DVD: The Help 9/10Director: Tate Taylor
Starring: Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer
Plot: a journalist by the name of Skeeter Phelan (Emma
Stone) writes a book detailing the lives of maids in the 1960s, a dangerous
however historically important job that Skeeter must fulfil.
Tate Taylor does a fantastic job bringing Kathryn Stockett’s imaginative and funny tale to life. Making the town of Jackson, Mississippi in the 60s; a swelteringly hot, sugar-coated place for white men and women yet a different place, for the black “help”. Viola Davis (Aibileen Clark) steals the show here; she’s one of the warmest characters to have set foot on-screen in recent years. Her character Aibileen narrates parts of the films and keeps the pace going. Davis plays the scenes of emotion so well, she also has a number of comical scenes with her off and on screen friend Octavia Spender (Minnie Jackson). Every part of the film is perfect, the costumes, sets, food and hair all bring the world to life whilst still making sure that the idea of racism and minorities are played throughout. The more violent scenes are dealt with well, Taylor allows the audience to feel terribly fearful for their favourite characters but doesn’t show them in a light too horrifically, perhaps a pro and a con for the film as whether it depicted this particular time accurately enough and scarily enough.
Emma Stone, a rising star in the world of Hollywood does her job well also, playing the budding young journalist Miss Skeeter. She is almost too attractive, and not as tall as described in the book but her personality traits are the same, the general look too (the hair and the makeup). The films running time of 146 minutes feels strangely short; some characters could possibly do with more screen time (the upfront, in-your-face but strangely likeable Celia Foote). The time spent with Minnie Jackson and Aibileen Clark is kept to its maximum though, and is perhaps the greatest on-screen relationship in years with real, heartfelt, cinematic moments towards the end.
In conclusion: Tate Taylor having written and directed the film blends humour, racial discrimination and American culture perfectly, immersing its viewers into the world of Jackson, from the get-go – it’s a real old-school gem that could be viewed and loved by all ages. (also, if you have the DVD or Blu-Ray, check out the deleted scenes, they’re brilliant also).
Tate Taylor does a fantastic job bringing Kathryn Stockett’s imaginative and funny tale to life. Making the town of Jackson, Mississippi in the 60s; a swelteringly hot, sugar-coated place for white men and women yet a different place, for the black “help”. Viola Davis (Aibileen Clark) steals the show here; she’s one of the warmest characters to have set foot on-screen in recent years. Her character Aibileen narrates parts of the films and keeps the pace going. Davis plays the scenes of emotion so well, she also has a number of comical scenes with her off and on screen friend Octavia Spender (Minnie Jackson). Every part of the film is perfect, the costumes, sets, food and hair all bring the world to life whilst still making sure that the idea of racism and minorities are played throughout. The more violent scenes are dealt with well, Taylor allows the audience to feel terribly fearful for their favourite characters but doesn’t show them in a light too horrifically, perhaps a pro and a con for the film as whether it depicted this particular time accurately enough and scarily enough.
Emma Stone, a rising star in the world of Hollywood does her job well also, playing the budding young journalist Miss Skeeter. She is almost too attractive, and not as tall as described in the book but her personality traits are the same, the general look too (the hair and the makeup). The films running time of 146 minutes feels strangely short; some characters could possibly do with more screen time (the upfront, in-your-face but strangely likeable Celia Foote). The time spent with Minnie Jackson and Aibileen Clark is kept to its maximum though, and is perhaps the greatest on-screen relationship in years with real, heartfelt, cinematic moments towards the end.
In conclusion: Tate Taylor having written and directed the film blends humour, racial discrimination and American culture perfectly, immersing its viewers into the world of Jackson, from the get-go – it’s a real old-school gem that could be viewed and loved by all ages. (also, if you have the DVD or Blu-Ray, check out the deleted scenes, they’re brilliant also).
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