Review of Hidden Figures (2016) by Dyron W — 26 Feb 2017

Hidden Figures, adapted from the non-fiction book by Margot Lee Shettery, follows three female African-American mathematicians who made several notable contributions to NASA, such as launching the First American astronaut (the late John Glenn) into orbit, while working part of the Langley Research Center's West Area Computing Unit division, and overcoming the racial and sexist attitudes of 1960's Virginia when Jim Crow laws were in full effect and women weren't getting their due.

This is a crowd-pleasing and well-acted biographical tale that, predictabilities aside, is entertaining as it is important as we witness the hard work, perseverance and talent these women possess despite dealing with workplace segregation and the general attitude that women are unable to accomplish anything in a white man's field.

Seeing the trio, mainly mathematician genius Katherine Johnson, help NASA turn the tide in the Space Race and proving everyone who were initially in opposition of them wrong were definitely clap-worthy moments, and trust me there were a lot of them.

With Theodore Melfi's breezy, yet impactful direction and Pharell Williams' lively and decade-appropriate original music, Hidden Figures is a fascinating, empowering and feel-good look at NASA's true heroes that will evoke laughs, "awws" and a round of applause.