The Help

PG-13

Released Aug 10, 2011

2 hr. 26 min.

Drama

List

76%

235 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1960s Mississippi, Southern society girl Skeeter (Emma Stone) returns from college with dreams of being a writer. She turns her small town on its ear by choosing to interview the Black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent white families. Only Aibileen (Viola Davis), the housekeeper of Skeeter's best friend, will talk at first. But as the pair continue the collaboration, more women decide to come forward, and as it turns out, they have quite a lot to say.

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Critics Consensus

Though it fails to fully engage with its racial themes, The Help rises on the strength of its cast -- particularly Viola Davis, whose performance is powerful enough to carry the film on its own.

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LÃ©nore C

Favorite movie ever, so many good thigs about it, the performances, the story, the relationships ... A must watch i think

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

Full Review

Tim P

Viola Davis is one of the best actors alive today and she is powerful in The Help. She is not the only one as it is a movie blessed with a great cast that gives it their all. Its a good film but doesnt quite hit as hard as it should.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/20/24

Full Review

Jeff C

GOOD MOVIE: "The Help"(2011,(Rated=PG-13)). [On my TV, I saw the movie, "The Help"(2011), at 7:30pm(CT) Friday February 02, 2024 in Austin,Texas(TX).] [I wrote my comments here at 7:21am(CT) Saturday February 03, 2024.]

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/24

Full Review

Devin B

A great story with amazing acting in the lead role!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/24

Full Review

Savannah G

I read the book initially and it was amazing so ultimately had really high standards for what this movie was going to be. the Cast was perfect and they really gave the proper justice to the characters and development- I loooove Emma as well as Jessica- Jessica's character really is my favorite her performance just gets me every time! Great movie

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

Tristan W

No comment just go watch it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/06/24

Full Review

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Tate Taylor

Director

Viola Davis

Aibileen

Emma Stone

Skeeter

Bryce Dallas Howard

Hilly

Octavia Spencer

Minny

Jessica Chastain

Celia Foote

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

Yes it has drawn some criticism for not being authentic enough in depicting the painful disparity, but in putting rarely heard voices on screen and telling it in a story as regonisable as this, The Help deserves only praise.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 29, 2019

Full Review

Anna Smith

metro.co.uk

The Help is a somewhat light-hearted take on the relations between black maids and their bosses in 1960s Mississippi, giving a simplified yet well-intended story of Kathryn Stockettâ€™s novel for the big screen.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 24, 2018

Full Review

Roxane Gay

New York Daily News

At one point, Minny rhapsodizes about fried chicken and the solace of its preparation... I was convinced the movie was satirical.

May 24, 2018

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

As a piece of entertainment, it works. As a historical document, its contents are too sanitized in an effort to avoid inflaming old tensions and that mutes its impact.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 10, 2023

Full Review

Nadia Dalimonte

Next Best Picture

While the narrative includes Black characters’ perspectives, the writing holds them at a distance, not providing more in-depth character development overall.

Rated: 7/10

Apr 6, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

This is a film that will expose you to horrible truths about a not-too-distant past and, in the end, makes you laugh and feel like there’s a happy ending, except there isn’t one. Not really.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 9, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1960s Mississippi, Southern society girl Skeeter (Emma Stone) returns from college with dreams of being a writer. She turns her small town on its ear by choosing to interview the Black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent white families. Only Aibileen (Viola Davis), the housekeeper of Skeeter's best friend, will talk at first. But as the pair continue the collaboration, more women decide to come forward, and as it turns out, they have quite a lot to say.

Director: Tate Taylor
Executive Producer: Mark Radcliffe, Tate Taylor, L. Dean Jones Jr., Nate Berkus, Jennifer Blum, John Norris, Jeff Skoll, Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouel
Screenwriter: Tate Taylor
Distributor: Walt Disney
Production Co: 1492 Pictures, Harbinger Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Material)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 10, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $169.7M
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital

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