The Help

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2:25

The Help

PG-13

2011

2h 26m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

230 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

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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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

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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

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

The Help balances the three lead voices wonderfully and molds a book-within-a-book plot that delivers as many tears as it does laughs.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2024

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 As a historical document, its contents are too sanitized in an effort to avoid inflaming old tensions and that mutes its impact.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

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Julieanne B

Pretty close to the perfect movie. Funny, sad, heartfelt and gut wrenching. Perfectly cast and brilliantly acted.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

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thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom, e aa atuações da viola Davis e da emma stone melhoraram o filme.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/30/25

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Oaklee D

A film that pulled on my heartstrings and refused to let go.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/31/25

Full Review

Lewis S

What story telling should be. The most amazing story about the most amazing characters. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/25/25

Full Review

Ed .

Enjoyable though cartoonish stereotypes abound. Lots of talented actors make this watchable, despite most of them occupying one dimensional characters. While absolute power corrupts absolutely, rarely in life is it all or nothing. Bryce Dallas Howard has also mentioned that she would not agree to star in the film today, acknowledging that it was "told through the perspective of a white character and was created by predominantly white storytellers". In my opinion, the problem isn't any of that; the problem is with lazy writing.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/22/25

Full Review

Charles P

A YT short got me to watch this one, and I must say; I didn't regret a single bit.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/31/25

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

Stepmom

45%

75%

Stepmom

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The Help: Trailer 1

2:25

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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
Producer: Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan
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
Runtime: 2h 26m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital

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