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The Help – Review

This summer the major movies have been Comedy and Action.  This week “The Help” is changing that streak.  “The Help” takes place in Jackson, MS and revolves around the black women who work as maids in well to do white homes.  The story is set in the 60’s, so racism is rampant.  A hometown daughter returns to Jackson to work at a local paper to start her career in journalism by writing a “home making” column.  She soon finds an interesting story to tell, the stories of the maids and what they see, do, deal with, and live while working for the white families.

The Help is based on the book by Kathryn Stockett.  I did not read the book, but my mom did and she said the movie is VERY close to the book only leaving out a few items.  I was a bit unsure about seeing this movie, I had heard all the buzz about the book and it was transfering to the movie as well.  I was just hoping it would not fall flat and not live up to the hype.

The movie starts as Skeeter (Emma Stone)moves back to Jackson, MS to be with her family and to try to start her journalism career.  She has been turned down by a publisher in New York so she decides to get a job at the local paper and is given a “home maker” column.  One afternoon she joins a group of college friends for some social time in their home.  We are introduced to Aibileen (Viola Davis) and Minny (Octavia Spencer), maids for two of the local women.  Aibileen has been a maid since she was 14, and has watched over 4 families.  She takes joy in raising the children of her employers and LOVES them.  Minny is one of Aibileen’s friends and is a maid for the Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) and family.  Hilly is a strong racist, and trying to pass local health code so that all black maids cannot use indoor bathrooms in their employers homes because “they carry diseases”, to put it simple Hilly is a bitch.  Minny was my favorite character, she puts up with a lot of crap, and well……dishes it out too.

Skeeter soon realizes that she needs to tell the story of what the maids deal with on a daily basis.  She convinces a publisher to take the story and tries to convince Aibileen to share her story.  At first Aibileen does not want to be interviewed, afraid for her life.  Soon Aibileen agrees and eventually so does Minny.  Skeeters publisher wants more maids though, and no one else wants to help.  One day one of the maids gets arrested for stealing a ring from one of her employers and is beat by the cops.  After the beating, Skeeter has all the maids she needs.  Her book gets published and the town is a buzz over the stories and everyone is trying to figure out who’s who.

Overall I was very happy with this movie.  I acutally think Viola Davis could be nominated for an Oscar for her role as Aibileen.  If you are tired of the comedies and want a movie that will pull at your heart, you want to go see “The Help”

4 out of 5 slices of bacon!

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