A Helpful Review

I recently crossed another one of 2011's Best Picture nominees off my list, The Help. I believe this was the most widely viewed of last year's nominees, and had quite a few people praising it. But there was also a second current of criticism mixed in, of some people calling the film too trite and easy for such a serious subject.

That subject, if you somehow missed it, is racism in Mississippi in the early 1960s. The story surrounds a young woman trying to break into the publishing industry. Inspired by the maid who raised her from childhood, she begins to interview several maids, compiling their stories on the racism they've encountered throughout their lives.

I didn't find the movie trite, but neither was it truly profound. Though there are certainly some sad and dramatic beats in the film, it's ultimately a feel-good story. As such, the movie does brush up against some serious depictions of racism from time to time, but usually pulls out and back into a more inspirational and uplifting tone. (Though, interestingly, it doesn't really end on one.)

Some have complained that for being ostensibly about "The Help," the movie does spend quite a lot of time with the character played by Emma Stone, the young woman interviewing and collecting the maids' stories. It's true that her storyline is given equal weight with those of the characters played by Oscar nominee Viola Davis and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer. Some called this a flaw in the movie. I saw it more as three equally important stories all in need of their own resolutions.

The performances in the movie are the main draw here. You might find the story a bit treacly, or you might find it moving, but there really can't be any doubt that Viola Davis was a worthy Oscar nominee for her work her, and Octavia Spencer a fine winner. Emma Stone also does a great job in a more dramatic role than I personally have seen her before. The cast also includes Allison Janney and Bryce Dallas Howard, and a relative newcomer in Jessica Chastain -- all of them have strong scenes.

Overall, the movie didn't rocket onto my own list of 2011's best, but I've seen many worse films that garnered Oscar nominations. This one is worth the time, if you think you're interested. I rate it a B+.