The Help (2011)

Directed by Tate Taylor

Written by Tate Taylor (screenplay) and Kathryn Stockett (novel) 

Starring Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard

     "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." These candid compliments have the power to repair any mended ego and build your self confidence and will be forever stuck in your mind like a commercial jingle after you see this film. This drama set in the 1960's is based on the critically acclaimed novel written by Kathryn Stockett and brought to the big screen by Stockett's childhood friend from Mississippi, Tate Taylor. Jackson native, Taylor makes his big directing debut with a film that tackles issues of prejudice and racism in Jackson, Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement. Stockett and Taylor conquer a story that has been told before in film, and make it an unforgettable emotional story that is driven by an impeccable cast that brings awareness to what was going on in this time period, with an appropriate level of humor to leaven the drama.
     Recent college graduate, Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) gets her first job of writing a cleaning column for the Jackson Journal. Skeeter approaches local housewife friend of hers, Elizabeth (Anna O'Reilly) in hopes of interviewing her maid, Abileen (Viola Davis). Skeeter starts to become more aware of the injustice these maids are facing at a local card game with her socialite housewife friends lead by the iron grip of Hillie Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard). Hillie refuses to use Elizabeth's bathroom because she allows her colored help to use it. Dismayed by this, Skeeter decides write a book from the maid's point of view, with the assistance from the reluctant Abileen. Employed by Hillie Holbrook, the sassy Minnie (Octavia Spencer) very reluctantly joins Skeeter and Abileen after she loses her job for using Hillie's bathroom during a violent thunderstorm. Eventually, dozens of other maids join the battle and Skeeter gets her book anonymously published.
     The Help brilliantly tells the story of racial prejudice and bigotry through the point of view of the black maids. Normally we hear these stories from this time told by the privileged white men and women who employ these maids, and when that happens their actual stories get lost in translation. Tate Taylor brings us the remarkably talented Davis and Spencer to play these noble black maids who are experiencing issues of injustice and poverty.
     This film portrays all black people as humble and kind and all white people as ignorant and racist, with a few exceptions. One of these exceptions is Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain) who is viewed as this outcast "trailer trash" to the other bigoted socialites. Celia eventually employs the recently fired Minnie, and breaks all the racial boundaries created by society during this time. Chastain plays a role that was so fun to watch. I found myself feeling sad for her as she was an outcast that just wanted the attention of her community members, white or black. Celia Foote saw no racial difference between her and Minnie and mostly hired her to help her impress her husband as she was very new to the housewife scene.
     Aside from Chastain's oscar nominated supporting role in the film, we get a heartfelt performance from Emma Stone as the protagonist. Stone's performance is mainly fed by Davis and Spencer, as she mostly serves as the pen that records all of their experiences. Viola Davis was Oscar nominated for her leading role in the film, as Octavia Spencer gained her first Oscar win for her supporting role. I mean, how could she not win an Oscar after her delicious pie that she makes for Hillie Holbrook.  Bryce Dallas Howard's role as the venomous queen B was fun to watch as well. Allison Janney has a minor role in the film as Skeeter's mom, which was comical at some points as she played a fierce, sometimes over the top local socialite who is sick with cancer.
     The Help is dominated by strong female performances which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. It was't some fuzzy female empowerment movie about friendship. It was a powerful film covering important issues from the past, told by empowering female characters.

I give The Help an...

8/10