The Help

    Every once in a while there comes a great movie that will make you cry, inspire laughter, and evoke intense emotions for the characters and the subject material. Such is the case with director Tate Taylor's film adaptation of The Help. Based in 1960's Mississippi, follows the unlikely friendship that forms between a two black house servants and a white woman inspired to write a book about the sordid lives of southern hospitality.
    I have a deep appreciation for period films. The effort that goes into everything from the casting to costume design is incredible. In fact, this movie is unsettling and upsetting at moments due to the sensitive material of the subject matter. Racial inequality and the oppression of blacks in the South (US) has been told many times, but the disbelief is always there. We are presented with the tales of women who not only cook and clean for white families, but they also care for their children and are privy to ins & outs of upper-class white society. Throughout the film, these women are made to endure many humiliations and social injustice. Bryce Dallas Howard shines as a Southern woman of social standing that harbors not thing but prejudice and hatred to anyone who stands in her way. Hers is one of many characters that you will inevitably grow to love, hate, or relate to.
    Boasting an incredible cast (Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, & Cicely Tyson), and a powerful script from Tate Taylor (Winter's Bone); The Help is effective, often humorous, and absolutely delightful. I hope everyone worth their salt can appreciate the beauty of this film.

 Rating: 5 (Maximum of 5)