Member review

“The Help” is a powerful and compelling drama with brilliant performances across the board and an effective balance of heart-warming scenes with darker undertones. It may suffer slightly from a few unrealistic moments, but overall, “The Help” is a terrific film that deals with a distressing period in modern history in a mature and profound way.

Every member of the cast in “The Help” is phenomenal, from Viola Davis as the stoic Aibileen Clark to Bryce Dallas Howard’s hideously two-faced character Hilly Holbrook and Jessica Chastain, who plays one of the more likable characters in the film. Although all of the actors were fantastic, easily my favourite performance in “The Help” came from Octavia Spencer in the role of sassy maid Minny Jackson. Spencer deservedly won an Academy Award for her work in this film (the only Oscar that the film won), she brings so much warmth and believability to the screen, whilst also providing “The Help” with some of its occasional funny moments.

The filmmakers behind “The Help” did an excellent job of balancing the tone of the story, you definitely wouldn’t describe this as a comedy, but there are several amusing lines and jokes found throughout “The Help” (the pie moment is especially entertaining.) The character’s interactions are both realistic and humorous, which adds much needed levity to the film and offers up a stark contrast to the disturbing historical setting that the movie takes place in.

As “The Help” is set at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in the Deep South and explores the black experience at the time, this can be a tough watch, despite the more uplifting scenes. It’s shocking to see how hypocritical and ignorant many members of the more affluent society were a mere 60 years ago; it astounds me that so many people stood by and did nothing whilst the black population of the USA were being exploited and oppressed! Several scenes in “The Help” are almost unwatchable, not because they’re excessively violent, but because of how unsettlingly the people and culture of this time period are depicted. I have to commend the filmmakers for crafting such an uncomfortable portrayal of an unjust time in history that utilises characters and dialogue, rather than graphic violence.

In terms of criticisms, there are few overly sentimental and optimistic scenes and some of the minor bit-players feel more like stereotypes than people. Also, even though I liked the ambiguous ending, I think the film’s final message requires a suspension of disbelief from the audience, as the hopes of a particular character seem very improbable considering the historical context of the movie.

In conclusion, I thoroughly recommend “The Help.” It’s a moving and heartfelt drama that will make you laugh and but more importantly, it will make you think. It’s not the greatest movie ever made, but due to its esteemed performances and poignant themes, this a must-watch!