Review of The Help (2011) by Seth S — 20 Oct 2012

The Help is an incredible movie. Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, and written for the screen and directed by Tate Taylor. Now the incredible part is that Stockett and Taylor grew up together and are best friends. It was Stockett's choice to put Taylor in the directors chair, and her confidence was rewarded.

Skeeter Phelan is an aspiring writer in the 1960s who gets a job at a local newspaper. She lives in Mississippi during the racist days during Martin Luther King Jr.'s passive resistance. Needing help to write a column about house-keeping, Skeeter turns to Aibileen, a servant in a friends house. Skeeter seems to be one of the only non-racists in her town. She realizes that nobody has ever written a book from the point of "the help". She starts with interviewing just Aibileen. When racism gets even worse, some other servants agree to interview with Skeeter. She eventually puts all the stories into a revolutionary book called The Help.

This movie has the best, most likable cast of 2011. And anchoring the movie are the performances by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. Both were nominated for an Oscar, and Spencer won. I'd say that Viola Davis deserved it, but both performances are terrific. Davis's Aibileen is the narrator, and less sharp-tongued than Spencer's Minny. Both of these women are amazing, and are the cornerstone of the movie.

Emma Stone plays Skeeter. She rarely does these more dramatic roles, but she absolutely nails it. Skeeter is a funny, smart, compassionate character. And the one we can relate to in this story. Emma Stone is one of my favorite actresses, and this movie is one of the reasons why. Love her.

Now to my favorite character in the movie, Celia Foote, played by Jessica Chastain. Where has she been for the last 7 years? Chastain graduated from Julliard in 2003, why didn't she really start acting until The Tree of Life in 2011? Whoever the casting directors are that missed her should be punished. Chastain plays a fantastic character, one of the few white people in the movie that aren't dirtbags.

And lastly, Bryce Dallas Howard plays the despicable Hilly Holbrook. She is a great actress. She really makes you hate her. It's funny to watch the scenes between Stone and Howard, because they both played Gwen Stacy in the Spider-Man franchise. Howard in Spider-Man 3, and Stone in The Amazing Spider-Man.

All in all, The Help is a phenomenal movie. Humor and drama are blended together perfectly. The cast is the best of 2011, with some of the most likable actresses. I didn't think I would like this movie that much, but it surprised me!

"God says we need to love our enemies. It's hard to do, but it can start by telling the truth." 8.5/10.