I first heard about the story, The Help, last year. I heard it was an outstanding book. I have a copy of the book which I did start to read, but I haven’t finished it yet. From what I read I was really drawn into the story. When I heard it was going to be made into a movie I was excited to see it come to the big screen.
I missed seeing the movie in the theaters. I was disappointed that I did have a chance to see it because everyone I know that saw the movie raved about it. I even heard of few people say it was Oscar worthy.
The Help is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
I finally had a chance to watch the movie this evening. I honestly didn’t think my husband would be too keen on watching the movie, but he was all for it. I suspect the reason why is because he’s been a fan of Emma Stone since he saw the movie Easy A.
The Help stars Emma Stone as Skeeter. Skeeter is a college educated young woman who returns to her home town after graduation to get a job. She applied for another job but was turned down for lack of experience. She was hoping by acquiring a job at the local paper she would gain the experience she needed.
The only job available was writing a column about housekeeping.
Skeeter is friends with a lot of the ladies in town. Each one of them have an African-American housekeeper. The ladies sit around all day gossiping and play cards while their housekeepers cook, clean and even raise their children.
One such housekeeper is Aibileen (Viola Davis). She is a widow who lost her son due to neglect from Caucasians. Aibileen has been a domestic since she was 14 years old and had helped to raise 17 children over the years (her employer’s children).
Skeeter is unlike her friends. She wants to work and she treats the help with respect. She was raised by her family’s housekeeper and sees them as equals, unlike her friends. One friend especially, Hilly, is so hard on the help that she forces her housekeeper to use an outside toilet.
Skeeter asks Aibileen if she could help her write her column since she is not familiar with “domestic” things (housekeeping, cooking…). Reluctantly Aibileen agrees.
Looking to be more then just a columnist for a local paper, Skeeter has the idea of interviewing Aibileen and finding out what it’s like to be the help. Aibileen agrees, but wants it to be kept anonymous because she fears for her life and well being if anyone finds out what she has to say.
After Aibileen’s best friend Minnie (Octavia Spencer) was fired by her boss, Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard), she too wants to share her stories with Skeeter.
A publisher in New York likes the book that Skeeter is writing but won’t consider publishing it unless she can get at least a dozen domestic helpers to share their stories. No one else is willing to talk to Skeeter in fear of being fired and unable to find any other employment.
After the murder of Medgar Evers, many maids stepped forward to share their stories with Skeeter.
Will Skeeter be able to turn their stories into a book? Will there be any retribution for the help sharing their stories, especially when most of them put their employers in a ‘bad light”? To find out you’ll have to pick up a copy of The Help.
The Help is available on Blu-ray, DVD, Digitial Download and On Demand.
Be sure to check out the bonus features. There are some interesting deleted scenese. While I do understand why the scenes were cut, it would have been interesting if they would have changed the over all tone of the movie if they were kept in the final film version.
The Making of The Help and In Their Own Words: A Tribute to the Maids of Mississippi were really interesting too.
Emma Smith did a great job playing Skeeter. I do prefer her in comedies over more serious films, but she still did a great job.
Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard’s daughter) who played Hilly did an awesome job too. You literally hated her character. I really wanted to step into the TV screen and give Hilly a swift kick in her behind and tell her off. She was such a rotten character.
The true scene stealers of the film were Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. These ladies were AMAZING! I hope that they are both up for Oscars. They truly deserve it for their impressive portrayals of Aibileen and Minnie.
Check out these fun film facts from The Help.
– Growing up in Jackson, Miss., in the 1970s, both director Tate Taylor and author Kathryn Stockett had maids (whom both refer to as their “co-mothers”) who cared for them while their mothers worked. Taylor’s “co-mother,” Carol Lee, has a small part in the film.
– The film was shot on location in and around Greenwood, Miss., and the citizens of Greenwood willingly pitched in to find period props for the film by digging around in their attics and basements, and many played extras in The Help as well. Even producer Brunson Green’s grandmother’s dress wound up in wardrobe.
– Local chefs were brought in to make sure foods used in the scenes, from fried chicken to congealed salads, were regionally correct and also correct for the times, and a conscious effort was made to make it all look homemade—not fancy or store-bought—to add to the authenticity of the film.
– Cast members spent a whole day in a ballroom learning how to do period dances, including the bunny hop—taught by Sissy Spacek.
– A dialect coach, hired to make sure everyone’s southern accent was perfect, flew into Jackson, Miss., to record accents for the actors. Even the real southerners in the cast were coached in the proper way of speaking specifically for the Mississippi Delta.
– Due to the intense summer heat in Mississippi, the filmmakers adjusted the schedule to shoot only indoors in the middle of the day. Exteriors were shot in the early morning and late afternoon.
The Help is deeply moving, filled with poignancy, humor and hope. The Help is a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change and the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed—even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.
For more information about the film please visit www.TheHelpMovie.com/us. You can also follow on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/HelpMovie) and on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/TheHelpMovie).
Here are a couple of clips from the film.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener copy in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.
Eileen says
I honestly did not read some of your post, because I didnt know all you might include. (Cool they brought in a dialogue coach and had so much help from the locals to make it seem so like the period of time.) I am watching RIGHT now with my girls and loving it so far! Thanks!
Betty Baez says
lol hubs likes emma stone since easy A also she’s a pretty funny character, im excited to watch this …i know you havent finished reading the book but it is just like the movie?
Heather H says
I am so excited that this is now available. I read the book and loved it and because I couldn’t see it in the theaters I have been waiting for it to come out on DVD (and I just got a blu-ray player too). I can’t believe how quickly the movie came out after the book was released, just another indication of how great this story line is.
anna pry says
i’m dying to see this if i could just talk my hubby into renting or buying it
Jen says
OK Now I have to see this movie.
Jessi Likey says
I’m really excited to see the movie BUT I’m torn because I think I want to wait until I’ve read the book. That is always my dilemma with movies whether it’s Twilight, The Time Traveler’s Wife, or The Help.