The Help Review
I am going to preface this review with a couple of disclaimers. First, I have not read the book by Kathryn Stockett in which this film is based. I am sure the book is fabulously well written and full of great depth. I am equally as sure that fans of the book, as always, are sure to have problems with the cinematic adaptation. Second, as a white male in my early 30s I doubt that I am the target audience for this movie. This movie is textbook chick flick, and while my money is as good as anyones, the movie was not made with my demographic in mind. Having said that, I can now tell you my honest opinion of this wonderfully charming yet somewhat flawed film.
The title The Help refers to a number of things in the film. First and foremost it refers to the black women who took low paying, laborious jobs as nannies and housekeepers in affluent white homes in the 1960s. Aibileen (Viola Davis), and Minny (Octavia Spencer) are two such women, when they are noticed, which isn't often, they are abused and denigrated by their employers. Despite their mistreatment they raise the children of their employers to be "kind, smart, and important." Then there is Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) Eugenia is one of those children who was raised by the help, she has just returned from college, and is kind, smart, and who wants to become important as a writer. Skeeter sees the wrongs being done and is trying the help simply by documenting it and by doing so hopefully change things.
The story is simple yet powerful. All three women have important stories to tell, and all three stories seem to have the same vicious nemesis, Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard). Hilly is a mean, spiteful, bully. She is also the worst kind of racist, the kind that does so with a smile, and teacher her children that hate and ignorance are proper thinking. Hilly's crusade is to create legislation that requires the "colored help to have separate facilities in private homes." She is meant to emulate the separate but equal mentality that dominated the south during the pre civil rights era. Skeeter's forward thinking immediately clashes with Hilly's.
Another important side story is that of the ostracized Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain). Celia and her husband live on a plantation on the outskirts of town. Celia's only crime is being naive to the social structure, and being married to Hilly's high school boyfriend. Celia is the only person who would hire Minny after Hilly fires her for using the indoor toilet. Celia and Minny develop and odd relationship that gives both women new strength and courage.
The movie will likely be compared to The Color Purple. Despite the obvious comparisons, these films have little or nothing to do with one another. Yes both films are about black women gaining strength and courage while also finding their voice, but The Help is not nearly as heavy, as violent or as dark as the Color Purple. In fact that is probably the movies biggest flaw. These were very dangerous times to be black in the south. and while the women are fearful and worried that their actions may have repercussions, we never are exposed to them in the film. Aside from knowing the history of the times there is nothing in the movie that gravely threatens our characters. Hilly is their biggest threat and she is nothing more than a cartoon character and beyond what she represents not really scary at all.
As much as I wanted the movie to be darker, and heavier, I appreciated its lighter side. Similar at times in tone to Fried Green Tomatoes, the movie just enjoys telling the story of these women. It has many laughs mostly at the expense of Hilly, and then there is the chocolate pie, that is "so delicious!"
The movie is incredibly enjoyable and while I dislike the term "chick flick," The Help certainly qualifies as one. There is only a few male characters they are relegated mostly to the background. When we do get a real male character he is not given much to do and just when we think we can get behind him, his true nature is shown to us we are left disappointed.
The real bright spots in the movie are the performances of Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain. Their roles are meaty, but without the talents of these actresses, their characters would not have come to life, no matter how well written. I would not be surprised if one, two, or all three were nominated this year as supporting actress.
I may not have been the target audience, and I have not read the source material, but I liked the movie all the same.
