A MOVIE REVIEW OF THE HELP
May 2012
By students of première
A movie review of The Help written by Laetitia
What is your favourite moment in the movie ?
In my opinion, the end of the movie is the best moment, because when the book was published , we can see the relief of the principal characters : Skeeter, Minny and Aibileen, who are very happy because it means that their sacrifices and their determinations to write the book were useful . The writing of the book allows the people of Jackson to understand the situation of black persons in this era, and that they are subject to discriminations, and it shows the struggle of these people. In addition, at the end of the film, we see the black community appear proud and happy for the publication of the book because it could make people react, perhaps even leaders or ministers, and thus improve living conditions for black people . Moreover, at the end of the movie, the situation of the main characters is improving since black maids earn profits ( money ) and have better living conditions. In conclusion, my favorite moment of the movie is the end because the battle for the black's rights, made along the film, has succeeded and the situation of the main characters has evolved positively.
…And what about the moment you like least ? The moment I least like is the scene when a friend of Aibileen’s is arrested by the police because in this scene, the woman wants to get her bag before going to the police station but the officer does not allow her, then she struggles and yells to get her bag while Aibileen advises her to let it go ; still she does not want and the policeman hits her behind the head with his nightstick ( in a public place ) and she goes to prison. I do not like this moment because it is sad and violent, and because it reflects the situation of black people in this era, when they had no right to complain or cry or they may have put their lives at risk. Moreover, this scene also shows the inability of the population to defend one another because the scene is in a public place and the people who see the policeman do nothing . Then this is quite realistic and I can imagine that at the time, to kill someone in front of people and without reason , just because she was black , did not bother them , and so, that the lives of black people in these years were disastrous .
Can you narrate a moment in the movie from the point of view of one specific character ? I was inside the house , in the room with Hilly . I heard a knock at the door and Hilly opened it . Until then, it was one of those common and also boring moments. Then , Hilly returned to the room with Minny and a pie in her hand . It was astonishing that Minny wanted to apologize with a pie . Knowing Hilly, I didn't think it would change anything and Hilly would give her job back, but she could try . Hilly sat while Minny stood looking at her . I was watching, Minny has a strange expression on her face ; she seemed to expect something of Hilly, but despite her situation, I felt she wanted to smile . For me, the day became ore interesting . Hilly looked at the pie and then began to eat a bite before the insistent gaze of Minny . Hilly, with an arrogant and pretentious voice looked while saying she was ready to listen . Then, Minny told her she would not get her maid back but this pie was apologizing for her behavior. It was a nice initiative to offer a pie but I did not really see why to make a pie for Hilly if she didn't want to get her job back . I looked at the pie that seemed delicious and then I approached to take a slice . When I began to cut the pie, Minny looked at me strangely, then she said that I should not eat it because she had made this cake especially for Hilly. Then, she continued to talk with Hilly, Minny got upset and suddenly said "eat my shit”. There was a second of silence in which I saw the face of Hilly which decomposed . She was both offended by what she heard, even more because it came from a black person but moreover very angry . Then, Hilly replied with an upset tone she did not accept Minny talk like this, However Minny said with a mischievous smile " it's already done " and then looked at the pie . Hilly looked at the pie and understood . When I understood what Hilly had eaten, I saw the expression of disgust on the face of my daughter , I could not stop myself laughing out loud . Minny is the first person who managed to stand up to her . As for Hilly , she immediately began to run to the toilet .
Movie Review by Constance…Movie
A movie review of The Help written by Camille
What is your favourite moment in the movie ?
My favourite moment in The Help is when all the helps of the city say to Skeeter that they agree to help her with her book. It’s my favourite moment because it marks a shift for the film, Skeeter, and the helps…This turning point changes the society and the mentalities of black people. Moreover, I find this moment joyful even if the situation and the circumstances are not happy…
What about your least favorite moment then ?
My least favorite moment is when Hilly Holbrook says during a meal with her friends that black people cannot uses the same toilets as the white people. It’s a bad and contemptuous moment and it’s full of segregation against the black people. Here, they are not considered as human beings but as animals. It’s one moment in the film where injustice is particularly pregnant…
Could you tell a passage from the point of view of another character ?
I’ve chosen to tell the moment in the film when Skeeter fights with her mother about boyfriends, the place of women in society and the ambitions of Skeeter. So I’m telling this moment in the first-person…and I let you guess who it is !
“I can’t bear this mother. She irritates me. It’s impossible to be close-minded like that…She doesn’t understand that she isn’t my style. I don’t want to be like her because she is like all the women in Mississippi : she stays at home, she is married to a wealthy man, and she criticizes people and does nothing in her life but that ! I want to do something of my life, that’s why I went away to study and I have a job in journalism : to change the world ! I can’t put up with this varnish and all these overrated things, to fit appearances…Besides, it is for the sole purpose of seducing guys…Guys, another joke of my mom ! I have better things to do in life. And that, she doesn’t understand ! She doesn’t believe me. I wonder if she believes in me, my job, the person I am…This thought disgusts me because it should be an obvious answer and it’s not. I’m still her daughter, though !
I’ll go for a walk to think about this situation because now, I’m upset. It will calm me.”
A Movie Review of the Help
Hello, I am a journalist for a newspaper to review movies. Manon B., what is the moment that you most enjoyed? :
My favourite moment in the movie is when Hilly Holbrook believes she’s eating a chocolate cake, when in fact she’s eating the feces of her maid, Minny. Indeed, Hilly is so nasty against the blacks, especially her servants, that when we see her eat and enjoy the cake and then after we see her head when she learns that is the excrement of Hilly, it makes us “happy”. It’s a feeling of revenge…
And is the moment that you like least?:
The moment that I like least is when Aibileen must leave the home in her care. At that moment, she says goodbye to the little girl she "raised" and the scene is very emotional. Indeed, Aibileen is very attached to this little girl, because she has taken care of her ever since she was little. And when Aibileen must leave, the girl does not understand why. Her nanny is forced to lie to her (she says she is retiring, but in reality she’s fired) to preserve her. This is a very moving scene, which made me sad.
Can you describe a scene for us, by imagining you are in the place of a character:
I was standing there like every day. There were many people in the room and they were all four at the table and I did what I had to do: wait on them. As usual, Hilly Holbrook kept talking and pretending to be an extraordinary woman. She wore a white dress with pink flowers and green and with a pink bow in her hair. Of course all her clothes had to be well tuned… All four were talking at the table, but I felt a little uneasiness around them. During the conversation, Skeeter told them she wanted to become a writer and that she’d found a job for the “Jackson Journal”. The other women looked surprised, especially Hilly. Moreover, she reminded them that every white household should have separate toilets for servants. At these words, Skeeter retorted immediately that it was she who deserved to have outside toilets. At this point, the other three women couldn’t believe their eyes and Hilly almost had a heart attack… that’s a shame… For me, on my side behind the wall, I smiled. Finally someone had dared to shut her up.
We noticed that you had put yourself in the place of Aibileen …
Thank you for your cooperation
Movie review…
Good afternoon…er… Eddy, is that right ?
Yes indeed, what can I do for you ?
What is your favorite moment in the movie ? Can you explain why ?
There are not many moments which I like in this film but I like the moment when the ex-help of Hilly Holbrook goes to Hilly Holbrook’s home to be forgiven. Minny Jackson has cooked a chocolate pie with her shit in it and Hilly eats two parts of her pie. This scene is very disgusting but it’s very funny when Miss Walters, Hilly’s mum, laughs.
What is your least favorite moment in the movie ? And why ?
I don’t like this film but the moment which I hate the most is when a black man was killed by The Ku Klux Klan and when Aibileen fell the night due to the intolerance of the driver of the bus. Aibileen is very terrified, she runs to her home , she falls…This scene is pathetic.
Could you narrate a passage from the point of view of a character in the movie ?
Sure…”I decided to go to the gala of Charity of Hilly Holbrook for very poor children in Africa to explain to Hilly that I don’t intend to steal her boyfriend, for he is with her. And to be forgiven for the bad joke of chocolate pie but I wasn’t especially reassured about the situation with her ex-maid, Minny Jackson. I got dressed with my new dress, I am sexy and I know it . I’ll show them that I am a respectable girl. I waited for my husband in the car and we went to Hilly’s gala. We arrived there, and .I started to drink one cup of Champagne, two cups, three…I wanted to speak to Hilly but she was with her friends. After another cup of Champagne, I started to explain my point of view to Hilly but she is a bad girl, she didn’t understand. I decided to buy a chocolate pie for Hilly. I am very sorry for your dress Hilly. After another cup of Champagne, I feel like puking…and oh, by the way, someone else bought the chocolate pie, I wonder who…
A movie review of The Help, by Jessica…
My favourite moment ?
My favorite moment in the film is towards the end, when Celia Foote prepares dinner for Minny. At first, she couldn’t cook, but with help from Minny, she improved. I love this moment because Celia is one of the only persons who doesn’t tell the difference between a white person and a person “of color”. Then, once she said “you are my family”, I find it beautiful.
The moment I liked least ?
The moment I like least in the movie is the moment when Elizabteh dismisses Aibileen by Hilly’s fault. I don’t like this moment because when Aibi leaves from home, we see Mae Mobley crying, saying “No, Aibi, don’t go !”. I think this is one of the moments that make me cry the most. I find it unfair that a girl of that age has to go through this, knowing she doesn’t understand the reasons why Aibi was fired. It was like when she said at one moment : “You are my real mom, Aibi”.
Final scene when Elizabeth makes Aibileen leave. Perspective Mae Mobley
“-No, Aibi, don’t go !” But why is she going ? Why is she leaving me alone here ? I didn’t do anything wrong, I don’t understand ! Why does Aibi leave without me …? But I was nice to her, I have never disobeyed her ! Why does my black mom leave, why is my other mom no longer mine ? I’m alone now, who will be able to look after me ?”
I think Mae Mobley can’t understand the misunderstanding between her mother and Aibi is due to the latter’s skin color. For Mae, Aibi is her real mom whatever happens ! Mae is a little girl so she doesn’t understand that the reason for the departure of Aibi is in fact racism. At this age, skin color doesn’t matter, and I also think that in this last scene, the situation is very beautiful, because a little white girl cries for a black woman. In this scene, she must surely believe that it’s her fault if Aibi is leaving, or at least she won’t understand the reasons until she is much older…
I chose to take the perspective of Mae Mobley, because it’s a point of view of purity and innocence…
Movie Review by Irving…
One passage narrated from the point of view of a character…
Working for Mrs Foote is a gift compared to the horrible Holbrook. She's always nice and happy, it's such a pleasure to see that joy, that health. I teach her how to cook wonderfully for her husband. She really needs my help to maintain their great house, but I'm not sure that it's safe for me to do that. She didn't say anything about me to Mister Foote, and I'm scared that if he sees me some day, he will be angrier at me than Hilly. When I remember my time with her, it pisses me off. I don't even know how I could bear that. I know that all the black maids are in the same situation as me, but seriously, Hilly is the worst woman in Jackson, maybe even in the entire world. And of course, all of her friends are like her. I don't have any regrets for leaving her and going with Celia. She deserves much better. Plus, she cooks waffles perfectly.