Two Cent Tuesday: The Help

Two Cent Tuesday where I review a movie I have seen recently.

My mom and I have a tradition to go see a movie every time she comes out and visits. The past couple of times we have seen a movie it has gone on to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. So this year when she wanted to go see The Help I thought that might continue our streak because it has been getting some Oscar talk.

Based on the book of the same name The Help is about black maids in the South during the 50’s. When Skeeter (Emma Stone) comes home from college and gets a job at the local newspaper she gets assigned to the cleaning column. Not knowing much about cleaning she starts to ask Aibileen (Viola Davis) the maid at her friend’s house for tips. As Skeeter starts talking to Aibileen she begins to see things differently and realizes how badly the help is treated. As the racial tensions increase and blacks are more and more segregated Skeeter decides to write a book from the perspective of the help. She asks Aibileen to share some of her stories for the book. At first reluctant Aibileen realizes that the book could make more people aware of the situation in the South when it is published. With the help of her friend Minny they begin to compile stories about raising white kids and being forced to use separate bathrooms. To help get the book published they convince more maids to tell their story and they get a large group of maids to tell their stories. After the book is published they are forced to deal with the fall out even though it was published anonymously. Their biggest nemesis and Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) wants to get revenge for them writing the book since there is a particular story in there that she knows is about her.

Seems like my mom and I might be continuing our track record as this is a great movie. I love all the acting and wouldn’t be surprised to see a few acting nominations come from it. Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Bryce Dallas Howard are all amazing. The story itself seems fresh even if the theme is familiar. The movie balances the humor with seriousness very well a balancing act that is often difficult to do. There has been some controversy surrounding the movie. Anytime a white person writes about the lives of a black person it is going to create some controversy but I think the fact that it is creating a dialogue about race relations is a good thing. I also think that the controversy will help people keep talking about it and it will get nominated for Best Picture but the same controversy will keep it from winning.
Overall Rating A