The Help (2011) Movie Review

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The Help – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nomination – V (Viola Davis) – The Help – Movie Review

Director: Tate Taylor

Writer: Tate Taylor (Screenplay)

Writer: Kathryn Stockett (Novel)

Cast

Viola Davis (Fences)
Emma Stone (La La Land)
Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)
Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World)
Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Plot: An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids’ point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.

Runtime: 2 Hours 26 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Help starts when Skeeter Phelan (Stone) returns home after her spell at college. She was raised in a world where she has an African American maid who has now vanished. Skeeter sees how some of the upper society including Hilly Holbrook (Howard) treat the maids around their home.

Aibileen (Davis) decides to open up to Skeeter about the stories of mistreatment. Leading to Skeeter learning to more horrendous behavior towards the maids. Just as the civil rights movement was starting to gather steam.

Verdict on The Help

The Help is a drama that follows an aspiring author who looks to take a stand against the upper-class women that walk over their African American maids. She is grateful for everything she learned from her own maid and doesn’t agree with the second-class citizen hate shown toward them. as she looks to make an impact, she starts listening to the stories of abuse.

This is a movie that shows the conditions many maids found themselves in during the 1960s. Showing how they dealt with many problems from their employers. It sends an important message about how things changed over time, but they needed somebody to take the stand.

The performances in the film are strong, with a fantastic cast that went on to get Oscar nominations for their performances.

Final Thoughts – The Help is an excellent drama with an outstanding cast.