Read Mixed User Reviews for The Help

5

TastyJamProjectJan 20, 2012

The Help is well intentioned. That doesn't make it any less racist in its (fictional) storyline based on the south in 1950's America, with the idea that only a white woman can help black women find their voice. The only reason to see thisThe Help is well intentioned. That doesn't make it any less racist in its (fictional) storyline based on the south in 1950's America, with the idea that only a white woman can help black women find their voice. The only reason to see this film is the talent put forward by the electrifying Viola Davis and the gutsy performance from Octavia Spencer. Other than that, there's not much here with substance, and the more horrific events of the 1950's seem to be glossed over.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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6

heyitsmegrif4Dec 17, 2011

It is incredibly hard to sit through because you get so angry, but its incredible performances and comedy make up for it. I almost gave this movie a bad rating,but I give this movie 60% of a good movie.

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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5

G-PhoneAug 16, 2011

This movie boils down to a feel good movie with some good acting. the acting and set locations and film methods save an otherwise LifeTime channel movie.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

SusanSAug 14, 2011

The Bottom Line: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer save this film from being a two-dimensional pat-on-the-back for non-racist white people in the 1960s. Every time the story gets a little too sappy and cut-and-dry, Davis' Aibilene returns toThe Bottom Line: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer save this film from being a two-dimensional pat-on-the-back for non-racist white people in the 1960s. Every time the story gets a little too sappy and cut-and-dry, Davis' Aibilene returns to the screen to bring a complexity to the film that I don't think actually exists in the original book. The film is wildly uneven, I think precisely because of the skilled, seasoned Black actresses' ability to create accurate complexity out of cardboard characters contrasting with much younger, less experienced white actresses unable to the same. In the end, it succumbs to its movie-long desire to tie a nice bow around a situation that, in 1964 in Jackson, Mississippi, was everything but harmonious.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

skanteaJan 9, 2012

"To Kill a Mockingbird" came out 50 years ago and the film (and most likely the novel) are far superior to this film in every way. It wouldn't be fair to compare this to such an obvious classic except for the fact that I keep hearing rumors"To Kill a Mockingbird" came out 50 years ago and the film (and most likely the novel) are far superior to this film in every way. It wouldn't be fair to compare this to such an obvious classic except for the fact that I keep hearing rumors of it being Oscar worthy. The classic film, of course, has the iconic 'white savior' played by Gregory Peck, but the character is portrayed as a complex man of pure ethics grappling with the issues of his time in a way that isn't clueless about his actions and understands full well the danger he's placing himself and his family in when he decides to cross the hard coded color lines. This Skeeter character is more concerned with advancing her career by being controversial than making real change. In short this film is a Disnified version of 1960's race relations, pretty to look at and light on meaning.
And if you haven't seen "To Kill a Mockingbird", do it ASAP. You'll be shocked at how it doesn't hesitate to challenge the audience. After all this time it still has the power to really make you think about Race and Class.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

EssenceOfSugarJul 22, 2012

The actresses all had their own part to play in this sugar-coated brightly coloured drama, and I can certainly say for a fact that, for the time these people are living in, I thought it looked quite mawkish in terms of the good intentions ofThe actresses all had their own part to play in this sugar-coated brightly coloured drama, and I can certainly say for a fact that, for the time these people are living in, I thought it looked quite mawkish in terms of the good intentions of the few whites that helped the black servants. These actresses are incredibly talented, I'm not denying that, but that certainly does not dispute the fact that many of them had to act like they were probably living in a gingerbread house and wearing sweets, instead of living in normal houses surrounded by poverty and racism. Westernised? Yes. But fascinating? Of course. It's the interpretation that matters, but the people who made this film just didn't seem to get it quite right.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

RobinsNestJan 2, 2012

Amid much fanfare I reluctantly watched The Help. Unless it was a true story or based on such, the subject was uninteresting. Yet I gave this long film a shot. The idea of black women raising rich white children in the south, is not foreignAmid much fanfare I reluctantly watched The Help. Unless it was a true story or based on such, the subject was uninteresting. Yet I gave this long film a shot. The idea of black women raising rich white children in the south, is not foreign even to those of us in the north. At one time we had such a person but more a helper not a parent substitute. The characters seemed stock and what happens is rote. Some performances were very good especially by Ms Davis, Ms Spencer, and Ms Chastain. There are no surprises here. It seems to have struck a chord with women but it could not sustain my interest for 2.5 hours. In summary, some strong performances, mildly interesting subject, but mundane and too long.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

FranzHcriticSep 14, 2014

A sappy melodrama, that emphasizes far too much than the light tone of the dialogue and characters can handle. For one thing, it was too cute, too much of the emotional side of race, so much that it made me almost queasy. The acting is eitherA sappy melodrama, that emphasizes far too much than the light tone of the dialogue and characters can handle. For one thing, it was too cute, too much of the emotional side of race, so much that it made me almost queasy. The acting is either at par or above par, depending on the character. Octavia Spencer is the light at the end of the tunnel; her vulgar,obstinate, and disdainful Minny has both comedy and drama thread into the character. Jessica Chastain is the lantern, with a cutesy and light-hearted role. That being said, Viola Davis, Emma Stone, and Bryce Dallas Howard are just a few matches. The film itself, is quite hard to see through sometimes.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

smijatovFeb 27, 2012

"The Help" has all the right ingredients: a moving story, excellent acting, serious drama, but also charming humour. Indeed, it manages to succeed on many fronts. While it surely does not bring anything new or revolutionary to the film world,"The Help" has all the right ingredients: a moving story, excellent acting, serious drama, but also charming humour. Indeed, it manages to succeed on many fronts. While it surely does not bring anything new or revolutionary to the film world, it is a definite feel-good film, despite its thematic. This, however, is one of its main problems too. It manages to diminish the civil rights movement to the easy-breasy work of good-willed white people, while taking away all agency from the African Americans. Yes, it is their story that is told, but it is only told due to the willingness and enlightenment of the white saviour woman, played by Stone. Yes, I agree with what many people have already pointed out, which is the emotional reality and believability that the actresses got to portray. This is hard to take away from the performers, despite of the problems of the film. The excellent performances by Davis, Spencer, and Chastain were spellbinding. It was very nice to see so many good African American actresses do truly beautiful work and be recognised for it. Technically, the film is very good, but the issues are in the actual story, but that is also the problem of the book. As I said before, the film does not offer anything new, anything daring, challenging, nothing we haven't seen before. While potentially being the most charming film of the year (if one ignores the racial implications), it is definitely not the best one. Nonetheless, it is certainly a good film, with amazing performances that are worth watching, and a story that will warm one's heart or make one very critical of America's view on race and its racialised past (and present)!… Expand