The Help

Name: The Help
Genre: Drama
Released: August 10, 2011
Duration: 137 min
Rating: 62
Cast: Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis

2011

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 41 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 486 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	Your Score
7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 486 Ratings

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The Help

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Movie Details & Credits

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: August 10, 2011 | PG-13

Starring: Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis

Summary: Mississippi during the 1960s: Skeeter, a southern society girl, returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives--and a small Mississippi town--upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter's best friend'sMississippi during the 1960s: Skeeter, a southern society girl, returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives--and a small Mississippi town--upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter's best friend's housekeeper, is the first to open up—to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community. Despite Skeeter's life-long friendships hanging in the balance, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories—and as it turns out, they have a lot to say. Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged and a new sisterhood emerges, but not before everyone in town has a thing or two to say themselves when they become unwittingly—and unwillingly—caught up in the changing times. (Walt Disney Pictures)

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Director: Tate Taylor

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 137 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Mike Scott

Aug 9, 2011

The Help isn't intended to be so much a movie about the ugliness of the era than an optimistic tale of what can spring from that kind of ugliness, about the ability of people to love one another even when they're surrounded by hatred. And on that level, The Help succeeds wonderfully, a warm and sweet song of hope. Read full review

Andrew O'Hehir

Aug 9, 2011

The Help definitely worked on me as a consummate tear-jerker with a terrific cast, and it's pretty much the summer's only decent Hollywood drama. Read full review

Connie Ogle

Aug 10, 2011

The Help will make you laugh, yes, but it can also break your heart. In the dog days of August moviegoing, that's a powerful recommendation. Read full review

Ella Taylor

Aug 12, 2011

Big hair, fine period frocks and interior design lend The Help a pleasingly retro look. Yet for someone who grew up in Mississippi, the director has little sense of place. Read full review

Mary Pols

Aug 10, 2011

For every obvious turn The Help takes, there is Davis, the ideal counterweight. Read full review

Kimberley Jones

Aug 10, 2011

The Help may be more interested in the moral at the end of the story than the story itself, but what saves the film from its meticulous one-dimensionality is that nuanced, deeply moving cast. Read full review

Andrew Schenker

Aug 9, 2011

High school creative-writing-class ironies of all kinds abound in The Help. Read full review

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User Reviews

aozeta

Dec 10, 2011

Surely, this will be among the bests for this year and of the decade. Great acting from the cast--perfect ensemble. Great story, great screenplay. Looks like this will be one of the front-runners in the 2012 Oscars.

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0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Cherryxld

Nov 23, 2014

The Help es una película que te atrapa con su buena historia, y no solo por eso, si no también por lo muy bien que está dirigida esa historia, a parte de las buenas actuaciones.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MontiYan

Dec 21, 2012

I like it cause Emma is in it. Haha :D But I think its a great movie. Aight? So.. Yeah.

A great movie. A must watch. I really need to watch this. ugh ^^

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

Knicksfan7

Oct 13, 2011

Finally saw this movie the other day after it being in my theater for over 2 months. Everybody whose ever walked out of this movie is always pleased and tells me how great of a movie it was, and some even say its been their 4th or 5th time seeing it! I had the same reaction. I walked out ofFinally saw this movie the other day after it being in my theater for over 2 months. Everybody whose ever walked out of this movie is always pleased and tells me how great of a movie it was, and some even say its been their 4th or 5th time seeing it! I had the same reaction. I walked out of this movie very pleased indeed. It was veryy good, excellent performances all around from everybody in the film. Emma Stone is becoming a phenomenal actress. Don't shy away from the lenghty running time, you don't even realize you've been in the theater for 2.5 hours. It's the opposite of a movie that makes you give constant double takes at your phone, you will be engaged, interested, and you will fall deep into the story and the emotions of the characters. Fantastic movie based of a fantastic story. 9.5/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

mrjeffsir

Mar 28, 2012

This film is really good, great performances from a brilliant cast, every part is really well played, the story well written and with real heart and emotionality. Octavia won the Oscar for best supporting actress and is brilliant in it, however, it's Viola Davis's acting performance thatThis film is really good, great performances from a brilliant cast, every part is really well played, the story well written and with real heart and emotionality. Octavia won the Oscar for best supporting actress and is brilliant in it, however, it's Viola Davis's acting performance that really stands out, she is excellent in this movie and i'm stunned she didn't get more recognition.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheApplegnome

Mar 22, 2014

The Help is an interesting movie, that truly shows us how the US was in the 60s and I really liked it!
The story in The Help is highly entertaining, and I really enjoyed the movie, because the civil rights movement during this time truly was important!
Overall is The Help a great movie,The Help is an interesting movie, that truly shows us how the US was in the 60s and I really liked it!
The story in The Help is highly entertaining, and I really enjoyed the movie, because the civil rights movement during this time truly was important!
Overall is The Help a great movie, but the slow tempo actually made it a little boring in some scenes.

The Help gets a 7/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

nashville13

Nov 1, 2011

this movie's too hard to understand..... i think that a movie shoud have Understandable Plot,Clear Motive, and a movie should also be entertaining.i think this movie looked more likely a documentary than a movie.

0 of 9 users found this helpful09

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38	#38 Most Discussed Movie of 2011
31	#31 Most Shared Movie of 2011