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Hidden Figures
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Costner
Directed by Theodore Melfi
The fascinating true story of three African American women who played instrumental roles in one of NASA’s greatest missions gets the Hollywood treatment in the crowd-pleasing Hidden Figures.
Taraji P. Henson leads a formidable ensemble cast as Katherine Johnson, a brilliant mathematician and physicist (she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year) whose trajectory calculations were vital to astronaut John Glenn’s historic launch and Earth orbit. The problem: This happened in 1962, when the United States was steeped in racial tension, women’s inequality, and a space race with the Soviet Union. These elements are handled admirably (albeit sanitized) in the film, and give the plot a deeper sense of context.
Henson has strong support from Octavia Spencer and singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe, as well as Kevin Costner (as stalwart Space Task Group director Al Harrison), the perpetually affable Glen Powell (as John Glenn), and Moonlight’s Mahershala Ali, who offers an endearing romantic subplot.
When it comes to biographical films, Hidden Figures is fairly by-the-book. There is nothing particularly remarkable about its direction or script. However, as serviceable as director Theodore Melfi’s execution may be, the movie benefits strongly from a well-paced, straightforward approach, fine acting, and plenty of memorable moments. Pharrell Williams served as co-producer and contributed several new songs to the soundtrack. The contemporary tunes don’t always mesh with the plot’s time period, but, like a microcosm for the film itself, they give a vibrant sheen to an aging story while providing accessibility for today’s audiences.
