Considering all the praise that's been heaped upon it—not to mention Oscar nominations and other awards—"The Help" left me feeling rather ambivalent. Yes, it features some "very important" themes and it begs to be called a "movie about issues" (namely, racism and women's rights). And yes, the actors deliver fine performances—Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Emma Stone, and Allison Janney are outstanding, as is Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays the delightfully detestable antagonist (probably the best role of her career—certainly better than anything she did in that "Twilight: Eclipse" nonsense). But something about this film just lay flat. The moments that were meant to stir up emotions failed to do so, the plot just kind of meandered with no real suspense or uncertainty, and a main plot device (one of the black maids extracts revenge on a racist former employer by baking a pie that contains a decidedly unsavory and rather putrid ingredient and savoring the racist's enjoyment of it) is almost vulgarly offensive enough to distract the viewer's attention from the alleged moral indignation he/she is meant to feel for the unjust treatment the maid has received. Ultimately, the film is a disappointment, despite the strong performances of its cast, and I'll be thoroughly perplexed if it wins any Oscars at all.
Review of The Help
