The Help

Oh, look at that! Another movie review.

I promise I won’t be spoiler-y as far as plotline. I never read the book [though I intend to] so I can’t speak to how true it was to the original story, all I can tell you is what I saw and experienced.

I didn’t go into this movie expecting to like it. I LOVED Emma Stone in Easy A, but I was hesitant to see her in a more serious role. I was afraid she’d blow it.

She did not. She did the opposite of that. Sorry, Lindsay Lohan, I no longer care if you ever get off the crazy train. There’s a new freckle-faced beauty in my life.

I think the whole movie was beautifully done. It made me love all the right people and hate all the wrong ones. It made me laugh out loud a lot more than anticipated and made me cry a lot harder than I thought it would. For unexpected reasons.

Also, oddly enough, I found a character to relate to, despite it being a movie set in the deep south long before I was born. Sure, I related a little to the main character – young, strong willed, a writer, open-minded. But that was kind of a given going into it. I found myself also relating to Celia Foote, the quirky girl next door who was just trying to fit in, despite her utter lack of homemaking skills.  She had a lot of qualities that I think I would also reflect if I was forced into a housewife role. She sees the good in everybody and is just honestly trying.

She was a lovely addition to the story.

And a wonderful story it was, overall. It was upsetting but truthful, shocking but inspiring. I highly recommend it.

It’s just so strange to me that all of this happened, that people really acted like this, only a few decades ago. I mean, my parents were ALIVE in the time that this movie took place. Yes, they were under 10 years old and no, they weren’t in the south, but still. As a product of this generation, I find it so hard to wrap my head around the idea that someone could not want to share a toilet with someone just because of the color of their skin.

The skankiness of their outfit would be a different story. I don’t need any STDs I didn’t earn, thank you very much.

After the movie, my friend asked me what I think I would have done if I were Jackson while this was happening. While I’d love to say I’d stand up and make waves, unfortunately part of me thinks I would just be quietly disgruntled about it. I would treat any maids I had working for me with respect, but I can’t say that I would have been brave enough to say anything to the other women. I’d like to think I could be brave. I like to think that I AM brave. But I honestly can’t say.

I’m definitely interested in reading the book. Normally, I like to read a book before I see a movie, but I don’t think it will be that big of a difference in this case. I think the book will just be a more detailed account of the same story as opposed to a drastically different plot.  The movie was long, but never felt TOO long, and definitely left me with something to think about.

I’m going to go ahead and give it 4 out of 5 fried chicken legs.

~ by Valerie Anne on 10/18/2011.