1/14/2017 - Hidden Figures (2016) – 6/10

A perfectly fine film, exposing a potent story from yesteryear while maintaining ties to our current social climate. But, it never breaks through the barriers that separate decent films & performances from great ones.

There conscious and continual use of "computer" as the title of the women is smart - it maligns them and demeans them, assigning a lack of humanity and person-hood - but it also feels manipulative.

Suffered from what one would assume Apollo 13 would have troubled with: experiencing drama when you know the outcome. Apollo pulled that off astoundingly, delivering thrills and an emotional nail-biting adventure. HF tried to extend itself too far in the Glenn mission, playing up a drama that it could not sustain. It wasn't that film and thus, that “action” crescendo did not work for me.

I don't know why Spencer is getting all the acting plaudits. She was solid, but I would argue equal or below the jobs of Henson, Monea, and Costner. These performances were the highlight of the film, as much of the rest felt a tad workmanlike and repetitive, using multiple shots and scenes to achieve goals that could have been more eloquently accomplished with placement and framing. Standard, but lacking flair and grace.

Profound and insightful, but lacking the emotional and dramatic oomph to raise it up. The "feel good" expository historical drama, that says the right thing in our hour of need, but never hoists itself up to scaleable and praiseworthy heights. Excelling and memorable character scenes are bare, over extends its reach in tone & distinct resolved conflicts, and simply lacks a charisma to get my gut involved in their fight & plight. All serviceable and adequate, but only and just, feeling safe and too readily digestible for a family friendly multiplex.