REVIEW: Hidden Figures

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Every year, the last-minute glut of December releases means that I always miss several movies I want to see. But now that it’s January, also known as Hollywood’s cinematic wasteland, I’m making it a priority to catch up with the promising films that fell through the cracks.

First on my list was Hidden Figures, the true story of three African American women whose extraordinary mathematical abilities helped the United States win the space race in the 1960s. I’ve been a giant NASA history nerd since I was a kid, so I was already kicking myself for not seeing it sooner. Once I did, I was frustrated for another reason: if I’d caught it before publishing my Top 10 list last month, there’s a good chance this incredible film would’ve been included.

Directed by Ted Melfi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Allison Schroeder (based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s book), Hidden Figures is an affecting, important story that could not have come along at a more crucial time for our country. In this deeply polarized climate, it’s a much-needed reminder of a time when our government valued the scientific community and looked for the brightest, most qualified people to get the job done.

Taraji P. Henson (excellent as always) plays Katherine Johnson, tasked with developing math that hasn’t been invented yet in order to launch astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) into orbit. Though the era’s racial strife isolates her from the rest of the team at first, her no-nonsense boss (Kevin Costner) quickly sees that as an obstacle to defeating the Russians and puts a stop to it.

As a result, Johnson’s colleagues find themselves exceling in their fields as well. Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) discovers a knack for programming computers and Mary Jackson (the stunning, charismatic Janelle Monae) decides to apply for NASA’s engineer program. Each of them shatters cultural barriers and makes history along the way.

Hidden Figures is unabashedly straightforward in the way it tells the story of these amazing women. Melfi doesn’t try to add excess drama to the proceedings because the story already has plenty. It also makes clear that Henson, Spencer and Monae are the stars here, not the familiar faces in the supporting cast – solid as they are.

Costner and Jim Parsons (doing a similar, albeit less annoying spin on his The Big Bang Theory character) are the ensemble’s standouts, though Mahershala Ali (Best Supporting Actor frontrunner for his work in Moonlight, which also co-stars Monae) and Aldis Hodge are also compelling, despite their limited screen time.

The film is such a crowd-pleaser that I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see it in the running for Best Picture when Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 24. Who knows? Maybe Henson could elbow her way into a crowded Best Actress field as well. I’d love to see Spencer or Monae pop up in the Best Supporting Actress category, but I’m afraid they might cancel each other out. (Besides, it’s a moot point; Viola Davis likely has it in the bag for her work in Fences.)

Hidden Figures is something special, folks; make sure you see it on the big screen and support quality filmmaking. It’s the most direct way to let studios know they should tell more stories like this one.

Hidden Figures is rated PG for thematic elements and some language.

Grade: A