Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Directors: Theordore Melfi, 20th Century Fox, PG, 127 Minutes.
In only his second major feature film director Theodore Melfi (‘St. Vincent’) has excelled in bringing to the big screen the unbelievably true story of the unknown heroines behind the historic space race between the US and the USSR.
Based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s book of the same name it chronicles the contributions of three extraordinary African American women who, as mathematicians, executed the most critical functions at NASA in the early ‘60s during the US-USSR space race.
All three women, Katherine Johnson (Taraji P Henson – ‘Empire’), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer – ‘Allegiant’) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae – ‘Moonlight’), defied racism, segregation and sexism, and became known as the ‘human computers’ by playing a major role in placing American astronauts into space.
Most notably, the astronauts included Alan Shepherd and John Glenn with the latter’s journey into orbit completely dependent on Johnson’s accurate mathematical calculations.
Besides demonstrating her mathematical competency to NASA Chief Al Harrison (Kevin Costner – ‘Criminal’) Johnson must also contend with running to the coloured people’s bathroom, quite a considerable distance away, which it compelled Harrison to change the arrangement himself.
The story further focuses on the obstacles faced by Vaughan in becoming the computer room’s supervisor, which her superior Vivian Mitchell (Kirsten Dunst ‘Melancholia’) suppressed, not to mention Jackson’s personal struggle as a black woman in getting an engineering qualification.
Melfi’s inspirational and stimulating storyline is set against the background of both discrimination and resentment towards African American people (especially women) at a time that the US was fixed on beating the USSR into space.
Apart from the considerable charm that Henson, Monae and Spencer projected in their perfectly-pitched performances, there are the many enjoyable and warm-hearted moments in this feel-good production, particularly in the scenes they shared with Costner and Dunst.
Of the movies nominated at the 2017 Oscars ‘Hidden Figures’ was by far the most deserving of winning Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Henson and Spencer including Best Screenplay.
Nevertheless, the movie stands out as a story of supreme struggle and willpower by Johnson, Vaughan and Jackson, and certainly not of ego or individual glory, as seen in the concluding scenes.
Vic’s Verdict: 4 ½ Stars
Hidden Figures is to be televised on Channel 7 at 8.30pm on Friday 13 August.
