Both of Katherine's pals, meanwhile, have challenges of their own to confront. Manager Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) does all the work of a department supervisor but enjoys neither the title nor the salary of that position. And Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) has set her sights on an engineering degree, but will have to obtain a court order to be allowed to take the necessary courses.
Besides the social changes slowly unfolding, and the suspense of the effort to catch up with the Russians post-Sputnik, "Hidden Figures" also gives viewers a glimpse of the early age of mechanical computers.
As representatives from IBM set up a massive device at NASA headquarters, Dorothy masters the programming language Fortran, already foreseeing that she and her co-workers will need to shift from making calculations on their own to entering data instead. (The textbook Dorothy uses to learn Fortran is purloined from a local library, but only because she's not allowed to take it out -- as a white person would be.)
Melfi uses scenes detailing the main characters' personal lives to showcase family values and Christian piety. He also works in some wholesome romance by chronicling widowed Katherine's blossoming relationship with National Guard Col. Jim Johnson (Mahershala Ali).
Given the positive morality on display as well as the historical understanding to be gained from "Hidden Figures," many parents may consider it suitable for older teens, despite screenwriter Allison Schroeder's occasional resort to light swearing for rhetorical emphasis.
The film contains at least one use of profanity, several milder oaths and a vague sexual reference. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
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Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic News Service.
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CAPSULE REVIEW
"Hidden Figures" (Fox 2000)
Appealing fact-based drama about an extraordinarily gifted mathematician (Taraji P. Henson) working for NASA in the early 1960s. As she and two equally brilliant colleagues (Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae) who are also her close friends battle racism and segregation, she gradually wins the respect of her well-meaning but initially unenlightened boss (Kevin Costner). In adapting Margot Lee Shetterly's book, director Theodore Melfi successfully re-creates the tension of the Cold War space race, while showcasing family values and Christian piety as well as wholesome romance through the widowed protagonist's relationship with a National Guard officer (Mahershala Ali). Given that the film also provides a personalized insight into the struggles of the civil rights era, many parents may consider it suitable for older teens, despite screenwriter Allison Schroeder's occasional resort to light swearing for rhetorical emphasis. At least one use of profanity, several milder oaths, a vague sexual reference. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
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CLASSIFICATION
"Hidden Figures" (Fox 2000) -- Catholic News Service classification, A-III -- adults. Motion Picture Association of America rating, PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
