The Help

Amongst the female-laden cast, "The Help" features some sparkling performances, and a good script that keeps the film going, even with its long running time (around 135 minutes).  Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer are really good in the film as the 2 leading maids dealing with racism in Mississippi in the mid-1960s, as were Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, and Bryce Dallas Howard.  Emma's character, Skeeter, freshly graduated from college and looking for literary work, lands a job answering an advice column at the local newspaper.  Then as the undercurrents of racial inequality inspire change in black-white relations, Skeeter comes up with an idea to write a book from the point of view of the black maids who not only do the household chores, but also rear white children in the households in an unspoken fashion.  Skeeter was also raised by her maid, and understood the culture, but also acknowledged the social injustice of the race relations.  Skeeter has a tough time finding other maids willing to come forward and speak of their experiences.  EVentually the book does happen, and things would never be the same again.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.