The Help (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'The Help' (directed by Tate Taylor, & based on a popular novel by Kathryn Stockett) takes place circa 1963 & looks at what happens when a Mississippi town's unspoken code of rules/behaviors get shattered by 3 courageous women who kindle an unlikely friendship. Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis, of Doubt) is a 52 yr. old African-American maid who's spent her life raising white children & recently lost her 24 yr. old son. For 28 yrs., she's cooked, cleaned, changed diapers, mended wounds & taught valuable lessons to children who eventually grow up to be as vacuous as their own parents. Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) is an African-American maid whose outspokenness has gotten her fired many times & built up a reputation for being difficult.
And Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) is a young white society woman who's recently moved back home with her cancer-afflicted mother (Allison Janney) after graduating from 'Ole Miss to find that her beloved childhood maid, Constantine (Cicely Tyson), has mysteriously disappeared. Skeeter is determined to become a writer, & turns her town's lives upside down when she decides to interview the black maids who've spent their lives taking care of prominent white households. Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged; like that btwn. the recently-fired Minny & a white social outsider who's desperate to get 'in' (Jessica Chastain). But so, too, are friendships dismantled; like that btwn. Skeeter & rich snob, Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) - who can't believe that her friend would even want to fraternize with 'the help', no less interview them for their damning perspective on the white folk.
Aibileen was the 1st to open up to Skeeter; which eventually causes a domino effect with the other maids. But amid Skeeter's anonymous doings, many lives hang in the balance as the changing times threaten to tear apart the nation. The 1960's in Mississippi was a tumultuous time. The way whites treated blacks was deplorable. And yet, through all the heartache & pain in this story, what I got out of it was a mildly optimist tale of what can emerge from that ugliness; that people of different color in that time & era could respect & love one another, even when surrounded by such hate & uncertainty. I laughed, cried, laughed, & cried while watching this movie {giving me a headache along the way, haha}. But that's the disorienting power it had over me. For as serious & dour as things get, I was also charmed, amused, & thankful for the warm, sweet emotions the film gave me. And almost all of that praise can be heaped upon the great cast.
In all seriousness, it's one of the best ensembles of acting that I've seen in recent years. Viola Davis leads the way as heart & soul of 'The Help'. I appreciated the moments (as Aibileen) that she was able to let her guard down & laugh with her counterparts. But on the whole, Aibileen is portrayed as an aging, tired, stooped figure who looks like she hasn't relaxed for one second in her life. She's devoted to the white kids (as evidenced in heartrending scenes btwn. her & her employer's young daughter; who treats her maid as 'mommy'). And then Davis hits us with highly dramatic scenes, as well. Aibileen is fully-fleshed out. And I found the portrayal to be nothing short of excellent. Octavia Spencer is also wonderful as the frank, 'I won't take any Guff from anyone' Minny. And her scenes with Jessica Chastain's Celia Foote (the social outsider) were some of my favorites from the entire film.
In fact, Chastain - someone who I've heard plenty about all year, but had yet to see her in anything - is superb as the bleach blonde bimbo with a heart. Chastain takes the cliched role & gives her more dimension that I ever could have expected. Emma Stone is great as the anchor of the film. She walloped me in a scene with her mom, played by Allison Janney; who was excellent, herself. This perennial supporting actress has given nothing but stellar performances on TV & in movies, & always manages to hit it out of the ballpark for me. Her character sneaks up on you (faults & all). Bryce Dallas Howard nails the stone-cold-bitch villain role. Sissy Spacek had me rolling with some of her cheeky doings & line deliveries. And the legendary Cicely Tyson knocks you out in 2 short, but pivotal scenes.
On the technical front, 'The Help' is lovely. In book form, 'TH' is told from varying perspectives. So film editor Hughes Winborne does a stellar job balancing it all. I was very appreciative for seeing the stories told from the black point of view. And though this is a heavy drama (and tearjerker), some bursts of comedy are welcomed & timed at the right moments (usually at the expense of the white folk) -- can we say, 'Pie'? Stephen Goldblatt's warm cinematography washes over you. The 1960's sets, costumes, hair & make-up feel authentic. Thomas Newman's gentle musical score pops up now & then; never overwhelming you with sentimentality. There's even a soulful original song played over the end credits by Mary J. Blige.
You know, 'The Help' isn't as biting as it could have been. And aside from Viola Davis' gripping portrayal, most of the characterizations (while brilliantly acted) are on the light side. There is also some criticism that this black-empowerment tale is aimed at white audiences to make us feel better about how far we've come at being 'saviors' (hence, strengthening stereotypes). But I can't say that I felt that. Through this film, I've learned about how people - during that awful civil rights era - handled their conflicts, shifting loyalties, & resentments. I reveled in watching a superbly acted movie about troubled times in the Deep South. There's rousing comeuppance, & heartwarming catharticism for various characters; no matter the color of their skin. I think that's pretty special, myself.
And Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) is a young white society woman who's recently moved back home with her cancer-afflicted mother (Allison Janney) after graduating from 'Ole Miss to find that her beloved childhood maid, Constantine (Cicely Tyson), has mysteriously disappeared. Skeeter is determined to become a writer, & turns her town's lives upside down when she decides to interview the black maids who've spent their lives taking care of prominent white households. Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged; like that btwn. the recently-fired Minny & a white social outsider who's desperate to get 'in' (Jessica Chastain). But so, too, are friendships dismantled; like that btwn. Skeeter & rich snob, Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) - who can't believe that her friend would even want to fraternize with 'the help', no less interview them for their damning perspective on the white folk.
Aibileen was the 1st to open up to Skeeter; which eventually causes a domino effect with the other maids. But amid Skeeter's anonymous doings, many lives hang in the balance as the changing times threaten to tear apart the nation. The 1960's in Mississippi was a tumultuous time. The way whites treated blacks was deplorable. And yet, through all the heartache & pain in this story, what I got out of it was a mildly optimist tale of what can emerge from that ugliness; that people of different color in that time & era could respect & love one another, even when surrounded by such hate & uncertainty. I laughed, cried, laughed, & cried while watching this movie {giving me a headache along the way, haha}. But that's the disorienting power it had over me. For as serious & dour as things get, I was also charmed, amused, & thankful for the warm, sweet emotions the film gave me. And almost all of that praise can be heaped upon the great cast.
In all seriousness, it's one of the best ensembles of acting that I've seen in recent years. Viola Davis leads the way as heart & soul of 'The Help'. I appreciated the moments (as Aibileen) that she was able to let her guard down & laugh with her counterparts. But on the whole, Aibileen is portrayed as an aging, tired, stooped figure who looks like she hasn't relaxed for one second in her life. She's devoted to the white kids (as evidenced in heartrending scenes btwn. her & her employer's young daughter; who treats her maid as 'mommy'). And then Davis hits us with highly dramatic scenes, as well. Aibileen is fully-fleshed out. And I found the portrayal to be nothing short of excellent. Octavia Spencer is also wonderful as the frank, 'I won't take any Guff from anyone' Minny. And her scenes with Jessica Chastain's Celia Foote (the social outsider) were some of my favorites from the entire film.
In fact, Chastain - someone who I've heard plenty about all year, but had yet to see her in anything - is superb as the bleach blonde bimbo with a heart. Chastain takes the cliched role & gives her more dimension that I ever could have expected. Emma Stone is great as the anchor of the film. She walloped me in a scene with her mom, played by Allison Janney; who was excellent, herself. This perennial supporting actress has given nothing but stellar performances on TV & in movies, & always manages to hit it out of the ballpark for me. Her character sneaks up on you (faults & all). Bryce Dallas Howard nails the stone-cold-bitch villain role. Sissy Spacek had me rolling with some of her cheeky doings & line deliveries. And the legendary Cicely Tyson knocks you out in 2 short, but pivotal scenes.
On the technical front, 'The Help' is lovely. In book form, 'TH' is told from varying perspectives. So film editor Hughes Winborne does a stellar job balancing it all. I was very appreciative for seeing the stories told from the black point of view. And though this is a heavy drama (and tearjerker), some bursts of comedy are welcomed & timed at the right moments (usually at the expense of the white folk) -- can we say, 'Pie'? Stephen Goldblatt's warm cinematography washes over you. The 1960's sets, costumes, hair & make-up feel authentic. Thomas Newman's gentle musical score pops up now & then; never overwhelming you with sentimentality. There's even a soulful original song played over the end credits by Mary J. Blige.
You know, 'The Help' isn't as biting as it could have been. And aside from Viola Davis' gripping portrayal, most of the characterizations (while brilliantly acted) are on the light side. There is also some criticism that this black-empowerment tale is aimed at white audiences to make us feel better about how far we've come at being 'saviors' (hence, strengthening stereotypes). But I can't say that I felt that. Through this film, I've learned about how people - during that awful civil rights era - handled their conflicts, shifting loyalties, & resentments. I reveled in watching a superbly acted movie about troubled times in the Deep South. There's rousing comeuppance, & heartwarming catharticism for various characters; no matter the color of their skin. I think that's pretty special, myself.