Few summer blockbusters are able to achieve the status of instant classic, but ‘‘The Help” is one of the few capable of exceeding the typical summer blockbuster expectations and becoming just that — an instant classic.
‘‘The Help,” based on the novel of the same title by Kathryn Stockett, is an emotionally encompassing film that paints a riveting portrait of the racial divisions in the South during the early 1960s. The movie focuses on the story of Aibileen, a black maid in Jackson, Miss., and a white writer named Skeeter. Together, they work on writing a tell-all book about the division between white socialites and the hired help.
Aibileen’s encouraging words to her employer’s young daughter, “You is kind, you is smart, you is important,” are part of an uplifting theme throughout the movie, even in the midst of heart-wrenching scenes.
There are not many movies that can make its audience laugh, cry and feel inspired all at the same time, but ‘‘The Help” does just that. It will make you happy, it will make you angry and, at times, it might even break your heart. But most of all, it will leave you feeling hopeful.