The Help is based on a book that I haven’t read. If you don’t already know what the topic of The Help is, in the mid-century Southern U.S., a young white woman Eugenia aka Skeeter (Emma Stone) is on her way to a “journalism” job—taking over a household cleaning advice column in the local paper. Among her circle of friends, Skeeter is the only one that is unmarried, despite her mother’s (Alison Janney) and friends’ attempts to set her up. Her friends include two married mothers, Elizabeth with two young children, and Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard), the queen bee of their social circle. There is an outcast among them, Celia (Jessica Chastain), a sexpot the women believe stole Hilly’s lover and subsequently married him.
Skeeter finds providing household tips daunting as housework is not something she has done before, so she asks Elizabeth if she can pick the brain of her maid, Aibileen (Viola Davis). Aibileen is a loving surrogate mother to Elizabeth’s toddler, but “knows her place” and bites her tongue when she hears her employer and friends talking about the domestic situation openly. While Skeeter finds Aibileen’s household tips helpful, she is trying to pursue a better job with Elaine Stein (Mary Steenburgen) who supports her in tackling a more serious topic—the point of view of black domestics who find themselves raising, oftentimes, several generations of white children. This topic is especially important to Skeeter as recently her family maid Constantine (Cicely Tyson) left service quite suddenly; Skeeter’s mother claimed she left to live with her daughter, but Skeeter feels there is more to the story.
At first the black women are fearful and hesitant to speak openly but as they see more violence and bigotry against them, and the civil rights era progresses, they feel they must be heard. Aibileen’s friend Minny (Octavia Spencer) has several reason for speaking out. The film has not just themes of racial equality but female empowerment as well. There are additional characters and plotlines such as the young oil rig worker who is set up romantically with Skeeter, Skeeter’s mother suffering from cancer, Celia empowering herself to be a more independent woman and not accepting the stereotypes people place on her because she is sexy. Many of these subplots are incorporated well within the larger story, although sometimes a bit unbelievably or for dramatic license.
Emma Stone was a good choice for her role, as I think she is not necessarily a girly-girl type and can imagine Skeeter as a tomboyish, independent girl. Viola Davis always gives her characters a lot of dignity. Bryce Dallas Howard’s character comes off very negatively and what little we can sympathize with in Hilly is not enough for us to get past her open bigotry and ignorance. I’m sure her character is indicative of what much of the South was like and perhaps is still like. Sissy Spacek also has a supporting role as Hilly’s mother, in both a humorous and dramatic role.
Male characters appear in smaller roles that define the women in their lives. There is Skeeter’s boyfriend whom, as I knew would happen, enjoyed her spunkiness then abandons her due to her spunky action. Celia’s husband is a somewhat liberal male, as well as the editor of the paper Skeeter works for. Minny’s husband is not shown but we feel his presence in her storyline.
The film of course depicts a lot of racial intolerance and fighting for human rights, but also there is some female empowerment going on as well, some woman vs woman. Unlike the others, Skeeter is not openly pursuing a husband. Minny is battling domestic violence. Elizabeth, Celia and the others are trying to stand up to Hilly. Many women’s voices are heard and acknowledged in this film, sometimes with contempt, but sometimes with respect.
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