The Help: When White People Are the Good Guys

A white girl with aspirations of becoming a journalist (Stone) gathers material for a book detailing the mistreatment of African American maids in the American South during the 1960s. This endeavor strains her relationships with her friends, but she is determined to reveal the truth to the world.

In many ways, this film is reminiscent of “The Blind Side” from the previous year, where Sandra Bullock took a black teenager under her wing, earning her an Oscar in the process.

Setting the Scene: Mississippi, 1963

The year is 1963, and we find ourselves in Mississippi, a Southern state where white people are compelled to treat black people with a semblance of politeness, yet still harbor the belief that they are essentially slaves. Eugenia, a young aspiring journalist who has broadened her horizons in New York, returns to her backward hometown to observe the local customs. She discovers that young housewives seize every opportunity to mock the saintly black maids and nannies who selflessly care for their children. In particular, the main villain (Bryce Dallas Howard) insists that the maids use a separate toilet, fearing they might contaminate the “master’s” restroom with a special “Negro” infection.

Unearthing the Truth

Driven by her sense of justice, Eugenia diligently collects more and more facts, eventually realizing that she must write a book. Initially, one maid (Viola Davis), whose son died due to the cruelty of white people, agrees to share her story. Then a second, and soon all the black women stand up and declare “Me!”, fully aware of the danger they face.

A Crowd-Pleasing Formula

“The Help,” an adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s bestselling novel, is a project designed to appeal to the widest possible audience, and in that sense, everything about it is perfectly chosen. The setting is a pivotal time when black people are oppressed, but change is on the horizon. Howard shines as the villain, while Chastain provides a compelling counterpoint. The black actresses deliver powerful performances, pouring their hearts out like water from a bucket. Their white counterparts, perhaps naturally less inclined to such emotional displays, watch with a hint of awe.

A Calculated Melodrama

However, beneath the surface, “The Help” is a machine crafted from cold Hollywood metal, draped in a veneer of human skin. It’s a melodrama calculated down to the millimeter, expertly tugging at the heartstrings. And when it comes time to deliver the moral of the story, it’s done with such force that it feels like a kick to the forehead. All of this detracts from the entertainment value, but it doesn’t ruin the film’s most impactful scene, where the filmmakers extract maximum emotion from the audience simply by showing the villainous Howard eating a chocolate pie.