Hidden Figures

This review may contain spoilers!

An truly inspired and feel good story about African-American women who changed space travel forever. I would give Hidden Figures a 9/10.

This is a film that really educates you about the African-American history in regards to the space program very well, it sets a comedic light tone that is very easy to connect with while also setting up some really powerful messages about racial prejudice in this era. These three women are truly compelling characters who all have something important to contribute to this film, I loved their chemistry with one another but also how they fought and achieved their own individual victories throughout the narrative. Ultimately the story here paves the way for many stories about African-American excellence to come and is sure to be one of the best stories to emerge from 2017. The cinematography does a great job of providing a lot of colour composition to create an attractive image, this does wonders when the scene uses a harmful piece of imagery amongst this spectacularly visual style. The editing also hit all the right marks, often syncing up really between the film's music and it's cinematography. The score for this film was very emotive and highlighted some of the moments of struggle; yet it is the soundtrack that really sets the film apart, such an incredible upbeat compilation of music that has you hooked on the film from the start.

Taraji P. Henson, who played Katherine G. Johnson, is perfect as the central protagonist of this film; Henson's bold statements and delivery coupled with her nervous mannerisms really highlight her range as a performer. Octavia Spencer, who played Dorothy Vaughan, was a quiet yet resolute leader throughout this film; Spencer had a calm yet firm temperament that remains steady throughout her character's amazing journey to a supervisor of the IBM position. Kevin Costner, who played Al Harrison, was a gruff figure at the best of times with a keen sense of justice; I liked how driven by his vision Costner was even if that meant he missed the more human details of his workplace around him. Kirsten Dunst, who played Vivian Mitchell, made for a great antagonist in the eyes of the protagonists at the start of the film; Dunst did a good job of showing how blind her character is to her own shortcomings and does a great job of redeeming her role by the end of the feature. Jim Parsons, who played Paul Stafford, is a great antagonistic force against Henson throughout most of this feature; I think Parsons really embodies that snarky superior attitude needed of a leading racist scientist. Mahershala Ali, who played Colonel Jim Johnson, was a very charismatic character; I liked how open and honest Ali made this role as it created a romance subplot that felt genuine. Glen Powell, who played John Glenn, was an easy to like minor role; it was nice to have a character who cracked wise and unapologetically showed a kind attitude to the African-American characters. Olek Krupa, who played Karl Zielinski, was a small role who had a very large amount of heart; I absolutely loved any scene he shared with Monae. Lidya Jewett, who played Young Katherine Coleman, had such a worldly maturity to her that I was completely blown away; her delivery of complex mathematical equations was spot on and a great introduction to the film. Ariana Neal, Saniyya Sydney and Zani Jones Mbayise, who played Joylette Johnson, Constance Johnson and Kathy Johnson respectively, had some great chemistry amongst one another and were very believable as sisters; I liked seeing these three engage with Henson and how enthusiastic they were about her accomplishments. Ron Clinton Smith, who played White Cop, was a very vital and well performed role to start this film off with; Smith was able to create a role who had both a menacing edge and also a lighter side that reflected the structure of the film throughout. Frank Hoyt Taylor, who played the Judge, had a really great scene with Monae in the film; I liked seeing how Taylor turned his display of trepidation into one of great intrigue over the course of the scene.

However the best performance came from Janelle Monae, who played Mary Jackson. Monae is such an energetic and strong performer, who commands the screen from the minute she first appears. I like her character's stance on racial equality, she took no nonsense and worked hard to make herself heard. This is the type of role who you laugh alongside but who young women will strive to be like I feel. Which really gets to the heart of the matter, Monae embodies the values and message of Hidden Figures so completely that it was an impossibility to not list as the best performer.

This film's format could have used work, I didn't like how the narrative at times felt as if it had been divided up into three subplots; it lessened the impact of certain moments of the story. Another aspect of the film that lost a lot of impact with me was how predictable the triumphs over racism were, this wasn't a film that set out to shock you with how it presented itself which worked against it sometimes.

Aldis Hodge, who played Levi Jackson, really lacked chemistry with Monae and didn't feel like her husband at all; furthermore his role as an activist got a bit preachy even by the film's standards. Kimberly Quinn, who played Ruth, seemed like a lesser version of Dunst's character; I wish Quinn had been able to do something a bit more unique or different with her role instead of basically portraying a carbon copy racist. Donna Biscoe, who played Mrs. Joylette Coleman, really lacked screen presence in this film; it would have been nice to see her interact with henson a bit more so that the mother/daughter relationship actually felt properly established.