The Help by Kathryn Stockett was a huge phenomenon in the literary world. It was one of those rare stories that captured the attention of readers across the board, and garnered critical and commercial success. It was no surprise, then, when the novel was optioned for a film adaptation.
As the film begins, we meet Aiblileen (Viola Davis), a black maid maid working for a young, white family in Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. She carries a sense of wisdom, as she raises the young daughter of the family, her seventeenth white baby. Despite the loss of her son, he couldn't get the proper care in the "colored" hospital, Aibileen finds a kind of solace through her job, her faith, and her best friend Minny (Octavia Spencer). Minny is also a maid. While she is praised for her cooking skills, her sassy mouth has gotten her in trouble with previous employers, and finds her with no job and a husband who beats her regularly.
Eugenia Phealan, Skeeter (Emma Stone), is a fresh out of college, 22 year old white woman, who has returned home, to her mother's dismay, without a husband. We learn that Skeeter has always had trouble fitting in with what society, and her mother, expect of her. Upon her return home, she is shocked to learn that the maid who raised her, Constantine, has left the family home, and no one seems to want to tell Skeeter what happened to her. Saddened by the loss of her childhood companion and eager to get a job at a big publishing company, Skeeter decides to write something important. After a chance encounter with Aibileen, Skeeter enlists her and her friends to tell their stories of being, "The Help" to white families.
The movie is extremely faithful to the novel, becoming one of those rare films that truly seems to bring the story to life. The cast, from top to bottom, is splendid. Each actor brings sincerity and conviction to their role. The movie is extremely deserving of all of the hype and recognition that it received. Fans of the novel are sure to enjoy this great adaptation.
I never read the book, but thought the story told by the perfectly cast actors/actresses in the movie was exceptional.
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