Review of The Help (2011) by Jasmin B — 22 Sep 2013

Taking place in a 1960s Mississippi town, maids come together to write a memoir of how life has been working for white families almost all of their lives. This historical movie is heart-felt, hilarious, and is topped off with Oscar winning acting by both Emma Stone and Viola Davis.

Skeeter (Emma Stone) returns home with the hopes of finding an interesting story that could help land her a big job in New York. As a recent college graduate and aspiring writer, Skeeter tries to persuade her best friend's maid Aibileen (Viola Davis), to tell the untold stories of working for white families as "The Help". This is highly looked down upon in the close knit, black community of Mississippi; but once Aibileen speaks up, the other maids seem to join right alongside her. These quiet Mississippi folk are in for quite the wild ride and they don't even see it coming.

Although this movie is very serious and historically insightful, writer and director Tate Taylor made sure to stick some playful moments within these climaxing scenes, making it more enjoyable. When it came to Minny's revenge of her "special pie" that was made especially for her disrespectful ex-boss, Mrs. Hilly, you could not help but laugh out loud. Aibileen and Minny's friendship is nothing but laughter and playfulness while they are together in this movie, giving a light and warm feel to the story.

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important." A famous quote from the movie that Aibileen repeats several times to the child that she technically raised since it was born. This quote not only has importance behind it, but gives the movie a sentimental touch. Tate Taylors characters of Mississippi town women in the 1960s, although of different race, are depicted in the most excellent way throughout this movie.

The southern accents you hear in the movie sound almost hereditary from the actors. Stone and Davis do a wonderful job of creating a vivid image of their own characters. As Skeeter bursts through her mother's bedroom doors in one scene, she demands answers about their very own disappeared maid. We see Emma Stone portray a heartbroken woman; leaving us with this sick feeling of heartache in our stomachs. As well as in the end of the movie, facial expressions on Aibileen's face as she is forced to leave the child she raised, is the most agonizing scene of the movie to watch. We finally see a strong character break down and this adds a ton of emotional appeal to the movie.

The Help was written and directed exquisitely; the acting, emotion and message are overall above and beyond amazing. Not only is it historically accurate by conveying the struggles of African American women in the 1960s, but Tate Taylor does so in such a unique and effective way. With all the positive traits of this drama film, it makes it a must see on your movie "to watch" list.