Movie Review: "The Help"

While there have been many movies made detailing the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, The Help's director and adapter of Kathryn Stockett's novel, Tate Taylor, manages to let the movie be something different than just a movie about the plights of African Americans in the 1960s. The Help is an ensemble story, following the multi-layered cast of some of the finer actresses currently working in the industry and their own brushes with the help of black housemaids in upper class Jackson, Mississippi. Where The Help distances itself away from the pack of similar tales, is that the movie isn't simply preaching a history lesson of tolerance, in fact it's left to our imaginations whether or not the white racist women in this movie will ever change, but the tale succeeds because it wears its heart on its sleeve and is not afraid to be both funny and oozing with sentimental emotion at each turn. The thing is, there is no moment where the white people's hearts are changed, as is seen in stuff like Remember the Titans, but rather The Help just lets the events unfold and speak for themselves. We watch these black housemaids struggle with their own emotions, caring for the white children they are nannies for, but detesting their mothers who talk down to them and wont let them use the indoor toilet on a rainy day. The Help just is, like an old fashioned Hollywood movie, there are not many frills or whistles in the direction, it is straight forward storytelling that does very little manipulation or fantasy creation to try and paint a more beautiful picture, but rather it is beautiful because of the chemistry between the flawless ensemble cast (with particular accolades to Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote). While the movie runs long, it will keep the viewer watching till the end to see where these characters will end up.

I give The Help an A!