User reviews

My grandson advised me to watch this movie. I'm not much of a movie watcher but was greatly impressed with the movie. I was employed by a major company in the late 60's This movie occurred a little before that. I was actually a teen when John Glen took his trip into space. I and many other blacks had no knowledge of this crew of women and how they contributed to the NASA project. In the late 60's, there were race riots and lots of racial conflicts. I remember in my senior year, Westinghouse Electric was located in a black community but had no black employees. They came to the black high schools and wanted the top 3 stenographers from each school to apply to their company. This was based on efforts from the community to hire black employees. We were tested. We all had to have 3.8-4.0 QPA's and be able to type 80-100 words per minute and transcribe at 100 wpm. I was 1 of the lucky ones. I had an academic diploma with business classes as my minor. Ten women were hired. I was so excited. But the minute I walked out on the floor, all eyes were on me. There were no black/white bathrooms, but we were pushed to the back of the line and not allowed to use the mirrors until all the white girls had left the restrooms. It wasn't a rule, but we were shoved to the back. We were laughed at and talked about in front of our faces. But under no circumstances was I going to allow somebody else to take this job away from me. We took it! We were treated like we were from a 3rd world country. The white girls didn't even know how to change the typewriter ribbons. Their typing speeds only had to be 45-50 to get in. Shucks, I had to be the best! I was awed to have typed on the IBM Selectric typewriter. The same one in the movie! But we had to care for their machines as well as our own. In high school we only had manuals. Eventually I went to Univ of Pgh. to study accounting at night. I took all of the courses required to get out of the steno pool, but was consistently turned down 10 years trying to become an Accounting Clerk. While whites with less education and less seniority were chosen over and over again over me. I had to type for the controller, because of my super fast, error free statistical typing skills while his secretary filed her nails and poured coffee. Of course, I was never paid what she made. To make a long story short, we black women stayed. Some of us for 40 years. It took years before we were looked at like humans--before people would talk to us, eat at the same lunch table, sometimes they would make us wait last to get on the elevators to go home. But over the course of 10- 40 years, we earned that respect. We did become manager secretaries. We did earn engineering degrees at night and worked our way up. We did end up with white women becoming our best friends. We became their bridesmaids instead of their maids. We went to their parties, instead of cleaning up after the parties. This movie may make some people uncomfortable, and perhaps you don't believe it was like that for smart black women, actually any black person. But believe me, I am a living witness at age 67 to recall the bigotry and hatred I once experienced as a young woman 18 years old, only to retire from the company with much respect. Many of my friends that started when I started, are still in touch. We always laugh and say "We were the first." Because we knocked down those walls of prejudice and differences and created a path for people of all colors to follow. I loved the movie. I only wished that those women had been recognized a little sooner for their contributions to the NASA PROJECT. The portrayal of bigotry and indifference is real. It really did happen in the 60's. As a child I remember the black/white bathrooms--not being allowed in Howard Johnson's on the turnpike and going shopping in the department store via the back warehouse door. Katherine was older than me. Did she run almost a mile to the bathroom? Maybe, maybe not. But don't judge this movie based on that. Some real prejudices were worse than that. History cannot be changed, only learned about. I am proud to be a part of that growing history along with Katherine.

The Americans are desperate to beat The Russians to get the first man into space, NASA plans to send John Glenn up, this film charts the role three African American women played in launching the rocket.

I watched it when it first landed, and I enjoyed it just as much on a second viewing. It's uplifting, moving, and a hugely important story.

I have always been fascinated by space travel, and by the key role that NASA played, but even the great organisation itself had its flaws.

It highlights the significant level of racism that people ensured at the time, the segregation, the white and black amenities and facilities, it's sickening to watch now, but this is how people lived.

The acting is terrific, every single performance is on point, every character matters, and has an important part to play. Octavia Spencer however, I think she steals the show, a performance that is genuinely captivating.

It's a fascinating story, and a beautifully well made film, one that inspires and uplifts.

8/10.

Hidden Figures is a really good movie. I never read Margot Lee Shetterly's book, but I might now. This is a wonderful movie about civil rights, space travel, and new technology. It pulls in many different characters and personalities. Theodore Melt did a wonderful job directing. The story focus on the technical aspects. However the movie is never slow, it keeps moving and keeps you interested. The casting was good. Octavia Spencer, Taraji Henson, Janelle Mona, and Kevin Costner did an incredible job. There was also wonderful performances by Jim Parsons and Kirsten Dunst. Hidden Figures is a fun and exciting movie about advancement in ideas and technology. Its is also a very uplifting movie about bravery and taking chances. It is really good. I enjoyed it.

Hidden Figures is a real gem of a film.

First and foremost this is down to some incredible performances. Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae were an absolute joy to watch. From the very first scene with all three of them on screen together, you just knew the film was going to be something special. All three of them were fantastic and I couldn't take my eyes off of them. The supporting cast were also great, but it really was all about these three talented actresses smashing it.

The story is something very special too. It was one I knew nothing about, but am so glad I now know more about it thanks to this film. Hidden Figures tracks the careers of three women working at NASA at the height of the space race. The film is so inspiring as we witness their perseverance, their incredible spirit and talent, and their pioneering impact on humanity's exploration of space. This alone would have been impressive, but these women were able to achieve what they did in the face of gut wrenching sexism and racism. Hidden Figures does such a good job of shining a light on the racism and despicable attitudes that these women had to face, and as a result is a pretty tough watch at times.

What also makes this film very special is the expertly crafted script. If, like me, you have no idea about science and maths, don't let that put you off. The script does a great way of simplifying things, so that you can appreciate the gravity and importance of what these women were doing, without getting bogged down in heavy exposition.

I really could not recommend this film enough. Everything about it fits together so perfectly, from the direction to the acting to the score, its just such a good well rounded film.

Watch Hidden Figures ASAP! You will not be disappointed.

"Hidden Figures" came out several months ago and there are already quite a few reviews for it. Because of this, I don't plan on saying a lot.

The film is the story of some inspiring black women who worked in the space program during an era when black women were highly marginalized. The acting is terrific and the production all around is well made and enjoyable. Not surprisingly, the movie did well in the box office and no doubt you'll have a nice time if you see the film.

Do I have any quibbles? Well, a few details here and there were changed to make the story more cinematic...which is the norm for Hollywood films and something I can look past since the story is essentially true.

An uplifting (albeit a bit sugarcoated) biopic about the underappreciated brilliance of three NASA scientists who had to endure so much racism and sexism despite their massive contributions to the calculations that put the first man on the moon. The three leads are very charming and share a lot of great chemistry and witty banter with each other. Octavia Spencer in particular was a standout. Admittedly there is a sort of "token nice white guy" who's used as sort of a Deus Ex-Machina to resolve the main conflict of segregation in NASA. However, I'm not too well versed for how it actually went down, so I won't make too many harsh judgements on that particular scene. It's still a very heartwarming biopic and space flick that feels like a wonderful tribute to the real-life women who had to go through so much to get the appreciation that they deserve.

Disheartening because of the horrible racial prejudice shown - hard to believe that things were like they were. Heartening because of the undoubted success these three women made of their lives, and of course they are a representation of what countless others did.

My one criticism of the film is that I find it hard to believe that some of the situations presented actually happened. Did the Costner character really not see the kettle marked "coloured"? Was it really a trek to the bathroom?

But this can only be a minor criticism and surely represent the prevailing attitudes of the days in parts of the USA - and lets be honest still in existence in many other parts of the world today. In this sense the film is a salutary reminder of how insidious prejudice can be.

An entertaining, moving and sobering film.

Wanted to see as many 2016 films as possible, especially those that won or were nominated for the big awards. 'Hidden Figures' also had the further interest on being based on an incredible true story, with just as incredible people, set during a very interesting and still hard-hitting period of history.

'Hidden Figures' was one of the best-received films of the year critically and it is not hard to see why. Not saying that it's perfect or one of my favourites of all time, and it won't work, and has not worked, for everybody. Can definitely see the criticisms directed against it, or at least a few of them. There are a lot of exceptional elements here too that make it an illuminating and entertaining film that is hard to dislike regardless of any factual inaccuracies and distortions.

The film is very well made, beautifully shot with the 60s setting recreated and evoked expertly. The direction keeps things moving while giving some breathing space, allowing the character interaction and situations to shine through (and shine through they do) and making the most of the story and period. The music is a dynamic fit.

Particularly good here are the performances, with Octavia Spencer and especially Taraji P. Henson giving two of the year's best performances. Kirsten Dunst is given her meatiest material in years and her performance is one of her best, likewise with Kevin Costner. The three lead characters are ones you root for all the way, ones you laugh with, are moved by and are inspired by. Katherine in particular.

Much of the script sparkles in sharpness, wit and insight. Parts are amusingly absurd which provides a levity that stops the film from becoming overly-serious. Parts make one reach for the tissues. Parts make one angry in a way that is appropriate. And throughout a great job is done honouring these characters while not making them complete saints.

Not everything works. The colleague characters, though acted very well, are nowhere near as interesting or well developed. They are instead too one-dimensional and pat, with only Costner's character showing a glimpse of any kind of an open mind.

It does get a little heavy-handed, a hard trap to avoid with the subject matter and period and credit is due not trivialising segregation. Especially true in most of the characterisation being too neat, parts that are a little preachy and the coloured bathroom running gag getting a little repetitive. Personally wouldn't call 'Hidden Figures' offensive, more that subtlety isn't a strong suit.

Overall, very well done, not a film to remain hidden and does inspire to read more about the story, the characters and the period. 8/10 Bethany Cox

People tend to believe that only men can work in NASA. But are women also able to do it? This question is perfectly answered in a film "Hidden figures" by Theodore Melfi which is based on a true story about three female African-American mathematicians in NASA.

"Hidden figures" tells cinema audience about a trio of NASA scientists, each of them playing an important role in sending the astronaut John Glenn into space in 1962. Although each female lead is given their own plot lines, However, the biggest attention is paid to Katherine. At the beginning of the film, she actually looks like a hidden figure. But thanks to her talent, persistence and extremely hard work as clearly seen during the whole film, she becomes one of the main people, without whose contribution John Glenn's flight wouldn't have taken place.

I've never heard about the story of this strong and will-powered woman. "Hidden figures" has helped me to find out Katherine's struggle for women's rights to be equal at work not only with men but with all white people. Another fact that I learnt from the film is that Katherine was an incredible mother although she was a single parent with an intensive workload; she gave her children attention, energy and warmth after a hard-working day. Such overresponsibility and resilience positively affected her work: she did all the calculations flawlessly which contributed into her acknowledgment and further victory over racism and segregation.

Overall, I'm sure that this inspiring story is a must-see for all women in order to understand how hard and long the way not to be a hidden figure in your profession is despite your doing it perfectly and with love. Katherine's persistence in combination with her maternal qualities can present a lead to follow.

There are reviews of this movie with pretty low ratings and the reasons that follow have to do with what the person feels is an overstated sense of racism at NASA at this point in time. Segregation, and hence racism in Virginia was enforced BY LAW, so you need to understand that first. There is some good fact checking that has been done about NASA, these women and that time period, and even though this movie is overstated a little, there are commenters who have said that racism pretty much didn't exist in NASA because they were focused on the mission. Well, that's far from true also. The movie does take poetic license on how it's applied and to who the effects were felt the most. For instance, this is from one site that checked the story and got details:

Did Katherine have to run across the NASA Langley campus to use the bathroom? Not exactly. In Margot Lee Shetterly's book, this is something that is experienced more by Mary Jackson (portrayed by Janelle Monáe) than Katherine Johnson. Mary went to work on a project on NASA Langley's East Side alongside several white computers. She was not familiar with those buildings and when she asked a group of white women where the bathroom was, they giggled at her and offered no help. The closest bathroom was for whites. Humiliated and angry, Mary set off on a time-consuming search for a colored bathroom. Unlike in the movie, there were colored bathrooms on the East Side but not in every building. The sprint across the campus in the movie might be somewhat of an exaggeration, but finding a bathroom was indeed a point of frustration.

As for Katherine Johnson herself, Shetterly writes that when Katherine started working there, she didn't even realize that the bathrooms at Langley were segregated. This is because the bathrooms for white employees were unmarked and there weren't many colored bathrooms to be seen. It took a couple years before she was confronted with her mistake, but she simply ignored the comment and continued to use the white restrooms. No one brought it up again and she refused to enter the colored bathrooms.

Another point that was made is that Katherine Johnson said she didn't FEEL racism while she was working there. You need to read in detail to understand that racism was present, although maybe not prevalent. But, what a person FEELS is unique and I know what she meant. She meant that she was wrapped up with the work and her feelings about THAT overrode any other feelings she may have had. It doesn't mean she didn't SEE racism. She CHOSE to feel the positives, since EVERY human controls their feelings whether they know it or not. You either do it actively or passively.

What is TRUE is these women DID face racism at NASA, and if you think they were treated or paid like a white man working at NASA, you are pretty out of touch with the 40s-60s Southern US, which still does it's best to find subtle ways to provide more advantage to whites. I could give a few examples right here where I live, such as closing any licensing offices in predominately black areas so if they want to get an ID they have to make a very long trip, followed by passing ID laws. Subtle.

They happened to be incredibly smart and NASA needed them so they accepted them even though they were black, but they weren't treated the same. The site I visited was History vs Hollywood. A good read there will fill you in to the reality of the story. For me personally, considering I KNOW how much humility, control and pride swallowing they had to go through to even be employed, I can kind of forgive the screen writing of variations of the truth, because they were surrounded by racism at the very least in many subtle ways and in some cases very overt ways. Of course the three women felt it and experienced it in different ways.

Go read before you write a review blasting it for its display of racism. Frankly, it would have been a biased movie to protect the feelings of the white audience if they DIDN'T show it, and it would have been more disingenuous than the slight exaggerations that ended up in the screenplay, and THAT would have been done to sell tickets and discs.

As a child of the early 60s, the 'Space Race', as started by John F. Kennedy in his famous speech announcing that America would put a man on the moon before the decade was out, is something that is still inherently thrilling to me. As also illustrated in many films, for example "Pride", and TV series, such as "Life on Mars", the 60s and 70s were also a world away in social terms for where we find ourselves 50 years later. Looking back today at the casual racism and sexism of that time is quite shocking. Seeing some parents bringing their child into the cinema to see "Hidden Figures" it made me appreciate just how alien some of the scenes on the screen would be to a child. Why would Black people only be able to use a "colored bathroom"? Why would a black person in a room full of white people have to drink from their own coffee pot? Why would it be so strange for a woman to hold a senior position in the organisation?

This is the backdrop behind "Hidden Figures". It's NASA in 1962 and the race is on with the Russians to get the first person into orbit around the Earth. Getting the first person into space has already been lost after Yuri Gagarin's Vostok 1 success. But the Americans are not only struggling with the rocketry, which has a nasty habit of exploding spectacularly on the launchpad. They are also struggling with the mathematics required to successfully place a craft into orbit and, crucially, allow it to re-enter the atmosphere without burning up: America needs a successful mission, and to see a pilot with 'The Right Stuff' descending to earth in a blazing crock-pot on live TV is not part of the planned PR exercise!

Enter three unexpected heroes in the form of Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer, "The Help", "Insurgent") and May Jackson (Janelle Monáe, "Moonlight"). The three friends are all struggling in different ways at NASA's Langley Research Center to be recognised in the system that – as black women – is severely biased against them. Central to the story is Johnson, a widowed mother of two, whose maths genius becomes key to unlocking the safe return of John Glenn. The secondary stories have Jackson having to go legal to get to be the first African American engineer in NASA (unbelievable!) and Vaughn, in probably the least dramatic storyline, struggling to be recognised as a supervisor in the supervisor job she is doing.

Also co-starring is man-of-the-moment Mahershala Ali as Colonel Jim Johnson, Katherine's potential new boyfriend, and Kevin Costner as Al Harrison the head of the Space Task Group. (NASA report that the film 'simplifies' the complex management chain actually in place with "Harrison's" character being an amalgum but most aligned to Robert C. Gilruth). It's great to see Costner back on the big screen again, and the character walks a fine line on the segregation argument: you feel the actions of the man are aligned with completing the mission rather than his own personal beliefs. Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory") also co-stars as Johnson's spiky chauvinistic and racist supervisor as does Kirsten Dunst, in a similar role, as Vaughn's supervisor.

A key mention at this point to the score by Hans Zimmer which adds greatly to the emotion of the spaceflight scenes. However, more generally in the sound area – and as a postgraduate physicist – can I just remind film-makers YET AGAIN that there is NO sound in space, so adding effects to booster separations and "whooshings" of spacecraft as they go by is NOT required! (You can't imagine how much I cringe at these moments).

This is ultimately a film about girl empowerment and black empowerment, so it is not surprising that all of the women in my life have gone gaga about this film. As somebody completely outside of that particular Venn diagram, I found the film to be a solid and respectful telling of a true story that should have been known a long time ago. Was it as gripping and exciting as "Apollo 13"? No, not in my view. But as an educational missive aimed at that – presumably perplexed – young child in my screening, this is a timely reminder for the present political system as to how far the world has come in fifty years, and how we must NEVER retreat down that road again.

(For the graphical version of this review, and to comment, please visit bob-the-movie-man.com).

A story of brilliant minds who had to overcome the ridiculous rules of society. The best people for the job should get the job... period. Key word should, as this was clearly not the case in history, and even going forward. Even today, there's so much emphasis on what someone looks like, the colour of the skin, gender, as a basis on who gets what job. And that includes minority representation. It should simply be whoever is most qualified, but sadly the world is not that simple.

'Hidden Figures' is indeed a feel good movie, as these three incredible women overcome these hurdles that seemed impossible at the time. Sure, they worked at the prestigious NASA, however, only a fraction of their ability was utilized until they showed what they could do through perseverance. Now, we need some more Katherine Goble's/Johnson's, Mary Jackson's, and Dorothy Vaughan's to get us back to the moon and to Mars.

All three actresses were great, and I'm always a fan of Kevin Costner.

Hidden Figures is the story of three little known women who played a crucial role in the early days of the US space program. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe were all wonderful in their roles; each bringing specific personalities to their characters.

Taraji P. Henson is a mathematics wunderkind who is called upon to assist in calculating the math requires for launches and recoveries. A single mother of three daughters, she graciously and calmly works through the difficulties of being a lone black woman in a department full of white men in the racially segregated state of Virginia. Her calmness breaks in one scene and she wonderfully states, quite loudly, the obstacles she is forced to endure and overcome. This is quite a contrast from her normally calm dignity. As a side story, she is also involved in a burgeoning romantic relationship and she shows another totally side of herself - that of a shy, demure woman, which she carries off perfectly.

Octavia Spencer, a very strong actress, does a wonderful job as a black woman with the responsibilities of a supervisor that she is not allowed to have the title or compensation for. She deals with her supervisor, Kirsten Dunst, with patience and tolerance and delivers what I think was the finest line in the film in response to Dunst's comment that, "I have nothing against y'all." Spencer replies, "I know you probably believe that." Surrounding me in the auditorium was a subdued murmur of knowing assent and acknowledgment from the audience. Clearly, the black moviegoers all have had that thought, probably more often than one would like to think. As a white male, the sounds of the audience gave me pause and had great impact. That line, alone, made this movie worth seeing.

Janelle Monáe plays a woman with the talent to be a NASA engineer, who has to jump through hoops to get there. She provides the bit of lightness that keeps this film lighter than the topic may generally have dictated.

Without exception, the supporting cast excels - from Kevin Costner, the boss who just wants to get the job done and tolerates no impediments; to Jim Parsons, the engineer who always insists on following the rules - NASA's as well as his personal rules based on his biases; to Mahershala Ali, who plays Henson's love interest.

This movie is well worth viewing on many levels - as history, as a treatise on segregation and race relations, and as an example of how determination can overcome the most difficult of obstacles.

Not only was this an excellent film; it was also a film that I was glad I saw.

In the 60's, the Afro-American mathematicians Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) work in NASA performing important roles in the race of the United State against Russia to conquer the space. They face the segregation everywhere but their brilliance help the safe return of astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) back to Earth among other achievements.

"Hidden Figures" tells the story of three Afro-American Genius in NASA in a shameful period of segregation. The film is warm-hearted and the cast has inspired performances. It is beautiful to see the recognition of the importance of these three women some fifty and something years later and tell the world. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Estrelas Além do Tempo" ("Stars Beyond Time")

I liked this movie. I think it's a story worth telling. In fact, you can't believe that these 3 outstanding women were all at the same place at the same time. It just blows my mind. And I felt it was nice to know about this other side of the story, since we have seen the story of the astronaut's white wives in a TV show and there are other movies about this period. I really recommend it and my husband does too. So it's good for a wide audience. Great movie!

The journey to space has been a daunting one. Even in this day and age, the physics and mathematics have only gotten us to the edge. Having the Voyager satellite exit the solar system may seem like a major accomplishment (which it is), but it's still small compared to the size of the universe. Who can blame us considering how we've come within the world of transportation. Even getting to space took some time to figure out. It's something we've been trying to do for a while, but everything was set on a hurrying motion once the Soviet Union launched Sputnik.

The 1960's had us racing against the Soviets for everything; power, technology, and especially the accomplishment of space. It was all about being the first and the US government wanted to make sure that NASA could make that happen. Like I said, the problem was solving a lot of problems that it took to get people to space and making sure they could get back. NASA had hired some of the most intelligent people around, yet they were still having trouble finding the right solutions. The answers seemed to be found within the minds of outsiders as shown in Hidden Figures.

In the early 1960's, racial segregation is still an issue. Things seem to be a bi more progressive at NASA as they have employed several African-Americans to do a lot of the computing that complicated things. Here we focus on three individuals; mathematics genius Katherine Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (played by Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monáe). They seem to be doing well at NASA, even though they still face some discrimination from their white superiors. Once the Soviets get the first people into space, NASA is looking to get an astronaut to orbit the Earth.

Katherine is hired up to help compute launch and landing numbers for the Space Task Group, being directed by Al Harrison (played by Kevin Costner) and his assistant Paul Stafford (played by Jim Parsons). Meanwhile, Dorothy sees that her and her fellow computing workers are about to be out of a job now that new IBM computers are being installed. To ensure work, Dorothy takes it upon herself to learn to new computer and see if she can get her coworkers to understand it. Also, Mary is being recommended to become an engineer, but company regulations require a certain course from a college that's white only.

Unlike Moonlight, which was a bleak and human look at a struggling African-American, Hidden Figures is more upbeat and hopeful portrayal of changing times. Does that make it better then the latter? No, as Moonlight is something that'll be studied in a lot of college courses in race relations, Hidden Figures is more general with it's approach and will be played in the high schools as a history lesson. That is definitely not a bad thing as this movie is still entertaining, especially considering that the majority of the plot is solving a complex mathematical formula.

All three main actors (Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe) are fantastic and carry their own stories well enough that your never disappointed that the movie is cutting away to their segment. I was curious about how all the of them were going to proceed, given the unfortunate rules of the time. I liked the majority of the cast around them (with the exception of Jim Parsons, who only seems to be playing a version of his Bing Bang Theory character). The film can get a little slow towards the hour mark, but it all picks up towards it's finale which I wont give away.

I'll give this eight Mercury rockets out of ten. If you have any interest of the space program and it's history, then I cannot recommend this movie enough. Hidden Figures has a lot energy and passion of portraying this real life story. Like Rudy, I think this'll make people want to follow their goals more. So see if this rocket story launches in your favor.

Going straight to the point what is great about this movie it's the message behind it. When it comes to research, whether it is on physics, maths, science or whatever it is, doesn't matter your gender, your skin color or anything...it matters your knowledge. Nowadays when many of these questions are being raised again, it's great to see a story showing us the opposite and reminding us how important it is education and the discovery of new things, because it's exactly breaking those limits that we are reminded that all of our traditions can be changed... A man had never gone to space until he did, and a woman's place was at home until it started being at an office or whatever it is she wishes. Hidden Figures reminds us of that (we already know, but I guess sometimes people like to forget..). It's based on true facts so it's easy to believe it. It's not ambitious , it doesn't intend to be more then what it was, but still an interesting story, given life with the right amount of drama and a nice soundtrack. It's a good movie, not the best for me, but honestly one of those that everyone should see just for the reminder of how important history and education are. Really good messages being passed through cinema.

Virginia, 1961. Race segregation was in full force and women were expected to stay at home with the children. Needless to say being an African American female was replete with hardships; every small step forward was on the back of sacrifice and suffering. This uplifting true story is a testimonial to the unwavering efforts of three brave women who, through their genius and determination, forged the first steps towards equality at NASA. Writer-director Theodore Melfi has chosen the crowd-pleasing path, opting for a more light-hearted tone that allows the audience to revel in the brilliance of these women rather than getting bogged down in the difficulties that they faced. The tough topics aren't shied away from entirely though, one particularly heart-wrenching scene places the issue of segregation front and centre when mathematical genius Katherine (Taraji P. Henson) is forced to explain that her bathroom breaks are so lengthy due to the building having no 'coloured toilets'. It's not an overly subtle screenplay, the broad strokes of struggle often boiled down to showcase moments like the aforementioned confrontation, but it's delivered with such passion and pluck that it's utterly affecting. A spot on cast helps with the energy too: Henson shines throughout as a widowed mother of three, Octavia Spencer bustles with resolve as the pragmatic Dorothy, Janelle Monáe spices it up as sassy engineer Mary, and Kevin Costner brings his All-American charm to a forward-thinking NASA manager. Insightful, moving and entertaining, Hidden Figures is an inspiring tale of achieving one's dreams despite constant adversity.

Now that more black voices are being heard in Hollywood, I realize how badly one-sided history has been taught to American students. Thank God it's changing.We are better off knowing the full story.

In the last few years, films like "12 Years a Slave" and "Selma" have brought to life stories too long neglected, and "Hidden Figures" is a revelation. I grew up in the Apollo era; every rocket launch was a national event, with every American reaching for the stars. The turmoil in the streets notwithstanding, the space program provided a sense of optimism for the future. That was the era in which "Star Trek" was born, and through "Star Trek" some of that hope survives still.

Yet, in all that time, nobody told us about three black women who did as much as anyone else to make it happen. We did not know that a black woman helped to get John Glenn into orbit. (In Ron Howard's otherwise excellent "Apollo 13," we are never told about that same woman's role in saving the flight.) These and other oversights are corrected by "Hidden Figures."

The film tells the story of NASA mathematicians Katherine G. Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughn, though Johnson, excellently portrayed by Taraji P. Hanson, is the film's main focus. All three work at NASA in 1961 Virginia. The film doesn't flinch from the blatant racial discrimination of the era. The only bathroom reserved for black women, for instance, is half a mile from Katherine's desk.

Vaughn's story is almost as compelling as Johnson's, but also funnier; there's a reason Octavia Spencer is up for an Academy Award. Anyone who's been working beneath his abilities and had a frosty relationship with his supervisor will identify with Vaughn immediately, and appreciate how she resolves it. I also have a personal reason for appreciating Spencer; she reminds me of every black female boss I've ever had.

Actually, there are three facets to "Hidden Figures" (and I wish Hanson's hadn't been so well hidden): the civil rights aspect, the excitement and progress of the space program, and, at last, a film which doesn't denigrate intelligent people. "Hidden Figures" is easily accessible by anyone, but does not portray having intelligence as a bad thing. Since most Hollywood films are aimed at the dumbest possible market, I can tell you that this alone makes "Hidden Figures" a welcome breath of fresh air.

I should mention Kevin Costner, who plays project head Al Harrison. Al is generally calm and distant, as you would expect a NASA engineer to be, but he has one scene where he isn't. It's a complete departure and an unnecessarily jarring note.

"Hidden Figures" isn't perfect, by any means. The plotting is fairly conventional, and the scenes of the women at home could fit into just about any movie. The script doesn't try to give its characters much in the way of depth, but that's not the filmmaker's purpose, anyway. There is a whole aspect of American history which has been overlooked for far too long, and "Hidden Figures" does a worthy job of making that right.

This movie did a great job of showing us the history and did a wonderful work on keeping us on that time period. This movie is not much of an emotional roller-coaster but rather just a small kids ride. If you are like me, who watched all the trailers you could find online, then you will be very glad to remember that this movie is TRUE! It's not fiction! It's REAL and these three women did such an AMAZING JOB! and it's bittersweet that we only hear about this now. You might get a little frustrated that too many people didn't get to know about this but I guess we should cherish this moment that this story did get told, and it wasn't just another forgotten history. The actors did a wonderful job and one thing that I wasn't too satisfied with was Al Harrison. The three women's stories were well told and I was full from knowing about them, but I was left hungry when it came to Harrison, I was curious about him.

"Hidden Figures" (2016 release; 127 min.) brings the story, "based on true events" we are reminded at the beginning, of three African- American women working at NASA. As the movie opens, we are in "West Virginia, 1926", where we see a young girl amaze everyone with her math skills, and she is soon offered a scholarship to attend classes for the gifted. We then move to "Hampton, Virginia, 1961", where we get to know the three ladies. They are having car trouble, and when a police officer drives by and checks what the problem is, he can hardly believe they all work at NASA (but does give them an escort). At NASA, the ladies are working at the "Colored Computers" section, but then one day, Katherine is asked to join the "Space Task Group", as the space race with the USSR is in full swing. At this point we're 15 min. or so into the movie but to tell you more of the story would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the second movie from writer-director Theodore Melfi (after the Bill Murray vehicle "St Vincent" a few years ago). Here he brings the larger than life (yet true) story of how these three ladies ended up playing an important, if not critical role, in the space race, in particular getting John Glenn into orbit, yet at the same time suffering from the racial segregation that was into place still in those days. The 'running joke' in the movie is that Katherine disappears time and again to run to the "Colored Ladies Room" which is 1/2 mile away from the Space Task Group. When one day confronted about her long absences by the agency's head, she boils over in emotion and anger and humiliation when she explains why (truly a chilling moment in the movie). Not long thereafter, the agency's head does away with the segregated bathrooms, claiming "Here at NASA, we're all the same color!" (the theater's audience erupted with a huge applause at that time, amazing). The movie truly is a mix of "The Right Stuff" and the horrible racial segregation and discrimination that was the accepted norm then. (Interestingly, "Hidden Figures" is set in officially segregated Virginia, just like that other recent and equally important movie "Loving" about an interracial couple's fight to get their marriage recognized in the late 50s/early 60s.) "Hidden Figures" is helped enormously by the heartwarming performances of the three lead actresses: Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae (recently also in the equally excellent "Moonlight"), but most of all Taraji Henson as Katherine. Kevin Costner as the agency's head is okay too. Kirstin Dunst is barely recognizable as Vivian, another NASA employee. There are tons of great songs in the movie, both oldies from that era but also new tunes (sounding like oldies) penned by Pharell Williams (the score is courtesy of veteran Hans Zimmer). My only 'complaint', minor as it is, is that the movie's running time is a bit too long for its own good, and could've easily be edited/trimmed by 15-20 min.

"Hidden Figures" expanded wide this past weekend. The Sunday early evening screening where I saw this at was PACKED to the rafters, literally sold out to the very last seat. The audience laughed and cried, and when the end credits started rolling, gave it a thunderous applause. It blows the mind that the story of these "Hidden Figures" has never been brought to the big screen until now, but better late than never I suppose. In any event, "Hidden Figures" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

2024film-004(2/5/2024) This movie is based on true events. It made me realize that the equality we often take for granted in our lives today is thanks to pioneers like them. I learned that the historical reality of segregation and discrimination against Black people, which I knew, was even more unfair and inhumane than I could have imagined. The 1960s was a pivotal period of transformation in overcoming such discrimination, where individuals with extraordinary talent and leadership fought for and achieved equality. To prevent the repetition of such discriminatory history, it is crucial to pass on stories like this film to people living in the present through visual works and other mediums.

This was a film that had flown under my radar and I came to the party late for it. After being told the story by a friend I watched it and it definately didn't disappoint.

The cast were all perfectly portrayed and I felt that the characters were all beautifully acted. Taraji, Octavia and Janelle were fantastic but also Kevin Costner who continues to deliver his usual high standard.

For a film that has a racial inequality theme throughout it's actually surprisingly a feel good film and I like that the film was directed in this way.

Overall a wonderful story and one I would recommend to anyone to watch.