The Help

So here is another book to film adaptation following my review of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."  However, the one difference between the two outside of the genre, is that this film version was dead on, 100% on the money, capturing the true personalities within the book and passionately portraying them on screen.  Each actress cast in their role for this film gave a breathtaking performance as they breathed life into the characters that you grew to love in the novel.  Beginning with Octavia Spencer's Oscar deserving portrayal of Minny Jackson, she was everything that I had envisioned the character to be and I am sure that I am not alone saying that they Academy Award was well deserved.  


For those who have yet to read the novel, it is a period piece taking place during the Civil Rights movement and located in one of the states that fought to keep everything "separate but equal," Mississippi.  You meet Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) helping her boss, Mrs. Elizabeth Leefolt (Ahna O'Reilly), get ready for bridge.  This is a time when "the help" took car of everything to make a household a success, from cooking, cleaning, serving, and raising their bosses' children.  During this bridge party, you meet Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) who is the most uptight and haughtiest woman in Jackson, and the one woman in all of Jackson that other women want on their good side.  There is also Jolene French (Anna Camp) and of course, our other main character, Ms. Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone), the only unmarried one of the bunch.  Skeeter wants to be a writer and her own person, she does not want to define herself by her husband, but this type of thinking is truly her own.  None of her friends and her mother can understand why she isn't trying to find a husband.  Skeeter also had a close bond to her housekeeper, Constantine and truly always looked at her as a part of her family.  After a particular comment from Hilly regarding having a separate bathroom for the maids outside of the house and registering the pain in Aibileen's face, Skeeter becomes intrigued in understanding the plight and point of view of "the help."  So much so, that she begins to write a book under the guidance of a publishing company in New York, where she dreams of beginning her career in writing.  Aibileen is reluctant in sharing her opinions with Skeeter because she knows what would happen to her if anyone found out that she contributed.  But because of Mrs. Leefolt's treatment of her own daughter, her own flesh and blood, Aibileen begins her story.  Soon she is joined by Minny and eventually others as Skeeter eloquently writes the book that soon is in the hands of many of Jackson's residents.  You see the roots of change trying to spread and grow in Mississippi and the relationships that have developed and continue to grow.


Just like the book, this movie had me laughing, crying full of hope and joy.  It is a must see.

I give it a 10 out of 10.

Next up is "The Thing (2011)."