Mission Accomplished, I guess

Rating: 7/10 (31 January 2017)

I am ready to set off some not-so hidden puns in my review of the space drama "Hidden Figures". The movie has received major figures at the box office, and is nominated for several Oscar nominations including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Motion Picture. "Hidden Figures" is based on the true story of three African- American women who provided some major mathematical data needed for NASA to help launch off America's first successful space missions in the early 60's. However, the main figure of this flick is the math wiz Katherine Johnson, admirably played by Taraji P. Henson. Octavia Spencer does provide some help here as Dorothy Vaughn, who was very instrumental in NASA's IBM management. Uprising star Janelle Monae plays Mary Jackson, the lively NASA engineer-to-be who fights the court in order to be enrolled in a all-white school. These were the 60's so Director Theodore Melfi does incorporate the themes of civil rights, segregation, and gender differences within his filmmaking mission of "Hidden Figures". Kevin Costner dazzles as the NASA Supervisor Al Harrison. Did not get much of a thespian big bang from Jim Parson's performance as the bullyish NASA engineer Paul Stafford. And "Moonlight" star Mahershala Ali moonlights here also as Johnson's beau Colonel Jim Johnson; but was not in "Moonlight" fantastic mode. Spencer did receive a Best Supporting Actress performance for a character that was not much of a blast in this space movie; so yea, I thought it was a fine performance but don't think it warranted a nomination. Don't get me wrong, "Hidden Figures" does have feel-good qualities and plays a well-deserved homage to these ladies who were such an addition to NASA's progress. "Hidden Figures" does rock it at times, but its not a perfect cinematic mission. **** Good