong performances as Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson. When Dorothy learns a computer program could potentially make her job obsolete, she learns the program backwards and forwards. Mary sees the opportunity to become an engineer. When it looks like that is an impossible feat, she makes it a reality.
All 3 women are given major opportunities throughout the film. Katharine is given the chance to help in the "Space Task Group" that will eventually lead to John Glenn's launch. Mary sees the opportunity to become an engineer. Dorothy has the chance to become a supervisor. It would have been easy for Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughn to say no to any of these opportunities. Especially when you consider the prejudice they faced on a daily basis. However, these women weren't quitters.
Hidden Figures has a great message of putting aside our differences and coming together. Although these women deal with racism on a regular basis, they continue to work hard. Their hard work and positive attitudes gains the respect of their peers. Hopefully we can all learn that hard work, kindness, and respect goes a long way.
I recommend that everyone see Hidden Figures. It's a wonderful film that displays the lives of 3 brilliant women who contributed to our history.
My Rating: 9/10