Geeks logo

'Hidden Figures' - A Movie Review

'Hidden Figures' gives life to three women who deserved more recognition in their time.

By Marielle SabbagPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
Like

Get ready for the boatload of math equations. Katherine Johnson is sure to beat you in a math contest. And running, too.

Released to theaters in 2016, Hidden Figures tells the story of three different black women working for NASA as they feverishly work to blast John Glenn into outer space. It’s a powerful story about segregation, growth, and not letting others stand in the way against your dreams.

Hidden Figures gives life to three women who deserved more recognition in their time. After the film's exposure, I know there are more stories that need to recognize heroes who were never fully acknowledged. Ironically, Katherine Johnson didn’t believe that her life needed to be made into a film, even after all the incredible work she did for NASA.

I went to see Hidden Figures twice in cinemas because it hit me on an emotional level. It’s a feel-good film. As a writer, the story sparked my interest due to the importance of giving every character, even minor characters, their needed attention.

I am astounded by Taraji P. Henson’s commendable performance as Katherine Johnson. She steals the show in many noteworthy scenes. Her best performance is when she chews out her white co-workers for their lack of respect and being forced to drink from a separate coffee pot.

I am very surprised that she was not even nominated for best actress back in 2016! Ever since, Henson is being recognized for her performance and starring in more pictures. Hidden Figures released Henson’s acting abilities.

The outstanding Octavia Spencer performs as Dorothy Vaughan, a hardworking woman struggling to make her voice known. Spencer has a gift for comedic timing. She adds her charm and needed snark. My favorite scene involving Spencer is when she owns Kirsten Dunst with a blunt observation. Everyone had a laugh or something to say while in the theater.

Janelle Monae also joins the cast as Mary Jackson. She too is fighting for what she wants while showing that she is more in the eyes of the male gaze. If you have not heard of Janelle Monae, she has credited appearances in films such as Moonlight and the most recent Welcome to Marwen.

Although Hidden Figures' main focus is unveiling an unseen story, it wouldn’t be what it is without the incredible actors Kevin Kostner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali, and much more acclaimed talents to help bring this story to life.

I’m sure Big Bang Theory fans will recognize Jim Parsons. Seeing Parsons in a new and contrasting role was an eyeopener. I did not realize he could play a different counterpart to his normal character performance. That is the magic of acting.

Math lovers are sure to enjoy Hidden Figures. Not only do actors have to memorize lines, but they also have to memorize a LONG list of difficult math equations. I applaud filmmakers for their close attention to the subject of math. As a person who has never enjoyed math, arguably it is important.

I do have to comment that the film is a little overdramatized. Don’t get me wrong, it is a fantastic story that all audiences need to witness. Some scenes were either changed or added from the original source material. The struggles of segregation were more overplayed in the film when in all actuality it was quite subdued at NASA.

Aside from that, Hidden Figures is a beautiful film. Director Theodore Malfi brought the story to the full attention that it deserved to audiences of all generations. Segregation should not be silenced. History doesn’t change. Together we can understand the past to make a better future.

review
Like

About the Creator

Marielle Sabbag

Writing has been my passion since I was 11 years old. I love creating stories from fiction, poetry, fanfiction. I enjoy writing movie reviews. I would love to become a creative writing teacher and leave the world inspiring minds.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.