So I Watched “The Help” and Here’s My Review
The movie The Help is based on the book of the same name (which I’ve never read even though I own it). Only thing I really knew about it was the basic information that it is a book written from the point-of-view of Black women who were maids in the 1950s and 60s. And I knew it was written by a white woman. That is all I walked in with. And I’m kinda glad, because it gave me very few expectations going in.
Before I go on, don’t worry. I won’t be placing any spoilers here. That’s because when people do that, I want to kick them in the shins. And I value my shins. Everything I mention will pretty much be vague plot points.
The film is set in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960s, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Racial tension is high, and at the core of everything going on in this town. The Black women who are maids in that town, not only clean the houses of their bosses, but they practically raise their children. Yet, they’re only seen as “HELP” and treated poorly and accordingly. One young woman in the town (Skeeter) gets the idea to write the stories of these women, because of her positive experience with the black woman who helped raise her.
I must say that I really liked “The Help.” It even had my eye allergies acting up a coupla times. My thug wading in the water while watching some of the scenes.
What was so good about this film? Wells, for starters, the acting was superb. Viola Davis is amazeballs. She played a maid named Aibilene, who was one of the central characters. And then Octavia Spencer played Minnie, her BFF, who is also a maid. They’re polar opposites personality-wise, with Aibilene’s quite confidence and Minnie’s feistiness. Minnie’s ALL sass and Aibilene is calm but very grounded. They work for different families but have similar struggles.
Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer on screen together was so natural. I could see them actually being BFFs and having those very convos. At least one of them needs to be nominated for something cuz… YES LAWD!!! Kudos to them both.
Skeeter (Emma Stone), Minnie (Octavia Spencer) and Aibilene (Viola Davis)
Emma Stone, who played Skeeter, was also dope. I don’t remember her in other films but she slayed this role. It also helped that her big blue doe eyes made her look adorabo, which kind of worked with this character, who had a bit of naivete, to allow her to e’em try what she did.
AND… you know who else is in this movie???? My she-ro. The Matron Saint of Downtrodden Heroines Who Come Out On Top. YOU KNOW WHO!!! The one and only, Mother of All, CICELY TYSON!
Chile listen… the moment I saw Cicely on that screen, I wanted to do a jig. I LOVE CICELY! Not ONE person on this EARF plays downtrodden but still prideful and regal like her. NOT ONE! YESSSSS!!! She played Constantine, the maid who raised Skeeter. And of course she was EVERYTHING! And dropped dimed of wisdoms like only she can.
Sidenote: Does Cicely Tyson e’em have to audition for these types of roles? SHE BET NOT HAVE TO! Folks need to write scripts and just insert “Cicely Tyson” on any role that needs to be old and wise. Shoo… she’s earned it. That woman has been acting since the first wheel was invented. SHE IS LEGEND! #PayAmish
Ennehweighs, where was I?
Ah yes, the acting was dope. The supporting characters were also really interesting.
On top of all of that, I found the story to be empowering, because it served as a hat tip to the women who worked day (and sometimes night) in these homes, serving as second mothers, nurses, seamstresses, cobblers, cooks… and everything else. I thought it was positive in its portrayal of these women. They weren’t just mammys, but people who made real impact in the lives of those they helped raise.
Plus, it was surprisingly funny. Octavia Spencer’s character was hilarious without even trying to be at times. She brought some comic relief to this film, especially with a running thing that involved a pie (no, not pie in the face. You gotta see it to know what I’m talmbout). I’m glad they added a bit of humor to the movie because it lightened it up when needed, and kept it from feeling really depressing.
Was it a perfect movie? Probably not. But for 2.5 hours, I gave a damb about what I was watching on screen and the lives of those characters. This says a lot, for someone who can lack an attention span, like me.
OH YES! I also loved the costumes. Man, I love the way folks dressed in the 60s. The costumes were like “Mad Men” with a little bit more color. The women in the A-line dresses… the men with the fitted suits and skinny ties. YESSS!!!
Anywho, I’m looking forward to reading the book now, and seeing how true the movie was to it.
“The Help” opens in theaters on August 10th. Are y’all gonna go see it? Have you read the book? Didja like it? Tell a G!
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I have read The Help three times– once in print, twice via audiobook. IT. IS. FABULOUS and I cannot wait to see this movie. I attended a talk that Kathryn Stockett gave a few months ago. She picked the screen writer herself and said she was really pleased with the cast and the film. I also think Cicely Tyson was probably “chosen” for the film as opposed to having to audition.
I also love Cissy Spacek and Allison Janney. I AM DYING TO SEE THIS MOVIE.
I read the book in like a day. It was THAT good. I will be going to see that on opening night, even if I have to get a sitter. It is one part in the book that Minnie talks about, don’t want to give it away, but it is hilarious! I hope that part is in the movie.
A day? Sounds like something I’d do. And I think the part you’re talking about is prolly the one I found hilarious. When you watch the film, come back and say “Yes it is” or “No it wasn’t.” lol
Great review w/o spoilers;) Reading the book now and the black characters are surprisingly believable. Clearly the author grew up around ‘help’. Minny is beyond ballsy, can’t wait to see O. Butler portray her.
The movie had them very believable too. They weren’t mammy caricatures, which I appreciated. Octavia Spencer was GREAT as Minnie!
I will have to see this movie. Thanks for the review.
My pleasure
The author did grow up around maids. Her family was allegedly upset about her portray of maids during that time. They felt that what goes on behind closed doors, should remain that way.
I read the book a few weeks ago (LOVED IT) and I can’t wait ’til the movie comes out!
Indeed! I hope you like it.
I saw an early screening and loved it too. Viola, Octavia and Emma should be nominated for Oscars, Golden Globes and SAG awards. Let’s start the campaign now.
Also, loved Mary J Blige’s contribution: the song in the closing credits.
You can tell Mary was moved by the movie too!
Oh yes!!! I loved the song at the end. Mary went on ‘head and DEED that. I dig.
Its a few parts from the book that I want to see played out on film. I thought the book was ok.
I wonder what parts those are. Don’t tell me though! I’ma read it
I really liked the book, although I wasn’t crazy about the ending. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie. I was worried about how Emma Stone’s acting!
Ah ok. I’ll see if the ending matched once I read the book. Emma Stone did good!
Thanks for this review. It makes me feel better about seeing the movie. I read and enjoyed the book itself, but was concerned about some of the earlier, negative commentary that I’d seen about the movie. Mainly that it didn’t fully capture or convey the danger associated with the maids (as Black underemployed women) speaking out during a time of heightened violence in response to the civil rights movement and that it focused too much on the story of the more privileged white women. Your review makes the movie sound a bit more intriguing. I’ll definitely check it out in August.
I’ve somehow been shielded from the negative commentary about the movie so I had no idea. I think the movie did pay attention to the dangers of the maids speaking out. It was an important piece in showing Aibilene’s courage for being the first to have her voice be heard. I hope you like it when you see it in August.
OK, as one of the resident white girls, I am so glad to hear this! I enjoyed the book, but for the first few chapters, I didn’t think I would. It seemed very contrived, very “a white person wrote this to make up for all the past sins” kinda thing. So I’m very glad to hear the perspective of black women, too, because honestly, it gives the book more credibility if both races enjoy it equally. I was very surprised by how much I ended up enjoying the book and that it was really entertaining and moving. I am so glad the movie held up!
Oh, and I lurve Emma Stone. She was in Super Bad and Easy A, if you have seen those. She’s a doll.
Christi, I could understand that contrivedness (not a word but I’ma use it anyway). Since I haven’t read the book, I can’t speak on how it came across in print. I WILL read it now though to see how I feel about it. I wonder if the screenplay really changed the tone. Might review the book after reading it.
I like that word, it makes sense to me.
Overall, the book wasn’t contrived, but the first couple of chapters, I was kinda like “oh god, here we go…” but I really think she truly nailed the dialect, vernacular and mood of the time. I was really afraid it was going to make caricatures of both the black maids and the white women, but she didn’t. It had been hyped up for SO long before I read it (and hello, I’m in TN, so my peeps were all over it), so I was skeptical but pleasantly surprised.
AND in the course of writing you this novel, I just saw my first trailer for it! It looks great!!
Christi (though I’m black), I agree with that first bit wholeheartedly. I started off reading the book a little annoyed with Kathryn Stockett, but it eventually grew into a page turner. She made the characters well-developed and interesting. And although I don’t totally respect the part about the pie, I can’t say that it’s a bad part of the story.
I did read the book, and am excited to see the movie. I would have loved for the book to show us 15 years later to see if the book changed the lives and attitudes of say Miss Hilly. What type of adult did May grow up to be. Hope there Is a sequel.
In the movie did they show Minnie’s relationship with her husband?
The movie did mention Minnie’s relationship with her husband, but he was never shown.
havent read the book YET! but i def plan on doing so… I’m so excited to see the movie, ESPECIALLY since it was filmed in my city [GREENWOOD, MS (not jackson)].
Oh nice! Did you see any of the actors while they were filming?
I loved the book! Can’t wait to see the movie.
I look forward to reading the book.
Thanks for that rad review. I am definitely going to check this movie out and the book as well.
No problemo.
Hi!
This is a great review – I wonder, how to reconcile it with this: http://acriticalreviewofthehelp.wordpress.com/ten-issues-that-tarnish-the-help/
The author brings up some pretty serious concerns about the book. I’m really, really hoping that the film is a little bit different.
I’ll give that a look. Like I said, I didn’t really know much about the movie or the book but I’ll read up on the controversy to see if it changes my views. I like that I didn’t know anything about this until watching it though.
Um, news flash! This story is set in the 1960s in Mississippi. Need I say more? Though negative, most of those “issues” were very true in the setting. It would be so inaccurate to whitewash (no pun intended) this story to appease our modern progressive sensibilities.
Thanks for the review! I’m counting down the days until the movie comes out. I loved the book! Definitely a must read!
Thanks for the review! I saw the preview for this and brushed it off as another “White woman helps the Blacks” movie! I’m very happy to hear that it’s much more than that! In that case, I’ll read the book to get myself ready for the movie!
Also, Emma Stone was also in “The House Bunny”…don’t judge me but I really like that movie!
Oh how I loved the book! I just read it a few weeks ago because it was recommended by a friend and by Amazon. Hubby was gettin mad because I was all up in that book instead of his grill. I didn’t even know that they were making a movie. I’m not really a film lover but I may just give this one a try to see if it lives up to my imagination.
I’m looking forward to seeing the movie. I actually read the book after my mother-in-law suggested it to me. I was skeptical at first because a white woman writing about black women didnt seem to “fit” to me but after reading the first chapter, I was hooked! The book was amazing! Thank you for the review Luvvie because sometimes the movies dont do the book any justice, hello How Stella Got Her Groove Back?!
“stands posing in a dapper tom ford suit for the media on luvvies eCrib red carpet”
LUVVIE!!! I just made my premiere appearance commentary on your eCrib. HIII “waves”
i saw the preview special of the help and practically made a note to self to watch it once it lands on white peoples land where im at, aka, London TAHN! I own the book too but never got to reading it.
what SOLD me to make watching this a priority is when i heard Mary Blige sing “The Living Proof” for it. it had me sit down & start reassessing life. you NEED to hear it!
I have heard many good things about this movie. I’m currently on the waitlist for the book. Can’t wait to go and support these fine actresses.
I have heard about this book. I didn’t know it was going to be made into a movie. Now I want to see it!!
LOVED the book – I hope there will be a sequel
can’t wait to see the movie – hope my husband doesn’t think it may be a chick flick!
Okay, finally saw it. LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT! There was some parts they twisted, but overall it matched the book. They did show Terrible Awful which made me happy. Wonderful movie. Laughed, cried, was pissed off. The men and women who lived though that time were truly brave. I could not imagine living through that era. They really brought out Hilly’s mom character. Must see.