Let Nobody Stand in the Way
In a society where heroes are defined as men in capes valiantly saving people, it is easy to forget about the small heroes that made such simple steps in a big change. We do not normally hear of people like Alan Turing who had such a major influence in World War II, until after some big budget movie is made. It is a breath of fresh air when Hollywood tackles these small stories that we do not hear about and bring it to the big screen for audiences to understand the impact one can have on a monumental event. Hidden Figures is one such movie that showcases the brilliant talents of three African-American women in the 1960’s who were influential in the Space Race. Not only is the film successful in bringing knowledge to some unknown people, it portrays a film that is inspiring and should lead future generations to never give up no matter what anyone may say.
The film follows the true story of Katherine Globe Johnson (Tarji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) as they individually work to make a difference with their hidden mathematical abilities in a society that looks down upon them. They were the major influences in the operation of launching John Glenn into space and their contributions are made fully aware of throughout the film. They fight through racism, discrimination against their sex, and their own personal struggles as they influence the world with their captivating talents.
All three actresses do a great job at portraying their individual characters. They all imbue a sense of depth and humanity into their characters and never make them feel cliche. They all deliver fantastic performances with grace that make these characters easy to root for. Out of three, Tarji P. Henson’ performances stands out the most to me.
Henson’s character is, initially, the more reserved of the three not really wanting to disrupt the people she is working with and stand up for herself. However, she truly breaks out in a powerhouse performance as she later fights for her rights and attempts to be treated equally and recognized for her talents. Henson showcases the emotional transition the character goes through masterfully and it makes it easy to root for her when she goes against her superior officers.
This is a true story, and it is told exceptionally and well paced that make it engaging to watch. The characters individually go through their own struggles and each one is equally captivating to watch. There are some artistic liberties taken with some tweaks to the true events to make it work as a film, but it never takes away from the message the film is trying to convey.
This is a film drama that is based on true events and not exactly an event by event reconstruction that happened with this women. This is not a bad thing as the film aims to educate audiences more about the injustices and the overall contributions these women had rather than illustrate their daily activities with their families. These ladies are all too forgotten in this day and age, and it is imperative that we see events like this not only to be educated but to inspire the future generations to let injustices happen.
Hidden Figures is a fantastic film that seamlessly portrays the inspiring events of three brilliant women. The film succeeds all around in the performances by these characters and their determination to help make an impact on an important piece of history. While the film does make some changes to events to modernize it, the team behind it embraces the true events and make sure they are crafting a compelling story that is true to the characters. Hidden Figures will definitely stand the test of time and inspire younger generations to showcase their talents no matter how one-sided a demographic may be.
9.0/10 Amazing
Raj Reviews 