There are movies that I think everyone NEEDS to see. Movies that will change your way of thinking. Movies that will open your heart and open your mind.
Movies like Schindler's List, The Color Purple, Roots, Passion of the Christ, Life is Beautiful...and now to this list I'll add The Help.
The Help is about a young woman who wants to be a journalist. A free-thinking girl who's ideas and beliefs are way ahead of her time.
She recruits an African-American maid to tell her 'stories' of her time as 'the help' for white families.
From these stories, a book is written. A dangerous, anonymous book that quickly makes the rounds through the very small-minded housewives of Jacksonville, Mississippi.
Viola Davis is absolutely brilliant as Aibileen, and she WILL win the Oscar for this role.
She makes you feel so attached to her character that you will cry when she cries, hurt when she hurts and feel her pride when she's proud.
Aibileen does her very best with what she has and watching her try to drill that manta into HER (Yes, that IS her baby girl, blood or not!) baby girls head is just so quietly powerful.
Octavia Spencer is fantastic in the role of Minny. She deserved her Golden Globe and she definitely deserves the Oscar.
Minny is feisty and full of sass...but beneath her tough exterior is a broken, sad woman with absolutely no self-esteem.
Watching how she helps Jolene blossom and--at the same time--find her own strength is wonderful to watch.
The rest of the cast is just as good, but Bryce Dallas Howard deserves a mention here because she's also outstanding in her role. She makes you HATE her, which is tough for an actor to do!
Sadly, I don't think The Help will win the Oscar this year. Any other year, it probably would. But going up against The Artist...well, it doesn't have a chance.
Don't get me wrong...I would LOVE to see it win...but The Artist was absolutely brilliant and yes, I'll say it, it was the better movie.
That being said, PLEASE see The Help. And bring tissues. And when it's over, sit for a few moments and think about what you just witnessed.
If you're quiet enough, you may hear the sound of your own heart opening just a little bit more. ;)
I haven;t even HEARD OF the artist. Does that make me seem pathetic ( and I work in a movie store! ) lol. The help, touched me so much! It was brilliant. no I have not read the book. Yes I know, bookworm here. But OH WELL. Sometimes A movie can just connect with you more, especially when they have such awesome actors! Loved hearing your thoughts :)
ReplyDeleteNot at all! The Artist kind of came out of nowhere! I hadn't heard of it either, before the Oscar nominations were announced!
DeleteIt's definitely NOT a movie everyone will like. I mean, it's a SILENT movie. There are actually reports of people walking out of theaters and demanding their money back because they didn't realize it was a silent movie! *eyeroll*
I haven't read The Help yet either, but it IS on my to-read pile after seeing the movie!
Thanks so much for the comment! :D
I loved The Help. I cried a few times watching it.
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