The story exemplifies the best and worst of this country--the best (the scientific achievement and creative thinking that led to space exploration) undercut at every turn by the worst (racism and sexism, etc., which has made it incredibly difficult for some of the most gifted to make their contribution). Thinking back, I'm wondering why I teared up when Janelle Monae's aspiring engineer won the battle to take night classes at a segregated school--because she won, or because she shouldn't have had to fight that battle in the first place? Both, I suppose.

I agree with a lot of handful_ofdust's critique of the film--it's a contemporary Hollywood film, with all the lack of subtlety that tends to go with that. (And I definitely plan to read the book.) But it worked for me, even in the moments when I was thinking, "Yeah, that line of dialogue was awfully on-the-nose." Watching the film at this precise historical moment felt painful to me in a way it wouldn't have if Hillary had won the election--not only because of the powers of reaction that would like to replicate the circumstances the protagonists of the film were dealing with, but because of the devaluation of science that Trump's win implies.