The Help (2011)

The 1960s in America was a time of great change, particularly in the struggle for civil rights. The country's Deep South, however, was violently resistant to these types of changes, and life in those parts of the country continued much the same as it had before for African-Americans.

The Help tells the story of Skeeter, a budding young writer who was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. Upon returning from college, Skeeter finds that Constantine, the African-American maid who has all but raised her, has vanished from the family home without warning or explanation. Becoming aware of the great injustices that surround her every day, Skeeter sets out to write a book about "the help," telling the stories of the daily lives of African- American maids who work for white families. The film is truly about Aibileen and Minny, two maids working for equally racist white women. The Help tells of everything from domestic abuse within African-American families to the issue of "coloured bathrooms" to the ways in which maids exact revenge upon those who mistreat them.

Emma Stone heads the powerful and talented cast of The Help in her role as Skeeter. Stone proves in this film that she can play more than just high school characters, and is certainly a perfect choice for the hefty role of open-minded Skeeter. Viola Davis brings to life Aibileen, a woman who has spent more of her life raising white women's children than her own, and gives a spectacular performance as the emotional focal point of the film. Octavia Spencer provides the perfect balance to Davis as Minny, a strong-willed, sassy and funny maid who exacts her revenge in the most creative way.

Bryce Dallas Howard, Ahna O'Reilly, Anna Camp and Ashley Johnson take on the roles of the women in Jackson who employ "the help" and all prove to be equally atrocious people. Howard, who plays the leader of the group, Hilly Holbrook, has spoken at length about what it takes to play such an awful woman.

Emotionally gripping, enlightening and insightful, The Help proves to be a brutally honest portrayal of the American South during the 1960s, told from multiple perspectives. The flick does at times get into some dark territory, but those moments are necessary to provide the right kind of atmosphere for the story.

The Help is told through a series of flashbacks, intercut with realtime events, and the more serious moments are always balanced out with humorous ones. With never a dull moment, the film has great momentum, yet it also takes the time to allow for an emotional attachment to the characters.

The Help is undoubtedly one of the best movies of the summer, and though it may seem like a "chick flick," it proves to be anything but. Men and women alike will surely take something away from watching this film, and it is absolutely worth your time.

Rating: 5 out of 5