The Help

The Help (2011) – Movie Review

Director: Tate Taylor

Screenwriter: Tate Taylor
Base on the Novel by: Kathryn Stockett

Producer/s: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter Fame), Brunson Green,  

Studio/s: Disney, Dreamworks

Production Companies: Participant Media, Harbinger Pictures, 1492 Pictures

Top Billed Cast: Emma "Woman of the moment" Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney.

LOGLINE: In 1950s, Jacksonville, Alabama a white girl goes about writing a book from the point of view of "the Help", the black women, most of whom derive from slave families, who keep house for white families.

VIEWING CIRCUMSTANCES: At the flicks (Dendy, Canberra), with my wife, with popcorn and choctop and coke.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I wasn't expecting to love this movie, I had pretty much written it off as a touchy/feely, 'chick flick', and thought that I'd basically seen it just from the trailers. But it exceeded all expectations and frankly all but blew my socks off.

STORY: The strong part of the film, and that's saying something because the production is classy and the performances are great! 

PRODUCTION: Wow, for basically a first timer, Tate knocked it out of the Park. The story goes that he and the writer were school friends and he optioned the movie writes for a dime before the book was even published and promised her he'd make it and make it well. I'd say he more than delivered on that promise.

PERFORMANCE: Great performances all round, Emma stone was great in the lead but Viola is perfect and Allison Janney, who probably had the toughest role (it's hard to play a likable bigot!) also knocked it out of the park.

OVERALL: Ain't too many movies that can make me cry, let alone laugh and cry let alone admit to the ocular seepage. This is one such movie.

MEETSLINE: To Kill a Mocking Bird meets Driving Miss Daisy.

FAVOURITE QUOTE:

RECOMMENDED ACCOMPANIMENT: Fried Chicken. (Strongly recommend NOT eating Chocolate or for that matter any pie).

RATING:

4 out of 5 reels of film.

Movie Review by A.B. McBlogsmith the Backwards Cap Film Reviewer

(C) Review Flix 2011