Hidden Role Models

Rating: 8/10 (11 January 2017)

Movies based on the remarkable life stories of real people are often a treat, and this one was no exception.
The early jump-forward-in-time clunky scenes of their car broken down along a highway, and then driving just a few feet behind a speeding police car were curiously poor choices; and the early scenes setting up the overt discrimination that existed at that time were mechanically sledge-hammered into the story line - for any in the audience who never heard about it or forgot about it (?). A more cohesive screenplay for the fist portion of the film would have earned it a 10.
Fortunately the story telling gets better and the lives of these three very bright and important women begins to be told. The central and inspirational theme of this film is that in the face of not only racial discrimination but being female as well, each took pro-active, productive steps to self-improve their standing in life. One taught herself Fortran computer language from a book; another petitioned and won the court's approval; and another used her training, skill and persistence to become an important part of the success of early NASA space flight. Rather than doing nothing and demanding respect, they got busy and EARNED it. A timeless real-life example and message for people of any race or gender.
The real-life pictures and life updates as the credits rolled at the end of the film were the icing on the cake.
P.S. The flip-side antithesis to 'Fences.'