--- title: "Hidden Figures" year: 2016 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/hidden-figures" fi1m_score: 80 critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 22 published: "2026-09-17T08:24:50.711864+00:00" updated: "2026-09-17T08:25:18.035529+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Hidden Figures (2016) Directed by Theodore Melfi · 2h 07m · MPA PG · Drama, History **Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 76 from 22 reviews *In a sentence:* The women have calculations to finish and rather too many colleagues to endure > Theodore Melfi’s *Hidden Figures* makes satisfying popular drama from overlooked scientific work, helped enormously by its three leads. The history gets tidied up, but the performances give the uplift some weight. ## Synopsis In the 1960s, NASA’s space programme depends on calculations by women whose work receives little recognition. Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) are black mathematicians trying to do their jobs in a workplace shaped by segregation and sexism. They want their abilities taken seriously as the demands of the space race grow. Mathematical problems come with colleagues who question their place in the programme, while friendship and family life continue outside work. The women must contribute to an American scientific undertaking that does not offer them equal standing. ## Review *Hidden Figures* is an engaging historical drama that understands the pleasure of watching someone do difficult work well. Theodore Melfi directs with an eye to a broad audience, and we recommend it with one substantial caveat: the struggle against discrimination becomes too tidy. The story concerns three black women whose mathematical work contributes to NASA’s space programme in the 1960s. They also have to contend with colleagues who see their race and sex before their professional ability. Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine G. Johnson with a reserve that makes each humiliation register without turning her into a collection of grievances. We were moved by the strain of her staying civil while her frustration builds. Her restraint gives the film’s more emphatic confrontations something to draw on, because we understand how much has gone unsaid. The dialogue can announce what a scene has already made plain, but she keeps the person speaking it from disappearing behind the lesson. Octavia Spencer’s Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe’s Mary Jackson keep the film from becoming a single performance surrounded by worthy supporting roles. Octavia Spencer supplies a steadiness that makes the friendship convincing, while Janelle Monáe brings a welcome impatience to the exchanges. Their banter is funny because they sound like people who have spent enough time together to stop explaining themselves. Theodore Melfi gives the women space to enjoy one another’s company, and those passages make their professional struggles easier to care about. Mandy Walker’s bright cinematography helps the humour sit comfortably beside the workplace drama, rather than signalling that every exchange must be solemn. Wynn Thomas’s production design gives the professional setting an inviting polish, which makes the women’s wish to belong there readily understandable. The film allows us to enjoy the prospect of scientific work without forgetting who has to fight for a place in it. This is handsome, accessible filmmaking, and that is a reasonable choice for this story. Peter Teschner’s editing keeps the three central performances in useful contact, preserving the sense that these women have a shared life as well as separate difficulties. The comic montages are less persuasive, pushing for easy momentum where the actors have already supplied it. The music credited to Pharrell Williams, Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch fits the film’s buoyancy, even if it sometimes asks for an emotional response before the acting has earned one. The pace is generally brisk enough to carry these nudges without much damage. The screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi is strongest when professional intelligence meets everyday prejudice, and weakest when it makes that prejudice seem susceptible to a sufficiently forceful speech. The personal-life scenes are also more predictable than the workplace drama, with fewer opportunities for the performers to surprise us. Inspirational historical dramas often want the relief of overcoming injustice without lingering on how stubborn it is. This one shares that weakness, particularly in its treatment of institutional change. There is nothing inherently suspect about making this story pleasurable, and its interest in women being good at mathematics is reason enough to welcome the approach. The friendship gives us something to enjoy beyond the satisfaction of seeing talent recognised. Choose it for the company of its three leads, with some patience for a screenplay that occasionally explains what they have already shown. *Fi1m score 80, published 17 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics welcome Hidden Figures as an uplifting, accessible account of three black women’s mathematical work at NASA, with praise clustering around Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe. Their humour, rapport and expressions of frustration give the history warmth and keep the discrimination personal. The broadly positive consensus also credits Theodore Melfi with balancing comedy, achievement and the absurdities of segregation without losing the story’s entertainment value. The disagreement concerns how much the familiar Hollywood treatment costs the film. Many reviews acknowledge sentimentality, obvious dialogue and tidy resolutions but find the performances sufficient compensation; the four mixed assessments give those shortcomings greater weight. The AV Club finds too little surprise or nuance in the handling of racism and sexism, while Screen Daily sees bland direction despite the leads’ chemistry. The spread runs from wholehearted enthusiasm to qualified appreciation, with no outright negative verdicts. ### Reviews we read (22) - **RogerEbert.com**, Odie Henderson (4/4): The critic praises the film's writing, directing, and acting as among the year's best, highlighting its light touch in handling themes of race and gender while celebrating the women's achievements in mathematics and NASA. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hidden-figures-2016) - **The Guardian** (90/100, inferred): The film is an irresistibly uplifting and bouncy feelgood biopic that entertains while lightly educating about overlooked history. It singles out the novelty of the untold story of three black female Nasa mathematicians and the lively, winning performances for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/dec/12/hidden-figures-review-john-glenn-taraji-henson-black-nasa-octavia-spencer-janelle-monae) - **Film Comment**, Michael Sragow (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's rousing entertainment value and the strong ensemble performances, especially the leads' portrayal of the women's dual struggles as women and Black professionals at NASA. Melfi's direction is highlighted for balancing drama, comedy, and historical insight effectively. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-hidden-figures/) - **Empire**, Nick de Semlyen (80/100, inferred): The critic finds Theodore Melfi’s film a thunderously effective feel-good experience and an important reminder about ongoing racial and gender issues on Earth. He singles out the true story of the three female African-American mathematicians at NASA for its timely resonance amid current divisions. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hidden-figures-2-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (80/100, inferred): The critic calls it a Grade-A Hollywood crowd-pleaser that effectively celebrates its shameless moments and the little-known true story, praising the powerful performances of the lead actresses. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-hidden-figures-review-20161216-story.html) - **Radio Times**, Stella Papamichael (★★★★): An inspiring, Oscar-nominated account that captures all the grit, grace and brilliance of its three female protagonists; the director movingly conveys the absurdity of segregation without beating a drum and presses all the right buttons for upbeat entertainment. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/hidden-figures-review-captures-all-the-grit-grace-and-brilliance-of-its-three-female-protagonists/) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (75/100, inferred): The critic describes it as brash, bright, and broad empowerment cinema that satisfyingly shows how race factored into the space race, praising the populist appeal while noting some on-the-nose dialogue. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/hidden-figures-review-1201936516/) - **Slant Magazine**, Elise Nakhnikian (70/100, inferred): The film movingly shows the women's heroism against institutional barriers, with Henson excelling at conveying pent-up frustration, though personal-life scenes feel predictable and the treatment of change overly tidy. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/hidden-figures/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Sheri Linden (70/100, inferred): The film is a spunky, upbeat tribute to the women's achievements with strong performances and energy, but the screenplay sometimes lapses into sap and feels like a two-dimensional history lesson. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/hidden-figures-review-953700/) - **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (C+): Solid performances from the cast cannot overcome the film's conventional prestige-drama approach and lack of surprise or nuance in its handling of racism and sexism. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/good-performances-can-t-blast-hidden-figures-out-of-pre-1798189959) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (3/3/3): The critic finds the film machine-tooled to please and unapologetically sentimental, twisting history into a standardised Hollywood narrative, but notes it highlights the absurdity of racial segregation and excels in giving the three leads room to breathe. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/hidden-figures) - **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (3/5): This huge-hearted crowd-pleaser has goodwill and strong performances on its side but is a touch overblown; it supplies work-the-problem thrills and benefits from Kevin Costner but endures some comic montages and verbal showdowns. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/hidden-figures) - **Screen Daily** (50/100, inferred): Some sparkling performances and an inviting milieu can’t completely overcome the trappings of a feel-good message movie; Henson’s rapport with Spencer and Monáe is the film’s consistent highlight but Melfi executes the true story with bland nobility. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/hidden-figures-review/5111374.article) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The film is one of the year’s most inspiring stories, a beautifully told true account of African American women mathematicians whose contributions to NASA’s early space program were indispensable. It excels thanks to superb performances, especially Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson, along with strong support from Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, and Kevin Costner. [Read](https://deadline.com/2016/12/hidden-figures-review-african-american-women-nasa-taraji-p-henson-octavia-spencer-1201868944/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B+): The critic calls the film rewarding and one we need right now despite lacking aggressive artistry. They single out the tremendous performances by the three lead actresses, especially Janelle Monáe's breakthrough turn. [Read](https://collider.com/hidden-figures-review/) - **Consequence** (B+): The critic describes it as a feel-good movie that hurts and feels relevant and new. They single out the terrific, energetic, and moving performances of the three leads as what makes the film overachieve. [Read](https://consequence.net/2017/01/film-review-hidden-figures/) - **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (4/5): The review calls it a triumph that is both important and entertaining, crediting the strong ensemble led by Taraji P. Henson and the compelling way the story of discrimination and achievement at NASA is told. It notes the broad appeal and quality performances as key strengths. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hidden-figures-review-2/) - **The Playlist**, Rodrigo Perez (80/100, inferred): The review calls it a crowd-pleasing, vibrant film that overcomes its formulaic and saccharine clichés through exuberance, winsome charm, and strong performances from the lead actresses. It succeeds as an entertaining, inspiring tale despite conventional trappings. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/hidden-figures-celebrates-undersung-heroes-crowd-pleasing-charm-inspired-performances-review-20161211/) - **The Ringer**, K. Austin Collins (80/100, inferred): The critic calls it an inspirational movie that forces us to question belittling the genre. They single out its rare portrayal of black lives in the ’60s as affected not only by racism but also by the space race and the Cold War. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2016/12/27/movies/hidden-figures-film-review-950967fc9abd) - **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the leads' passion and performances, especially Octavia Spencer's enthusiasm, and notes the film's sophisticated take on racism by keeping it in the background. It is a well-balanced, polished production with some slow patches but strong overall execution. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/reviews.php?film_id=30449) - **The Wrap** (75/100, inferred): The movie turns American history into entertaining, feel-good schmaltz but does it well on behalf of intelligent black women mathematicians at NASA. It stands out for its realistic portrayal of systemic racism and for vivid, funny performances by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/hidden-figures-review-taraji-p-henson/) - **Paste**, Andy Crump (7.7): The critic finds the conventional biopic routine but delightful in enhancing its best merits through jubilance and the cast's appeal. They single out the leading trio's collaborative performances and witty banter for giving the film its spark. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/hidden-figures/hidden-figures) ## Details - **Director:** Theodore Melfi - **Director:** Theodore Melfi - **Screenplay:** Allison Schroeder, Theodore Melfi - **Cinematography:** Mandy Walker - **Editor:** Peter Teschner - **Music:** Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams, Benjamin Wallfisch - **Production design:** Wynn Thomas - **Costume design:** Renee Ehrlich Kalfus - **Producer:** Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping - **Cast:** Taraji P. Henson as Katherine G. Johnson; Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan; Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson; Kevin Costner as Al Harrison; Kirsten Dunst as Vivian Mitchell; Jim Parsons as Paul Stafford; Mahershala Ali as Jim Johnson; Glen Powell as John Glenn - **Runtime:** 2h 07m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG - **Release (the US):** 25 December 2016 - **Genres:** Drama, History - **Budget:** $25 million - **Box office:** $236 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wfrDhgUMGI ## Where to watch in the US - HBO Max: streaming - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Apple TV: add-on, hd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Hulu: add-on, hd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-17.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2017: Best Picture (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated) ## If you liked this - *A League of Their Own* (1992), Fi1m 80: Women doing skilled work together, with friendship and exasperation given equal attention. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-league-of-their-own.md) - *Made in Dagenham* (2010): Another approachable workplace drama about women tired of having their abilities discounted. - *Wadjda* (2012), Fi1m 80: A girl’s practical ambition meets rules designed to keep her in place. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wadjda.md) - *October Sky* (1999): Scientific curiosity and difficult calculations drive another generous, conventionally shaped historical drama. - *Queen of Katwe* (2016): A young chess player’s progress makes room for family pressures and practical obstacles. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/hidden-figures