Though it may not seem like it, buzz for The Help has been building for quite some time in the absence of a terribly aggressive marketing campaign, and that discrepancy could be due to a number of factors. In addition to a strong cast that included Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Academy Award nominee Voila Davis, The Help was also an adaptation of the ridiculously popular novel of the same name. If anything, a comedy-drama hybrid would be a welcome change from all the big-budget popcorn flicks that have been saturating theaters over the past few months. Now, the presence of Emma Stone alone was more than enough to draw me to the theater, but even though I had never read the novel myself, I was still curious to see how a strong story with very volatile themes would translate to the big screen. Needless to say, my expectations were very high heading into The Help.
Easily one of the most mature and engaging dramas I have seen in quite some time, The Help shines a bright and shameful light on a period of history that is often overlooked today. Each of the cast members strongly occupies a distinct role from the Civil Rights era, with Emma Stone defiantly questioning conventions, Bryce Dallas Howard maliciously fighting to prevent change, and standouts Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer sacrificing their own safety to take a stand against inequality. The pain and despair experienced by the maids during this period is palpable and heartbreaking, but The Help cleverly intersperses moments of levity to keep things from getting too depressing. Unfortunately, for as important a story as is being told, at over two-hours, the pacing does tend to drag and, at times, threaten to lose the audience’s attention. Still, even with some less than riveting moments, the finished product is still inherently enjoyable and undoubtedly showcases some contenders for the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories at next year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
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Overall Recommendation: High
