Stars Emma Stone; Average Rating 8,3 / 10; countries India; 146minutes; directed by Tate Taylor; Release year 2011

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I took the time recently to see a wonderful ensemble drama called The Help, a film based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett.
The film centers around two main story lines in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960's: First of which are the African-American housemaids working for white families. This includes Aibileen (Played by Viola Davis) a woman whose spent her whole life as a maid, not to mention having lost her only son, but still stays true to her beliefs.
The other main narrative is that of Eugenia Phelan, aka. Skeeter (Played by Emma Stone) a woman recently hired by the local Jackson newspaper, who wants to have interviews from the point of view of the housemaids, even though they could face jail time for doing so. Never the less, Aibileen accepts, and Skeeter's project starts to form.
Some would probably accuse The Help's screenplay of feeling emotionally forced, but what writer/director Tate Taylor constructs is actually a more honest, emotionally involving project. The themes of racial segregation give the film a dramatic edge, but it's also brimming with irresistible humor. What could have been a sappy melodrama actually feels more sincere.
Same goes for the cast, who could have been butchered if not for casting directors Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee just nailing it. It's hard to pick a standout, but it's worth noting the individuals for their work.
Jessica Chastain performs with equal hilarity and grace. Viola Davis, the closest thing to a standout, gives off understated, but powerful emotion. Bryce Dallas Howard, normally a very sweet soul, is evil enough to get your nostrils flaring. Allison Janney gives off a sarcastic, but also sympathetic vibe. Sissy Spacek tickles in her small supporting role. Octavia Spencer excels with a no bull crap attitude. And Emma Stone, with her charm and believability, works wonders as Skeeter.
I must also make note of the technical crew of the film. Sharen Davis' costume define an extra depth of personality, and Thomas Newman supplies another emotionally potent orchestral score. Oh, and I almost forgot about editor Hughes Winborne. At a little over two hours and fifteen minutes long, the movie just flies by.
Forgive me if I overrate, but The Help was too good for me to ignore. I give it. 1/2 out of.

Let me first say that my normal type of movie involves lots of tits, guns, and explosions. I went to an early screener of this movie with my sister because she got the tickets from her Junior League and I'm always down for a free movie. I did not expect much more than a nice dark place to nap.
Boy was I wrong. This film was absolutely great. I was honestly enticed from the very beginning to the very end. It has a perfect balance of comedy and emotion which at no point is heavy handed. I would recommend this movie to absolutely anyone, and am confident that everyone will enjoy it.