Hidden Figures Review

     I know we’re already a month into 2017 but I’m still trying to catch up on the December 2016 releases. I’m almost at the end of my list. Hidden Figures was the second to last film I wanted to see(Moonlight being the other). Hopefully I can see that one ASAP and get an extremely delayed top of 2016 list posted.

     The plot of Hidden Figures is one of those true stories we probably wouldn’t know about without the movie. That’s one thing that makes film such a cool medium. for storytelling. A lot of these less publicized events can be captured in film and educate us on some very groundbreaking and inspiring subjects.

     With Hidden Figures, I think the true story is much more interesting than the actual film. It’s not a bad film but for me it falls in the category of most typical biopics. They usually tell really interesting stories but feel kind of glossed over. That being said, the movie still tackles some very serious and important themes. However, it didn’t capture the exact tone I had hoped for. 

     That’s not to say their aren’t some unique elements to this film to set it apart. Again though, that’s more because of the actual events rather than the filmmaking. It’s a story that encompasses the space race, sexism, and racism all into one cohesive whole. In that sense, director Theodore Melfi does a good job of unifying all those elements without making the movie feel disjointed. There’s also some clever lines of dialogue that help convey certain ideas and themes without blatantly slapping you over the head with them. Despite these positives, Hidden Figures didn’t capture me like I had wished.

     I think what I’m getting at is that there are biopics like the Social Network that put a new spin on the genre and feel like they completely stand on their own. Hidden Figures, on the other hand, is solid but I feel like it’s something I’ve already seen so many times except with a slightly different story. It’s a traditional historical drama that follows the same beats as many films about the 1960’s. For me, it gets lost in the shuffle with all the others.

     I probably focused a little too much on the negatives based on what I thought about the movie overall. It’s just that it’s very middle of the road for me. That being said, I think if you lived during the 60’s you may really connect with it. I give Hidden Figures 6.5/10.