The Help

Cecila Foote and Minnie Jackson, both heroes.

The could just as easily have called this movie America the Insane, but then it's about people, and it's set in America, so I guess that would be redundant.

I have not been sleeping well lately which I suspect makes my emotions a little more volatile than usual. This movie ran me through the ringer.

It starts off being tedious and boring. We've got a bunch of middle class housewives doing what middle class housewives did in the sixties: tedious and boring stuff. The first ten minutes or so were so bad I almost bailed. But then Skeeter shows up, and things start to get a little more interesting. In case you haven't heard about this film, it's about the black women who work as maids for these white housewives in Jackson Mississippi. The Hilly Holbrook character is a prime example of why some people should have jobs that keep them busy. If they aren't kept busy, they find ways to stir up shit, and boy oh boy, does she ever. Her mission seems to be running the Jackson social empire and screwing over people purely for amusements sake. She is evil incarnate. So we've got villains, heroes, victims, comic relief, compassion and courage. No wonder I'm exhausted.

And don't forget Celia in the red dress. That alone was worth the price of admission.

Movie page.(Music starts playing automatically)
IMDB page.

Update January 2021 replaced missing picture.

Update November 2022 replaced dead link.