Movie of the Month: Hidden Figures.

Hidden Figures

dir. Theodore Melfi
Starring; Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Jim Parsons, Kirsten Dunst & Kevin Costner

The story of a team of African-American women mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the US space program.

 

 

 

Movie of the Month is a new concept for me, I rarely end up posting about movies but I watched Hidden Figures last week and I was blown away to the point I needed to write some sort of post in order to express my love and inspiration. As well as the message that you need to watch it guys!

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My Thoughts

If you want to make sure you watch one brilliant film this month, then watch this.

2 hours and 7 minutes, that’s how long Hidden Figures runs for. Except it felt like it was over so fast and I had barely been watching it, that’s how much I was hooked.

Hidden Figures is a movie that made me smile, laugh, cry and ultimately it made me inspired. The true story of these 3 amazing women; Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson has been placed in the perfect hands of Actresses Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and Janelle Monae. Each actress delivered a powerful performance to signify the hard-working women who faced discrimination on a daily basis not only for being African-American but for also being women. I don’t want to apply spoilers and ruin the movie for you but there is a particular scene with Taraji and Kevin Costner when she returns from the bathroom soaking wet, this scene is extremely powerful and Taraji’s acting is outstanding. It’s extremely hard-hitting.

I think it is also worth noting the powerful performance of Jim Parsons, I’m so used to his funny character of Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory that seeing him in such a serious role of a man who was ultimately rude and just set in his ways, was really different. I think his role in this movie is such a big contrast to Sheldon Cooper but he played the role very well and it’s not difficult to lose yourself in a movie with such big stars.

In terms of the plot of this movie, I have to say that for me being a girl from England, I went in almost totally blind. Growing up we never learnt about NASA or the space program in schools, so I definitely did not know these 3 women or infact any women part of the space program. I only knew details I have picked up along the way as I grew up.I think this was something that made the film stand out for me so much more, because as someone from outside of the US it was great to see a story dedicated to the women kept in the dark for so long. It’s so inspiring to see the strong women that helped make history.

Overall it’s safe to say this movie really hit me, once I had finished watching it and let it process I cried. I cried for the pain these women went through and how they were being thrown out of libraries for not being in their ‘coloured section’ and how they were not  able to use a bathroom because  they were segregated. But these women rose up and they worked their butts off in NASA and fought for their jobs and that is so inspiring. They did not let people put them down or push them out.

This movie has so many elements to it, it’s mathematical, scientific but it’s also a drama and a historical story. It’s especially eye-opening to the history of segregation. One aspect of the film I really enjoyed was the incorporation of real news footage from back in the 60’s, it was integrated so well with the movie footage and hammered home that this was a movie based on real life.

In conclusion, I absolutely adored this film. I found it so inspiring and hard-hitting, I have actually recommended it to half my friends and family already and they have really enjoyed it as well. After watching the film, I just want to know more about these women or women like them and I think that is something society needs right now, I think it’s something young women or girls need to see. Strong women from history who have paved the way in so many different roles, especially considering the current events in America and around the world right now.

Let me know in the comments if you have seen this film or you plan on seeing it. I would love to hear your thoughts.