“The Help” breaks racial barriers in 1960s America

By Grace Calhoun,

I was unsure of what to expect as I walked into the mostly full movie theatre to review and critique “The Help.”  With the only knowledge that it was another product of “Easy A’s” director Tate Taylor, I had set the bar relatively low. Perhaps that’s the reason why “The Help” completely and utterly blew me away.

In the trailer, “The Help” was portrayed as much more of a light and cute comedy type film. Although it was amusing and filled with laughs, the movie’s underlying theme was much more complex.

“The Help” candidly rendered what America’s Midwest was really like in the early sixties, and passionately conveyed the emotions and experiences of the colored housemaids, or “help” who, at the time, were forced to endure unjust and extremely racist conduct.

The movie’s deep substance, mixed in with clever dialogue, three dimensional characters, and a strong, amusing plot, pushed out of the boundaries of greatness and into the realm of exceptional.

“The Help” certainly caused some waterworks throughout the audience, even some… snot works. It was the perfect combination of a sweet, funny, powerful and, at times, sad, story that will have you leave the movie theatre saying, “Now that was an excellent movie.”