The Help is based on the best selling novel of the same name by Kathryn Stockett. I usually like to read a book before watching a movie, but in this case I saw the movie before picking up the book.

The film takes place in the early 1960s in Mississippi when a black woman’s primary job was keeping house for the upper-middle class white women of that area. Skeeter (Emma Stone) sets out to write a book and decides that the topic should be about the black women of Mississippi.

The film leaned slightly on the sappy and cliched side but any trace of sappiness was forgiven as soon as Voila Davis and Octavia Spencer came on the screen. They were phenomenal! The emotion in Davis’ eyes and the humor and hurt in Spencer’s speeches carried the film through any shortcomings.

For a writer on a web-site called ‘chick flick reviews’ I’m actually not a big fan of chick flicks or gooey dramas. I drama needs to really connect with me in order for me to pull out the kleenex. And yes, the tissue box was out for this film. Obviously, the film and book are about racial issues but I think you tend to forget that it’s also about women and the assumed roles of women during the civil rights movement.  It was a look at where we were and how far we’ve come.

I think this film ended a little abruptly but it may’ve only felt sudden because I was so wrapped up in it.

I took my mom to see this movie and it was a great afternoon. I’d recommend any woman to take her mother or sister or best friend to see this one.