Monday, August 15, 2011

THE HELP


84th Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role


Drama

F.Y.I.
The Civil Rights Movement which started in 1955 and continued until 1968 refers to the efforts in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring their voting rights in the Southern states.

According to its mission statement the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. is “an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable."

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Emma Stone: aspiring writer Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan
Allison Janney: Skeeter’s mother Charlotte
Viola Davis: Aibileen Clark, a middle-aged African-American maid
Ahna O'Reilly: Skeeter’s friend Elizabeth Leefolt
Bryce Dallas Howard: Hilly Holbrook, president of the local Junior League
Octavia Spencer: Aibileen’s best friend and fellow domestic Minny Jackson
Aunjanue Ellis: Minny's replacement Yule Mae Davis
Jessica Chastain: Celia Foote, Johnny’s wife and Minny’s new employer
Mike Vogel: Celia’s husband Johnny
Sissy Spacek: Hilly’s mother Missus Walters
Mary Steenburgen: New York publisher Elain Stein
Chris Lowell: Skeeter's boyfriend Stuart Whitworth

REVIEW
Set in Mississippi in 1962 right in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, this story of how white people viewed their black domestic help is insightful. At times it is touching, frequently funny, often inspirational.

With great attention to detail the costumes, hair, makeup and sets are all bang on. The acting is uniformly good but Viola Davis excels with her performance: she steals every scene she’s in. Her role is pivotal to the storyline and she pulls it off beautifully.

It’s a tad too long for my liking, coming in at just under two-and-a-half hours, but there’s a lot to be said and little that could be edited out.

CLASSIFICATION
for thematic material.

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