The Help

Author: Kathryn Stockett
Stars: 4
Review by: patco81

What was it about America in 1962? That was the setting for the iconic films American Graffiti, Hairspray, Animal House, and numerous novels, now including The Help. With hindsight, of course, we can see that 1962 presaged a great social and cultural upheaval, foremost in the burgeoning civil rights movement, followed by the singular call for women's and others' rights. The Help gives voice to the invisible black female domestic workers in white Mississippi homes, and does a credible job of portraying their everyday struggles. While the dialect of the women did get somewhat tiresome (compared with the perfect speech and grammar of the white ladies - didn't anyone ever drop a 'g?'), their stories were compelling and moving. Highly recommended. This would also work well as a film, a 1962 period piece.