The Help

This film should never have been made. In fact, it's a sad testament to humanity that it was. I don't mean that it's a bad film: merely that the events portrayed in the film are based on fact. The film shouldn't have been made because there shouldn't have been a history for it to take place in. But the fact remains that there was. And this is what makes The Help all the more heartbreaking.

It was with a degree of trepidation that I went to watch The Help as I had read, and very much enjoyed, the book by Kathryn Stockett on which it is based. Film adaptations of novels are always a risk – they can go one of three ways. The film can capture the essence of the book perfectly, remaining faithful to the original text and therefore become as celebrated as the book itself. On the other hand, a film adaptation can re-interpret the original text, approaching the themes from a new and exciting angle. Or, finally, a film adaptation can totally destroy the heart of the original text as if the film makers decided it would be a laugh to reinterpret something in the manner of Katie Price's cover of 'A Whole New World' (for example, the awful film that was The Time Traveler’s Wife). I can happily say that The Help does not fall into this last category. As with the novel, the film follows aspiring author and society girl Skeeter Phelan as she attempts to write a book giving the view point of the black domestic help in white households in 1960s Mississippi. At first she finds it difficult to find any maids willing to open up and tell their stories but when Skeeter's best friend's maid, Aibileen, agrees to talk, it soon becomes clear that they are playing with fire.

First off, the performances are terrific, with Viola Davis as the tortured and life-weary Aibileen giving a performance which is surely an Oscar-contender. A strong cast, including Emma Stone as Skeeter and Bryce Dallas Howard as the fearsome Hilly Holbrook, makes the story all the more touching and creates a world which seems removed and alien but unnervingly real. The cinematography is graceful and perfectly captures 1960s small-town America, as do the superb costumes and hairstyles, with more beehives in sight than in an episode of Winnie the Pooh. The script worked well and struck the right balance between comedy and drama and this coupling of humour and serious drama worked wonders. The sad moments in the film (and trust me, there more than a few) work so well and have such an effect on the audience because, five minutes previously, you were laughing. However, this mixing of emotions is where the film fell down slightly. Such a serious issue such as civil rights deserves to be treated thoroughly and I felt that, in general, the film seemed to gloss-over the issue, giving a prettified and superficial representation of the troubles. This is not to say that the film did not try to address such issues but I felt that it didn't go far enough.

At 2 hours, 26 minutes, The Help is longer than your average film but the plot is so well paced and the narrative so engaging that it is hardly noticeable. The interactions between the maids and their employers are at times confrontational, funny, disturbing, warm and uplifting and it is these scenes which are the stand out moments in the film. The second half of the film is, no doubt, both powerful and devastating. If you fail to be moved by Aibileen's denouement then, I'm sorry, you're not a fully formed human being. Even though I'd read the book and knew what was coming, I was still an emotional wreck by the final shot and, you know what, I don't care. Even though every opportunity to tug at your heartstrings is exploited to the full, the nature of the film demands that you go along with it and that, in my mind, is no bad thing. Viola Davis' performance demonstrates just how effective a look or gesture can be and how it can replace a thousand words of dialogue. This performance was the highlight of the film. A sensitive score by the incomparable Thomas Newman reflected perfectly the domestic drama which was unfolding and certainly aided in tear production levels.

It is a sad fact that the film is based on reality – a reality that most Americans would rather forget. But The Help should be celebrated, just as the book is, for addressing such an important and emotive topic and I'm glad it has been made. This film will climb the Box Office Top Ten, as it deserves to, and the characters, performances and overall narrative make it worth seeing. Be prepared to have your heart broken, laugh uncontrollably and be taken on an emotional ride which is worth twice the ticket price. But ladies, please, wear waterproof mascara.

Clapperboard Rating: * * * *