The Help
2011
***½
Director: Tate Taylor
Cast: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Jessica Chastain, Mary Steenburgen, Mike Vogel, Ahna O'Reilly, Chris Lowell
A feelgood drama about a young and strong-willed white graduate who wants to become a writer. Just as the Civil Right movement gathers pace, she decides to defy the wrath of her racist Mississippi community by chronicling the lives of black maids. The first two of the ladies, Aibileen and Minny, become the real heroines of the film; the men are kept firmly on the sidelines. This crowdpleaser gives us literally and figuratively black and white characters, who are all either saints or sinners. The story is manipulative, its historical accuracy and overall credibility are questionable, but the touching human drama and the wonderful performances inevitably disarmed me. Octavia Spencer, who plays Minny, won an Academy Award for her performance. Adapted from Kathryn Stockett's novel.
