I’m not even sure why, but for some reason I never saw The Help during its theatrical run. Maybe it was the intimidating length (146 minutes). Maybe it was that the subject matter seemed overly familiar. Whatever the case, I have watched the film three times since receiving my Blu-ray copy and can now confidently say that I was sleeping on one of the most enjoyable movies of the year.
The story takes place in the 1960s and tells of “Skeeter” (Emma Stone), a rebellious young author, who, inspired by demonic class-leader Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) and the other soulless housewives of Jackson, Mississippi who follow her lead, wants to write a book about the experiences of the African-American maids in their neighborhood. Skeeter sets out to interview a number of housekeepers to get the story from their point of view, but takers are few and far between as such a meeting would be highly risky (and illegal). Enter Oscar front-runner Viola Davis as Aibileen, the brave woman willing to share her story and help recruit others willing to contribute to the book.
As good as Stone and Davis are in the leads, the real joy of the film comes after Aibileen’s best friend Minny (Octavia Spencer) gets herself fired by Hilly and has just one option for employment: the bubbly Celia (Jessica Chastain). Outcast from the Jackson socialites after marrying one of Hilly’s exes, Ceila is as desperate for a friend as Minny is for a job. The two embrace one another with a shared respect and admiration not seen in any of the other maid/employer relationships as Minny teaches Celia how to cook and keep a clean home for her new husband.
The themes might seem familiar, but The Help looks at the civil rights movement from an angle we’ve never seen before. It’s a glimpse into the brainwashing that went on in the South. The white children adore the black maids who help raise them from birth, only to grow up to be just as racist, if not more so than their parents. But at what point does this transformation take place? It would have been nice if the film dove a bit deeper into the more controversial aspects of the story, but I can understand why it didn’t.
The project is near and dear to the heart of writer/director Tate Taylor, a close friend of the novel’s author, Kathryn Stockett. So he made an easy-to-digest film that should get its message across to a wide audience, and there’s really nothing wrong with that. From the disc’s extras, we learn that he grew up in the South and even get to meet the the family housekeeper who helped raise him. Taylor also takes the time to briefly explain why each of the deleted scenes were taken out of the film, which I always appreciate.
He doesn’t do anything unique stylistically and just lets the story tell itself, but the Blu-ray still punctuates the film’s lush color palette. You can make out every lock of Hilly’s ridiculous hairdos, while her bright, flowery dresses and perfectly green front yard practically jump off the screen.
The runtime is there because there’s such a big story to tell, but it doesn’t feel that long at all. So if, like me, you’ve held out on The Help to this point, here’s your chance to catch up with a delightful film. The film is an excellent blend of comedy and drama with characters so easy to love (or hate) that you never feel like you’re being manipulated. I can see myself wanting to return to these characters again over time, so this is an easy one for me to recommend.
You can buy The Help at Amazon [amazon asin=”B005J6LKVI” text=”right here”].
