My love for books and my love for movies always interfere with each other. I understand its hard for a film to be exactly like the book for which it is based, even when the author is part of the screenplay writing process, because the director and author almost never have the same views as to how a box should be portrayed or a character or scene. Anyway, because of this love for literature and arts, I can never answer the question "Which did you like better, the book or the movie?" There are good parts of a book that are left out, but there are also added stuff that can sometimes be good. My point is, when it comes to The Help, I can't tell you which version I preferred, but I can compare them. And here it goes....
The Help, which was written by Kathryn Stockett, takes place in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 60s, during the civil rights movement. It is narrated by both rich, white 23 year old Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, and much older, black maids named Minny and Aibileen. A white girl is trying to write a book using the maids perspective on what its like working for white families. Unlike the actual author, Skeeter receives help from "the colored people" as they are often referred to in the book. Stockett did live in Jackson, Mississippi, however, I don't know if she was around during the 60s nor remembers it, so good for her for taking a stab at what it would have been like, because up north the 60s were completely different. The film was directed by Tate Taylor (usually acts, but Pretty Ugly People was his first feature he directed), also not a white woman in the 60s nor a black maid. The film definitely had a different feel to it than the book, and I believe if the film had been directed by a woman as well then the feel wouldn't have been so different. To me the novel and film weren't just about race, but about feminism as well. From the beginning, Skeeter was feeling pressure to find a man and get married at such a young age. All of her friends dropped out of college to get married, and she was expected to do the same. Same goes for Minny having the courage to leave her abusive husband. This is why I think the film would have been better directed by a woman, because a woman would be able to focus on those issues more.
So anyway, back to the summary. Skeeter played by Emma Stone (Crazy, Stupid Love; Easy A) has just moved back home after graduating college. In her best efforts to become a journalist, she gets a job at the local paper writing the cleaning advice column. Her lack of knowledge on this subject, causes her to seek advice from her good friend Elizabeth's (Ahna O'Reilly, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) maid Aibileen (Viola Davis, It's Kind of a Funny Story; Eat Pray Love). During one of their discussions, in the book, Aibileen mentions her son Treelore, who has passed away three years before, and how he wanted to write a book talking about what it was like to work for a white man. This was left out of the movie, but I thought it was a pretty important part because that's what inspired Skeeter. During an incident at bridge club, where the evil friend Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard, The Village; Lady in the Water) insists that Elizabeth build a separate bathroom outdoors for the help, Skeeter feels embarrassed for Aibileen and this is the point where she decides to write her book. I want to start off by saying, I absolutely hated the character of Hilly, in the book and the film. She is such an evil bitch and ignorant person, and I have never hated a character so much in my life. It might also have to do with the fact that she reminds me of my dad's second wife. Everything she said and did made me cringe, and I will never look at Bryce the same again. Of course I never looked at her normal anyway, I mean who names their daughter Bryce?? Ok back on subject. Skeeter has already given the idea for her novel to the editor at Harper and Row, Elain Stein (Mary Steenburgen, Step Brothers; Elf), but Stein wants her to talk to at least a dozen maids.
Aibileen eventually agrees to help out Skeeter, but they have a hard time finding other maids as they fear for not only losing their jobs, but they fear for their lives as well. In the book, during all this Skeeter is also wondering what has happened to her maid Constantine who raised her. The film doesn't portray her search as much but focuses a lot on the memories.
In the book, Hilly puts her mother, Mrs. Walters (Sissy Spacek, I don't care how many movies she's been in now, she will always only be Carrie to me) in a nursing home and tries to have her mother's maid, who also happens to be Aibileen's best friend, Minny (Octavia Spencer, Dinner for Schmucks; Jesus People) work for her. When Minny refuses, Hilly starts a rumor that Minny stole from her mother so no one will hire her. In the film, she starts the rumor after firing her for using the indoor bathroom. Luckily, with the help of Aibileen, she finds work with Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life), who the town ladies don't like because she married Johnny Foote (Mr. "Hotter with Age" Mike Vogel, She's Out of my League; Grind) who was at one point engaged to Hilly. So much happens in the book/movie so I'm just going to skip around. Eventually Minny joins, and after Hilly throws her maid Yule May in prison, a bunch of other maids start telling their stories for the book too.
So the one thing I'm deciding whether or not I agree with is the choice to cast Emma Stone as the role of Eugenia. Granted she did a good job, but lets face it, she's whats hot right now, and that's probably why she was picked for the role. In the book, it is discussed how Skeeter is an awkwardly, tall girl with long curly hair. Emma Stone is known to be a very attractive woman. But upon discussing this with my book club, they mentioned that it might be her idea of herself only due to her mother's perspective. The one and only thing I did like that Hilly said was when she was trying to set Skeeter up on a date, Skeeter mentioned that she might not be his type. Hilly told Skeeter that she doesn't like her looking down upon herself just because her mother put ideas in her head.
Speaking of the date, that is one last thing I wanted to mention about the film vs. movie. In the film, the relationship between Skeeter and Stuart (Chris Lowell, Up in the Air; Private Practice) isn't as dominant as it was in the book which is good. It made it seem like Skeeter was sticking to getting her book done than finding a man. In the book, she was focused mostly on work, but still fell in love. Now I was angry with her because she took the guy back twice, TWICE!! And he was a real dbag on their first date. I felt that was very out of character for her, and she might be settling. The film, however, without giving any details away, made her out to be more independent, and I like that. The End.
Read the book. Watch the film. Do both, I don't care. It's a good read, and a good film. Actually, the film was sadder than the book because its different seeing it up on screen coming to life. It took everything I had not to cry in front of my book club. I held it in, don't worry. Either way, all your questions will be answered, and if you only see the movie without reading the book, and still have questions, let me know. I'll answer them for you! By the way, being a nanny and a waitress really made me appreciate this book, so treat "your help" with respect. I don't care what color you are, or what job you have, no one is better than anyone, and I hope that's the lesson you walk away with from watching this film.
