The Help

The Help

Director: Tate Taylor

Stars: Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, etc.

The Help has been winning the weekends at the box office and for good reason.  It’s sweet, sad, funny, and just plain great.

Most everything was good about this movie. I see why people flocked to the book (which I do need to read) and to the movie.  Plus there’s hope in it and I’m such a sucker for hope. I will say that I had a fear it was going to be one of those movies where a white person saves the day but I don't think that was the case. It could be argued that way by crankier, smarter people than myself but I think they did their best to avoid it.

I’m not going to go into the writing beyond that I am sure the book is better (as they always are) but the movie was well-written and most everything developed as it should have.  Octavia Spencer, who I believe either the screenwriter or director fought for, had the best lines as Minny.  But aside from her most everyone was given equal chance to shine. Was the script safe? Yeah, probably.  But if it were a true story or even just true to the time, it'd have to be safe. There are edgier movies out there about the Civil Rights Movement but I don't think this had to be one of those to still be effective.

So on to the best part of the movie: the actresses. Everyone did a great job.  I expect Emma Stone and Viola Davis to be good and they were.  Octavia Spencer was definitely the standout of the cast but she had the juiciest part and as I mentioned, the best lines.  The other actresses, specifically the group of white women of Jackson (I can’t think of how to qualify them without using the word racist) really held their own in a tough acting situation. In that group Bryce Dallas Howard and Sissy Spacek were especially great.  Jessica Chastain was a gem and showed her range.  She is the current "It" girl in Hollywood (7 movies out or coming out this year) and I see why.

Ok, I’m gonna stop rambling.  I never even bothered to see what its rating is on Rotten Tomatoes or see what critics said because I just knew I’d like it.