An inspiring tale of overcoming adversity to achieve greatness.

Rating: 8/10 (11 February 2017)

Virginia, 1961. Race segregation was in full force and women were expected to stay at home with the children. Needless to say being an African American female was replete with hardships; every small step forward was on the back of sacrifice and suffering. This uplifting true story is a testimonial to the unwavering efforts of three brave women who, through their genius and determination, forged the first steps towards equality at NASA. Writer-director Theodore Melfi has chosen the crowd-pleasing path, opting for a more light-hearted tone that allows the audience to revel in the brilliance of these women rather than getting bogged down in the difficulties that they faced. The tough topics aren't shied away from entirely though, one particularly heart-wrenching scene places the issue of segregation front and centre when mathematical genius Katherine (Taraji P. Henson) is forced to explain that her bathroom breaks are so lengthy due to the building having no 'coloured toilets'. It's not an overly subtle screenplay, the broad strokes of struggle often boiled down to showcase moments like the aforementioned confrontation, but it's delivered with such passion and pluck that it's utterly affecting. A spot on cast helps with the energy too: Henson shines throughout as a widowed mother of three, Octavia Spencer bustles with resolve as the pragmatic Dorothy, Janelle Monáe spices it up as sassy engineer Mary, and Kevin Costner brings his All-American charm to a forward-thinking NASA manager. Insightful, moving and entertaining, Hidden Figures is an inspiring tale of achieving one's dreams despite constant adversity.