The Help, A Must-see Movie

Emma Stone (left), Octavia Spencer (center), and Viola Davis (right)

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The Help is one of those movies that comes as close to perfection as exists in moviedom. I admit to a degree of snobbery when it came to seeing this movie, because I had read the book when it was first published and believed the movie version would disappoint me. Au contraire! Whoever did the casting deserves a special Academy Award for choosing the actors flawlessly. Emma Stone plays Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, an aspiring writer who has just graduated from "Ole Miss" and returns to Jackson, Mississippi to get some experience as a writer. Set in the early 60's, the story centers on two black maids who work for middle class white people and must deal with the "separate but equal" mentality of the South in that era. Skeeter observes the demeaning way that her friends treat their maids and decides to write a book that reveals how the maids view their lives and their employers.  This project poses great danger for Skeeter and the maids who contribute their stories, because it was illegal to promote a mixing of the races in that state.

Viola Davis plays Aibileen, a fifty-one year old maid whose only son died as the result of an accident at work.  She narrates the movie, and viewers see the world through her eyes.  Aibileen introduces us to Minnie Jackson, played by Octavia Spencer.  Minnie is a fiesty, opinionated woman, and,as Aibileen's best friend, has helped Aibileen through the tragedy of her loss.  Both Davis and Spencer display their consummate acting skills and evoke a range of emotions from the audience as they endure the injustices heaped on them.

Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly Holbrook portrays her socialite character brilliantly with a twist of evil, while her facade of gentility falls apart under the scrutiny of Minnie, her maid.  Hilly's mother, played by Sissy Spacek, sees through Hilly's pretense and laughs at her missteps.  Skeeter and Hilly have been best friends for many years, but that changes as Skeeter recognizes Hilly's superficiality and mean-spiritiedness.

The Help made the audience laugh uproariously, cry frequently, and cheer when Hilly gets her comeuppance.  The Motion Picture Academy will have a conundrum when considering who will get Oscar nominations from this movie, because all of the major characters deserve that recognition.  It is the best, most engaging movie I have seen in many years.