It’s not often that a movie moves you…speaks to you…evokes within you emotion that can’t be put into words. Two months ago, I was treated to a sneak peak of the The Help, thanks to Disney and DreamWorks. I haven’t seen a film that resonated with me the way this one did in a very long time. I was warned to bring tissues…a box of them. And while I definitely cried during many of the scenes, I also laughed, was awed by the cinematography, and thought a lot about my relationships with my mother and my own children.
“Change begins with a whisper.” That quote truly sums up the film, capturing the essence of what three very different but powerful women set out to accomplish. It was 1962…a time when racism divided the American population. It was a time of fear, misunderstanding, presumptions, and even hatred. It was a time of segregation and societal rules. You didn’t speak to or engage with”the help” unless it was for a specific purpose.
Skeeter is a young woman just out of college who’s come home to find that the woman (an African American maid) who raised her has disappeared…and nobody is talking about it. As she rejoins her social circle, she realizes that all of “the help” are being treated unjustly.
Aibileen Clark is one of “the help.” She has spent her entire life raising Caucasian children. But not just raising them…mothering them. The relationships she developed with each child remain close to her heart.
Minny Jackson, also an African American maid, is vocal, opinionated, and on her 20th job, which doesn’t help her family’s financial difficulties. She’s also the impetus these three need to effect change.
Based on Kathryn Stockett’s New York Times best-selling book by the same title, The Help chronicles the remarkable story of 3 unlikely women, who come together out of their common desire for change. Skeeter begins a secret writing project with Aibileen to share the struggles, hurts, and real issues African American women faced during this time. But they both realize it’s not enough…they need the collective voice of so many more women to raise awareness and effect change. Minny, bold and somewhat brazen, joins them as they seek to tell their stories…These women are courageous and strong…they’ve been through unspeakable physical and emotional pain.
The film is incredibly powerful. There are scenes where you’re laughing and then immediately struck by the raw, real emotions of the people who’s stories are being portrayed. I didn’t expect to cry as much as I did. It doesn’t matter what the color of your skin is…whether you’re a man or a woman…the film speaks to you where you’re at. Despite the fact that we’ve come a long way since 1962, the issues of discrimination and societal rules transcend time.
After we previewed the film in LA, we had an opportunity to speak with DreamWorks Co-Chairman and CEO Stacey Snider. I appreciated how she spoke of DreamWorks taking on the film “because it sheds some light on the human condition and reflects the values of the company.” When she started thinking about how the film would be up against other movies that would be easier to sell, or that it is primarily a film targeted towards women, she went back to her confidence in the story. Despite the fact that the film has many elements moviegoers may not favor, Stacey believes that it was “perfectly executed…with the right blend of heart and pathos and humor.”
It was interesting to hear Stacey speak about her role as a mother and how that intertwines with her role at DreamWorks. While she has relied on women to help her raise her children, she is still a hands-on, get home mother, which is inspiring to me as a working mom.
The Help is in theaters now. Grab a girlfriend…your sister…your mom…and see it! You absolutely won’t regret it. Just be sure to bring the tissues.
No compensation was received for this post. During my trip to LA in June, I previewed the film.
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The quote you said describes the great part of this book and movie. All it takes is us spreading the word and getting it out there. I couldn’t agree more!
Kas
I know doesn’t it? I LOVED the movie….maybe my favorite all year…. : )