HIDDEN FIGURES is a gentle take on a crucial story. Why do more people not know the names Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson? All three were key figures in the Space Race and remarkable, nigh-on-miraculous in their achievements for the time they were working in as black women. The last part of that sentence answered that question, but it’s well past the time for that to change. Though the depicted prejudice the trio face isn’t aggressive, in a lot of ways the passive-agressive segregated work environment and condescending treatment of brilliant women comes off as more offensive, more malicious. Comparisons with THE RIGHT STUFF are generally avoided despite covering many of the same events simply by exploring them from a different, even more compelling angle, and this faultless cast (especially Taraji P Henson as Johnson) makes you forgive certain dramatic license when the story being told is this inspiring. SSP
Search a Film or Person
About SSP
Sam Sewell-Peterson
I'm not paid to write about film - I do it because I love it. Favourites include Sam Mendes, Guillermo del Toro, Bong Joon-ho, Steven Spielberg, Danny Boyle, Edgar Wright, Taika Waititi and the Coen Brothers. All reviews and articles are original works owned by me. They represent one man's opinion, and I'm more than happy to engage in civilised debate if you disagree.
Personal Links
I’m also on Twitter: Film in 133
My Tweets-
Fresh Thoughts on Film
Archived Thoughts on Film