Hidden Figures is a 2016 American drama film directed by Theodore Melfi and written by Melfi and Allison Schroeder based on the science-fiction book of the same name by author Margot Lee Shetterly. The film was named one of the best ten films of 2016 and garnered several honors and nominations, including three Academy Award nominations (Cramblet Alvarez et al. 85). Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monet in the lead roles. The film was inspiring and gave me hope and faith that anything is possible if a person wants it and tries a little bit.
This film takes the viewer into NASA’s mysterious and fascinating Cold War universe. The story is told through the eyes of three black women working at the Langley Research Center (Cramblet Alvarez et al. 85). In this film, the viewer learns about all the difficulties Americans face in sending their astronauts into space and the black people who face the racism that prevails in the company. Since they live in the shadow of their male counterparts and a society rife with inequity, these girls’ experiences go undetected for a long time, but everything changes.
The picture is based on real people and events, the cast of the play is perfectly matched, and the high-class performance of the actors transports the viewer to another century in difficult times for America. Taraji P. Henson met with Catherine Johnson, who was 98 then, after signing a contract for the lead part to explore the character she would play (Cramblet Alvarez et al. 84). Each character in this motion picture has a different destiny. However, they are all bound together by a desire to change their country’s history, and connoisseurs follow their case with interest and admiration.
Pharrell Williams wrote the songs for this Theodore Melfi biographical film, and Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer wrote additional music. These soundtracks help to be transported and fully immersed in the atmosphere of the times during which the events unfold. The attempts to beg for a promotion and to change the working conditions of the heroines show how much the problem of inequality was. Women could not even buy a string of pearls with their salaries, which all female employees of NASA wore, which means that their profits were very different from those of the other races. The costumes are perfectly matched, immersing us in the atmosphere of those events.
All white characters, except for Al Harrison, are portrayed as helpless in science and hardened in disgusting racism, which is implausible. The movie itself is shot and acted rather academically. In places, though, it can create tension and empathy and provoke angry emotions toward Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons’ characters. However, even though the movie is written from real biographies and events, one gets the impression that everything is relatively easy for the heroines. If the film had been made now, the main characters’ story would have been more confusing and complicated. The movie flowed well from scene to scene; all the moments made sense to me. The director could have portrayed more of the hardships of the black women’s journey, which would have helped to bring it closer to the real story.
Thus, the film is dedicated to real women, their work successes, and their contributions to space exploration. The documentary proves that anyone can achieve anything if they work on themselves. The strong point is that the actors played well, transporting the viewer into the atmosphere of a time filled with inequality. The movie is surprisingly balanced: it has room for human relationships, families, children, love, friendship, and camaraderie, which are present in one way or another in everyone’s life. The film symbolizes that people should learn, develop, achieve, seek different ways to solve problems, and not be afraid to stand up for themselves. However, the downside may be the implausibility of some details in the film, namely the quick success of women and the incompetence of white employees. That is why my rating for this movie is nine points.
Work Cited
Cramblet Alvarez, Leslie D., et al. “Psychology’s Hidden Figures: Undergraduate Psychology Majors’ (in)Ability to Recognize Our Diverse Pioneers.” Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, vol. 24, no. 2, 2019, pp. 84–96., Web.