AndrewBloom

7/10

6.6/10. You’ve seen *Hidden Figures* before. Maybe you haven’t seen this exact movie -- about how three unduly unheralded African American women helped NASA in the early 1960s -- but if, like me, you dutifully watch many, if not most, of the Oscar-nominated films each year, then within ten minutes, you’ll already know this movie by heart. It features a gutsy but unorthodox protagonist trying to make a dent in a system that marginalizes and ignores her. It’s a period piece, with enough obvious dialogue, signs, and cameos from well-known historical figures to let you know exactly when the story is taking place with plenty of opportunity for the viewer to say, “My, how far we’ve come.” It has supporting characters facing challenges that mirror the protagonist’s, shining more light on the ways in which the order of the day affected those who were quietly fighting to maintain their place in it, and maybe even change it. And it has the untold story/historical injustice angle that’s supposed to imbue it with an extra bit of triumph and tragedy, all unleashed with a heavy dose of Hollywood mythmaking. The difference, and the thing that distinguishes *Hidden Figures* from the likes of *The Imitation Game*, *Dallas Buyers Club*, and other recent Oscar nominees that play in the same space is that it uses the power of that formula in support of a woman of color. At a time when the world of film is still lingering in the shadow of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, it’s encouraging that Taraji P. Henson can be cast as the star of a movie that follows the Academy Award film blueprint and succeed at the box office in the process. It’s just a shame that the film’s artistic merit doesn’t match its social merit. Don’t get me wrong; *Hidden Figures* is a well-made film. It chugs along at a good clip -- telling the story of one brilliant mathematician’s contributions to NASA at a time when someone of her race and gender had to work twice as hard to make it half as far -- in a tight, if predictable manner. It sprinkles in the subplots about her compatriots nicely, allowing them to work well as breaks from the main narrative that still feed into it. The acting on display is solid-to-good all around. It’s impeccably shot, framed, and edited, with colors that leap off the screen and composition that emphasizes the loneliness, bustle, or intimacy of a given setting. And it can boast a jam-worthy soundtrack that fits the movie’s big moments, but which would be worth listening to apart even outside the theater. But good lord is it full of every hoary trope from every awards season film you’ve ever seen. The film runs through a litany of standard, predictable beats, telegraphing each one along the way. The good guys overcome the heavily-underlined obstacles in their way. They stand up to thinly-drawn, ineffectual antagonists. They offering cutting, cheesy one-liners after finding their footing. The film provides an opportunity for Henson to give a Big Damn Speech, and for Kevin Costner to give a Big Damn Speech, and for Janelle Monáe to give a Big Damn Speech (which is, surprisingly, the best written and performed of the three). There is a one-dimensional love interest (Mahershala Ali, whose talents are squandered here) whose only true defining characteristic is that he likes the protagonist. And in the end, there are the expected measured but clear victories, culminating in a big historical event and a “where are they now” text-on-screen closing. Even the canny little moments of repetition and subversion -- the protagonist being handed a piece of chalk, symbolizing opportunity, by her supervisor the same way she as a child in the classroom; or one of her white colleagues having to hustle across the NASA campus to find *her* rather than the other way around -- feel like a page torn out of the usual awards-bait playbook. The only times when the film transcends this are when it puts its three leads -- Henson, Monáe, and Octavia Spencer (who manages to make a lot out of a little here) -- together. It’s in these moments that they seem like real human beings finding solace in one another and navigating an environment where the deck is stacked against them, rather than mascots for another rote bout of silver screen “triumph over adversity” heartstring-pulling. *Hidden Figures* does the good work of telling the world about the trailblazing achievements of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, but it does a disservice to these women’s stories to reduce them to the usual prestige pablum, and it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s laudable that Hollywood is using its hagiographic abilities on women of color who deserve to be widely known, but even the Awards season fare of the recent past shows that it can do better. The superlative *Selma* looked like a bog-standard Great Man biopic, and instead treated its historical giant of a central figure with a humanizing gaze that made Martin Luther King Jr., his movement, and his struggle feel more real than all the usual tinseltown gloss and lionizing tone could. The Best Picture-winning *Twelve Years a Slave* suffers from a small bit of the same white savior syndrome that afflicted the execrable *The Help*, but it was raw and uncompromising, putting the ugliness of the prejudices faced by its protagonist on display in a way that didn’t reduce them to petty hurdles our heroes would inevitably hop over. These vital stories can be told without sacrificing artistry or giving into the cliches of typical Oscar fare. But maybe that’s the best thing to say about *Hidden Figures*. Every awards season is going to feature a certain quotient of this type of film. Every year sees a new crop of competently-made, not particularly inspired movies that deal with Important Things, typically from The Long Long Ago. If this is inevitable, if the awards circuit is continually going to honor films that hit these same notes over and over again, then the least we can do is use this generic form in service of people whose stories deserve to be told, and who are all too often, as the movie’s title portends, left on the cutting room floor.

CptCookies12

5/10

This isn't a bad movie, but I also don't think it's particularly great either. The performances all around were good, save for maybe Kirsten Dunst who seemed to be trying a little too hard to be unlikable as a supervisor. The story was intriguing enough to make it all the way to the end of the movie, but I really feel like this story deserved a lot better, especially regarding the importance of these three women in our history. The editing felt really off at several points, cutting to other shots far too frequently when it didn't need to. The music used also felt extremely out of place, especially for a period piece like this. Pharrell Williams shouldn't have been involved with this, with special regards to the song _Runnin'_ which not only was overused but also completely unnecessary in trying to force a comedic tone when it didn't need to. They should've used more music from the time period the movie was set in. I don't feel like I wasted my time watching this, but I wish there was more care put into this. I seriously don't get why it had so much Oscar attention, especially when compared to the nominees it was right next to.

decatur555

9/10

Some stories take too long to be told, but when they are done right, they stay with us. Hidden Figures is one of them. For years, the story of these three women was forgotten, despite their crucial work at NASA in the space race. Finally, Hidden Figures gives these women the recognition they deserve, and it does so wisely: without excessive dramatization or forced emotion, letting the story speak for itself. It knows how to move us at the right moment, allowing humor and energy to flow naturally, so the message resonates without feeling imposed. Much of the credit goes to the leading trio: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe. Their chemistry is impeccable, and each brings a unique personality to her character, making the story feel alive. Although it follows the classic biopic structure, its pace is dynamic, the dialogues feel natural, and the balance between drama and lighter moments makes it feel fresh and engaging. It doesn't rely on unexpected twists or aim to reinvent the genre, but it knows exactly how to tell its story effectively. Some scenes are designed to be emotional and may seem predictable, but the message is solid and delivered with the honesty needed to work without unnecessary embellishments. Ultimately, Hidden Figures is a film that inspires and leaves a mark. It doesn't stand out for being innovative, but for the story it rescues and how it presents it. With a brilliant cast and a powerful message, it’s one of those films worth remembering and sharing.

CinemaSerf

0/10

This is quite a compelling story of three ladies who played a crucial part in the NASA operation that ultimately put John Glen into space. All three were mathematicians drafted in to provide their skills but unlike so many of their colleagues, they were subject to prejudices surrounding their race and their gender. The women adopted the best solution to combat this bigotry, though - they decided there are more ways than one to skin a cat and so let their astonishing talents do their talking for them. Luckily, Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) had a boss in Al Harrison (Kevin Costner) who was essentially a practical and politically motivated man who cared far less about segregation and much more about beating the Soviets into space. His attitude, that swiftly builds into a considerable degree of respect, enabled her to step up and demonstrate she was every bit as good, if not better, than those white men around her - all rather uniformly dressed in white shirts and ties. Across the corridor, the equally adept Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) was fighting her own battle for recognition as the supervisor of a crack team that was charged with installing, programming and validating the workings of a brand new IBM computer. Finally, the triumvirate was made up by Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) whose skills were going to be crucial if the heat shield on the module charged with getting the astronaut (Glen Powell) back to Earth safely was going to work properly. Director Theodore Melfi manages to delicately marry these three threads together keeping the story interesting and investing us not just in the struggles of these women but also in the excitement of the practical science unfolding before us. Henson and Spencer are convincingly understated with their performances and though Monáe is less prominent, the three characterisations still resonate well and informatively. I knew nothing of those people before I watched this - I'm glad I did.

Gimly

0/10

Do not at all think that by my feelings I attempt to diminish the achievements of those who made _Hidden Figures_ nor the real women around which the story revolves, this simply just wasn't for me. _Final rating:★★½ - Not quite for me, but I definitely get the appeal._