Go See: "The Help"

It's been a day since I saw "The Help" and am still haunted by it. It was an incredible film which such rich historical value. It pains me to know that there was an era where we treated human beings in such an unkind way and yet I still see it happening in other ways in this day and time. I wonder when we will ever all truly get along but watching this film, perhaps shows a side of humanity that perhaps we did not realize had a voice and needed to be heard. So, off I go with my thoughts on "The Help"...

It was highly anticipated (by ahem, me!) and many others. I laughed and I cried, yes, I believe it was about four times that I caught myself with tears rolling down my face. And while you really can't fully replicate the power of an adaptation from a book to a movie, "The Help" completely delivered. An amazing cast for sure - I predict an Oscar nom for the amazing Viola Davis. That woman is incredible and I must say, there was a surprisingly strong and powerful performance by Octavia Spencer.

To have read the book and knowing the entire plot line, as a viewer of the film, your breath is still taken away from the historical references of the civil rights era, the behavior of the southern folks and racism. Bryce Dallas Howard played the epitome of the racist housewife who definitely gets it in the end. (No pun intended.) Her crazy, slightly senile mother was played by the hilarious Sissy Spacek. Well done, Sissy! There is a revealing moment between Minnie and Hilly where you find yourself nearly peeing your pants because of Sissy Spacek's character's outburst.

I thought Emma Stone was perfectly cast as the tenacious, courageous Skeeter. This is one busy girl as she's currently in "Crazy Stupid Love" and will play Spiderman's love interest in the next Spidey flick titled "The Amazing Spiderman". She is also rumored to be dating her co-star Andrew Garfield. Her mother was played by the lovely Allison Janney, who I loved as the kooky mother in "Juno" and most notably as C.J. on "The West Wing".

Keep an eye on Jessica Chastain, playing the wild and loving outsider, Celia Foote. And her gorgeous husband played by Mike Vogel. Perhaps you remember him in the hand-held shot fantasy/sci-fi film, "Cloverfield" and the comedy "She's Out of My League". And there's even a brief role of a strong-minded Harper Collins publisher played by Mary Steenburgen. Oh and how can I forget that "True Blood" was in the house as Lafayette's Nelson Ellis and the crazy pastor's wife in Season 2 who cheated with Jason Stackhouse, actress Anna Camp.

Go see this film - it is so worth it!