The Help really is one of those feel good films that makes you giggle out loud, while maintaining a serious story at its heart. Skeeter, a young white female living in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi graduates from college, and causes consternation amongst her society peers. It is one thing that she wants a writing career instead of becoming a lady of leisure who adds to her domestic CV with more offspring.

But to make things much worse, she gives a damn about what ‘the help’ (aka the black maids who cook, clean and raised her and her associates from childhood) actually think about their lives. They do all of the above, yet know they aren’t trusted with the good silver.

She hits on the idea of writing a book about their experiences, and their opinions of their employers, opening a Pandora’s box that cannot be closed. Quite often, films such as this are so eager to champion the underdogs that in doing so they end up merely patronising them.  

By keeping the perspectives of the maids, who are essentially the central characters, in the foreground, while maintaining the white characters firmly in supporting roles, this film just about manages to avoid that fate. A few factors probably contributed to this; first, it is based on a semi-autobiography of the same name by author Kathryn Stockett, and is an account of some of her childhood experiences.

Second, director Tate Taylor and Kathryn Stockett grew up together, remaining close friends. His appointment may smack of keeping it within the family to some, but it is clear that he understands the nature and contradictions inherent within a place like Mississippi in the 60s.

Much intelligence is apparent in telling a story where the same people who support the idea of separate toilets for the help, because they “carry different diseases”, also organise benefit nights for the poor African blacks. Keeping them in their place while also glorifying in seeing oneself as their supporter; thereby maintaining the status quo of independence. 

But make no mistake, this film’s comic moments ensure that it is far from an intellectual examination of race relations either. Memorable scenes include Skeeter inviting Jackson locals, through the area newsletter, to bring their old commodes over to the house of Hilly Holbrook, a socialite who penned a piece of legislation requiring householders to install separate toilets for their help.

Another gem features the outspoken maid, Minny, giving Ms Holbrook a chocolate pie as a parting gift after being sacked by her (I won’t divulge the delicious details).

This film’s soundtrack provides a great musical backdrop to this period in history; legends such as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan and Bo Diddley join more contemporary artists like Mary J. Blige, who wrote and recorded a song especially for the film because she wanted “…to tell a story”.
With this film, Taylor has succeeded in keeping the overdose of sentimentality at bay, while keeping its raison d’etre - to tug on the heartstrings - intact. 8/10

Christine Brookes