“The Help,” starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard is (at its core) an emotionally involving movie. Based on the best selling book, "The Help" is told through a series of stories on how some Southern families treat their hired “help.”
Each of these stories plays out with the same kind of formula as any “underdog” sports story ultimately ending up with triumph over adversity.
Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer are sure to have their names on the Oscar Nom lists this year, as both performances are well-deserving of a gold statue.
But, to be honest, Bryce Dallas Howard steals the film as “Hilly,” a self-involved debutante who can’t seem to understand that the times are a’ changing. Howard’s turn as this sugar-sweet socialite is villainous and conniving, all the while projecting the air of an aristocrat.
A delicate balance to maintain.
Emma Stone turns in a solid performance as “Skeeter,” who is the catalyst for the story. Although not a “break out” character like “Hilly,” Skeeter has the burden of being expository.
So as she learns about the plight of “the help,” we learn along with her.
All in all “The Help” is one of the year’s best films, so far.
It gets an A and is rated PG-13.
