The Help' ***stars

it is wonderful that 'the help' has become a grand slam winner at the box office. it's a mainstream film that touches the heart while it is at the same time disturbing. but wait...the disturbing parts are infact the most touching. i think this movie could have been second rate though were it not for the brilliant performances of the lead women in it. viola davis, emma stone, octavia spencer, allison janney, sissy spacek and bryce dallas howard all shine.

pampered white southern women and their 'help'. i have often seen this subject matter treated in more cliched films over the years. here it is not so cliched. i don't think it's the 'last word' on the subject. it should not be the 'last word' but for now it is the best word so far.

viola davis and octavia spencer should get academy consideration come oscar time in best actress and supporting categories respectively. they get a nom from me. there are not many really good parts for black actresses on screen. these two actresses nabbed two of the best to date.

i think just about everyone has seen this film judging from the boffo box office it has done. if you have not i say put it on your list of things to do and see it before the fall/winter oscar hopefuls take over our collective movie going.

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*****

now why have i waited so long to see it? well i heard melissa harris-perry discuss it on 'the last word with lawrence o'donnell'. i so so respect ms harris-perry and hearing her 'review' i opted out of going to see it. but word of mouth spread and thus i had see it. also, good friends were urging me to see it. so using viola davis's probable oscar nom as an excuse i went.needless to say i am not sorry i did. but the words of ms harris-perry would not leave me throughout my viewing of it.

when i got home i had to re-watch her interview with mr o'donnell. now, i am not a black woman nor a black man. i'm a northern white gay man somehow transplanted to the south (what the hell was i thinking or smoking?). i do not stand in ms harris-perry's shoes nor the shoes of her ancestors. yet after seeing the film i have to ask: 'what am i missing here?'.

i have no answer to this.so in a way i bow to melissa's first hand knowledge. i am sharing her interview so you can hear her in her own words. you need to decide for yourself. in any case i continue to follow ms harris-perry and her thoughtfulness and hope msnbc graduates her from the 'best substitute teacher' around and gives her tenure as tulane university has done.

ms harris-perry in her own words:

i see strength in adversity in these women. and may i add that i also see the strength in emma stone's character as the white woman who dared to stand up and be counted as a woman of courage. i recommend this beautifully told story and it's wonderful performances.

trailer