I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Thursday turned out to be a lovely day to roll out the very tiny red carpet and check out The Help at the local theatre. I won't say I was chomping at the bit to see this film, but I was very intrigued. The film, set in 1960's Mississippi, centers around a young writer nicknamed Skeeter (Emma Stone) and her series of interviews with the black maids in her town. She and he co-conspirators (Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer) meet in secret to reveal the horrific racism of the white housewives in Jackson. Despite this, its clear these maids truly love the white children they care for as much as their own children, for whom they desire only better than they had.

The film is built on strong female characters, from lead to supporting. Emma Stone embraces this dramatic role with maturity and a healthy amount of sass. It's definitely a new page in her book, which up until now has been primarily comedic. The relationships between her and the other women of the film  bind the main story to its subplots, so it's important that they work. The hint of a good friendship going slowly sour with her and Bryce Dallas Howard, the sense that she never quite pleased her mother, and the building of trust between her and Viola Davis - it all builds and builds the film and fleshes out even the minor characters.

The supporting cast charms their way through the film. Octavia Spencer is absolutely hilarious as Minny and Sissy Spacek is lovable as Bryce Dallas Howard's mother. Everyone seems to 'fit' in the world - it's all very real and embedded.

From a production standpoint, the film was very well done. Solid editing, beautiful photography, and great production design. All of these things being said, there is still something holding the film back from being truly amazing.

It's a good film, even a great one perhaps, garnering it's strength from its subtlety. But it's almost a little too quiet, too reserved. I wanted these women to really conquer and conquer something evil. I am not a fan of meaningless violence, but when it serves the story, especially when that story is historical fiction, I think violence has it's place. These people actually suffered. A lot. And most of us watching this film aren't really going to understand what they went through and what they overcame. You can hint at it and talk about it, but the only way to draw a truly powerful emotional response is to show us, without shame.

7.5/10