11. Hidden Figures

Is it just me, or are there a lot of films based on true stories nowadays? Hidden Figures is based on the lives of African-American women working for NASA in the sixties. The story follows Katherine, (Taraji P. Henson), a maths genius, Mary, (Janelle Monae), an aspiring engineer, and Dorothy, (Octavia Spencer), acting department supervisor who isn't getting any credit.

I found the story captivating and hard hitting. The fact this is based on a true story, illustrating that not so long ago women and people of colour were so badly discriminated against. Katherine has to do a mile round trip out in the elements just for a wee, knocking time out of her day, meaning she actually does work on the loo! I'm not suggesting that we live in a non-discriminatory world today, or that these problems are abolished completely, but I did find it enlightening to see the blatancy of the racism people experienced.

The department that our main characters work in at the start of the film is 'coloured computers'. The women can calculate ridiculous equations by hand, and quickly too. It's astounding to think that it was calculations done in people's heads that essentially propelled us into space. It's even more admiral that the people that came up with these equations were being disgustingly discriminated against at the time.

Throughout my life, I have been a fan of having a motto. More recently these mottos have been 'I'm (Insert Age Here), I do what I want', 'Everything is Corrupt' and my personal favourite 'Science is Bullshit'. If we just focus on the last phrase there, this film speaks to me on a level. Science is moving so fast that something we know as a proven fact today, could be the complete opposite tomorrow. Maths however is always constant, and that's why I like it. This movie illustrates this so well, and Katherine campaigns to be in the meetings with the big dogs so she can use her badass maths to send a geezer to space.

I love the way all of our three main characters are all defiant and all campaign for there rights and their knowledge wins against the rules of society, and with this they are all rewarded with success. I found the film so inspiring, and for a film about space (see my first review of the year), and maths, it was really interesting and exciting! I also liked the fact that the title was a meaningful pun. This film definitely deserves an 8.5/10; a must watch for anyone interested in human rights, justice, space, science and maths!