The Help
We’re all big readers at Savvy HQ, and since we recommended The Help last year, most of us have read it in the office. It was no surprise that when we were invited to the pre-screenings of the just-released-today movie, all hands went up.
Here’s what the SavvyMoms thought of the movie.
From Minnow:
I was uncharacteristically excited about seeing the movie of a book I just finished reading days before. My experience has always been that the book is better than the movie, so I prepared myself for that and went in with realistic expectations. Still, I was curious to see who they would cast for the characters I had grown to love (and seriously dislike).
I am so pleased to say that I was not let down. The cast was well chosen, the setting was perfect and the wardrobes were kitschy and hilarious.
It’s tough to say that a movie is better than a book because I feel a statement like that doesn’t do justice to the book. For me, the book’s beauty was in its simplicity, in the unique way Kathryn Stockett presented the women and their complicated relationships. I couldn’t help but recognize the power and strength of their relationships—the power of the early social networks.
Having just finished the book, the women’s characters were still fresh in my mind so I felt as if I was meeting my friends. Maybe that’s what it’s like on a first date with someone you met online? Maybe not.
Go see the movie and let me know what you think. I hope you liked it as much as I did.
From Leslie:
I loved the movie. I thought it balanced the volatile history of what was going on in Jackson, Mississippi and the United States at the time with what was happening in the homes and lives of the women who lived there. I thought the acting was amazing and felt it stayed very true to the book. There was a lot to cram into a two hour movie, so in some spots it felt a little rushed and there were a few elements to the book that I missed, but overall I thought it was really good. I would definitely see it again!
From Angela Flood, Director of Business Development:
Having read the book quite a while ago, I was well versed in the story of The Help. Although I enjoyed the book and found the story tender, I was not wowed by the writing, something that surprised me given its immense popularity. I was, however, wowed by the movie. I loved the number of fresh, relatively new faces –Jessica Chastain (my favorite), and the very likable Emma Stone –surrounded by stellar actresses (Cicely Tyson, Sissy Spacek and Viola Davis). I loved how they captured the 60s in the clothes, the constant smoking and curlers at the breakfast table, the ads in the grocery stores, the days of afternoon cocktails and bridge games, and the lack of technical, time warping special effects. And I loved how it reminded us of the importance of respecting everyone who we interact with everyday.
