I was surprised to see the wide array of responses to the trailer for The Help when I posted it a couple of days ago. Comments ranged from boring to “Disneyish” while others swooned over Emma Stone, but there did seem to be unanimous doubt in the film’s potential as an Oscar contender. Nevertheless, people seem interested for whatever reason, which I guess is the primary goal a trailer sets out to achieve.
Now, the latest marketing effort arrives in the form of a rather two-sided poster that once again relies on the new trend in movie posters… the color orange.
I didn’t watch the trailer when I posted it, but just looking at this poster I get the vibe some were getting from the trailer, which is “safe”. The story, which comes from Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling novel, seems it could actually be taken far more serious if it wanted to be as it’s set in Jackson, Miss. in the early 1960s, and explores how the unspoken code of behavior governing Southern households is shattered when an aspiring writer (Stone) interviews Aibileen (Viola Davis), a maid who speaks candidly about her experiences. The interview sets off shock waves that reverberate across the entire community.
I haven’t read the book so I don’t know if it is more lighthearted than dramatic, which is the vibe I’m getting from this poster, but I have heard it’s good so I’ll still be interested in seeing this one when it arrives in August.
