FLICKS.CO.NZ

Out now on demand, Out now on dvd/blu-ray

The Help, Movie

The Help 2011

Trailers
Reviews
Stuff

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel, starring Emma Stone (Zombieland, Superbad) as a young woman who creates a stir in 1960s Mississippi by writing a book that interviews the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent, white southern families. More

Skeeter (Stone) is a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer. Uncomfortable with attitudes toward "the help" - especially with Hilly Holbrooks (Bryce Dallas Howard, Spider-Man 3) and her 'Sanitation Initiative' which proposes a bill to provide separate bathrooms for black maids - Skeeter decides to write a book about the black women who have spent their lives raising white children. Afraid of losing their jobs (or worse), the maids are reluctant to talk. But the floodgates open when Aibileen (Viola Davis, Doubt) opens up, and when the powerful Civil Rights movement spreads to Mississippi. Hide

On demand

$6.99
PAY PER PLAY
(48 hr rental)

PLAY ON QUICKFLIX

DVD / Blu-Ray

DVD

$19.99

BUY IT NOW

Blu-ray

$24.99

BUY IT NOW

213 votes / 44 comments The Talk

  • 65 %

    Want to See it

    What say you?

    • glee boy

      love love loved the book

    • Skipperlee

      If this is done well, it could be one of those good dramas that makes you feel good for seeing it. Hope it is!

    • Poue

      Cant wait to see it, seems like a great movie.

    • larry

      looks good

    • Darryn

      Finally! Something with substance. Can't wait.

    • Ashton

      From the trailer not quite sure they caught the grit, desperation and poverty of the novel...

    • Kam

      If you get the chance to read the book I would really suggest you do. Fabulous!!!

    • curls40

      loved it can't wait

    • Finally

      Looks fantastic! yay for storylines. Bored of all the CGI, style over substance crap

    • Emma

      ii haaavvveeee got to see this

    • Ash

      Looks Amazing :)

    • Mark

      Looks good although I don't like movies set in the 1960s with 2009 sensibilities.

    • amy p

      Love Emma Stone!! funny! cant wait

    • alex

      fantastic book, looks like a good movie too

    • missy

      its good to see emma stone stepping up to a more serious role but still keeping the funny in her. cant wait to watch it

    • Skipperlee

      Have to agree with Ashton. The book has grit. hope the movie has too.

    • curls40

      I loved the book Hope the movie just as good

    • Lisa-K

      Terrific book. Look forward to the movie

    • Melissa James

      My favourite book!!!!!!! Hope the mvie doesn't destroy it!!!

    • Jess

      Looks like an inspirational movie =)

    • Tartlette

      Looks fabulous, guaranteed to require a tissue or two

    • Ness

      Saw this at an advanced screening - was brilliant!

    • Legs

      Loved the book, can't wait for the movie!

    • Hodstar

      Them thar stories have got to be told to them white folks so thems can see what life was like for them thar african ameeericans!

    • Sue@April

      I'm so excited about this being made into a movie - absolutely loved the book - so I hope it is true to that. The trailer looks as if itis.

    • MHeighway

      Saw this last night, really enjoyed it

    • breathless

      can't wait to see this...!!

    • Nathan

      Can't wait to see this :) Going to the preview screening on Saturday and super excited :)

    • Sweet

      loved the book....hope the movie is as good as the book...the trailer looks cool... :)

    • Chris Simpson

      loved the book....hope the movie is as good as the book...the trailer looks cool... :)

    • Tess

      Good Movie. Saw it today. Truthful, but not long enough. Must see again.

    • jacob

      wanna see this sooo badly

    • E.T.

      Been waitin' for this, cant wait to watch!

    • icesiz

      yip can't wait to watch this movie...

    • Stacey16nz

      Saw it 2 weeks ago and its REALLLLLLLLLY good!!!

    • nuggies

      oooush ; its cool

    • Silly

      Sounds awesome

    • Shaza

      Awesome movie, really enjoyed it

    • watsup

      looking forward to seing this movie, cnt wait to be with friends to enjoy it

    • Tiaana

      the book is amazing. can't wait to see it!

    • Trevon

      Very valid, pithy, scuincct, and on point. WD.

    • Trevon

      Very valid, pithy, scuincct, and on point. WD.

  • CARE TO COMMENT?

    Want to see it?

 

Flicks.co.nz Review

Rating:

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply
Rebecca Barry Hill Flicks Writer

The Help feels overdone at first, the baddies too evil, the do-gooders too earnest. But as Tate Taylor’s vision of racist 1960s Mississippi emerges, the film’s larger-than-life personality ceases to matter. The Help wears its heart on its sleeve, and history wasn’t comfortable, even as the civil rights movement dawned. It’s a feel-good, revenge-seeking – and yes, shit-eating – satire, the kind that makes you want to shout "go girl!" from the cinema aisle, even if you know what’s coming. More

It’s also a moralistic tearjerker of the highest order. Courage, doing what’s right, taking a stand for those who don’t have a voice – these are the core themes of Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling novel and they’re adapted in broad, big-budget form here, with Emma Stone as the brave society girl keen to expose the plight of the city’s black maids serving white families. It’s thanks to the film’s leading ladies that the film steers mostly clear of saccharine territory.

Stone regularly lights up the screen in youthful fantasies (Superbad, Easy A) but here she shows she’s capable of depth and maturity. She’s almost shown up however by Viola Davis, as quietly dignified maid Aibileen, the brilliant Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life) as sunny outcast Celia, and Bryce Dallas Howard, who puts in a hilarious performance as the film’s villain, Hilly. The Help clocks in at over two hours yet it never lags, and the impact it leaves is of an epic story told with warmth and a sense of intimacy. Hide

The People's Reviews

Rating:

22 ratings and 15 reviews

All reviews (15)

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

How times have Changed

munchkin Flicks Superstar (?)

Just shows how narrow minded people were not so long ago and to treat other ethnicities with such hate and cruelty and to cause so much misery now look how far we have come Obama in the whitehouse and white people serving him we still have al ong way to go to eradicate racism

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Excellent

Tony-Bertasius A-Lister (?)

A light touch when dealing with a tricky subject can be an issue, but not here! The film was excellent, from the costume and cinematography, through script and performances (Viola Davis shines yet again) and the overall tone of the movie. This deserves to be seen as a suprisingly effective indictment of racism and the arrogance of those who feel superior. Yes its glossy, yes its a little slight at times when dealing with the white middle class women, but its important and relevant. See it.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Recommended

100WordReviews Flicks Superstar (?)

I likes me a good fictional history lesson. While it's nowhere near as absurd as Inglourious Basterds, The Help is an empowering watch about a moment in time that never was. The definitive characters are the biggest testament to the movie's quality. Everyone from the broken-down black maid (Viola Davis) to the stepford wife alpha-b**** (Bryce Dallas Howard) sell their roles immediately. When confrontation eventually strikes, it's a brilliantly emotive eruption. In comparison to its subject matter, the film did seem a little tame overall. Nevertheless, by the end, I wanted to hi-5 each and every one of those maids.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Very Moving - Touching

Eva B-Grader (?)

Loved this movie, it tugs at your heart strings. It's also very funny at times. It also makes you so very glad we no longer live in an era of ethnic segregation and such injustice.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

A worthy watch...

Kim-Reilly A-Lister (?)

A roller-coaster - light moments mixed in with some truly appalling incidents from that time and place. The movie was done well - a good way to remind us of the segregation and misery suffered in those times. How awful to be raising little 'white kids' while your own were at home waiting on the measly wage you were dependent on. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Loved it!

Sophiehnz B-Grader (?)

I laughed, I cried, I laughed, I cried.....

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Interesting characters in this movie

GrahamP Flicks Superstar (?)

This movie shows us what it was like before the civil rights movment in America.It is taken from a novel based around these times.People do enjoy these stories about real life and what it was like.I even heard some Grandma's having a chuckle.Overall an easy going movie.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Good kind of Help

RealityCheck Flicks Superstar (?)

I dont love Emma Stone as much as Jim Carrey but she is getting very good roles and plays to her strengths. This well written novel adaptation on the big screen warms the heart. Its not so much a "good-night-out" flick, but more a "good-night-in" so you and friends you share it with can discuss it afterwards. Far from movie trash, more about human spirit, reminded me in part of 'Secret Life of Bees'
Genre : Drama, human condition
5/5 : I just really liked it, but it has a doco kinda feel, real life stuff.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Tissues needed...

LizLemon B-Grader (?)

I think the whole theatre was laughing and crying at the same time at this film. Well worth the watch, I only wish I had read the book before hand.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

yip you gotta see it. Lest we forget.

feisty-fox Wannabe (?)

Certainly worth a watch. Gorgeous characters, characters you wanna throttle. A different take on the whole civil rights movement. Though some have criticised The Help for glossing over the real feel of the time, or not showing horror of what was going, it would have been out of character for this book/ film to do so. And it shows a different type of horror- that of social or employment isolation.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

The Help

PhilMoore Flicks Superstar (?)

This is a great film about a subject matter that is tough to tangle with, dealing with racism head on. There are some great female performances here. Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Viola Davis,Jessica Chastain.. basically the whole cast is amazing. The film can having in tears one minute and laughing the next. I highly recommend it

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

we are so lucky for what we have today.

morgana1972 Flicks Superstar (?)

a small piece of the American history as dark as it was, yet a fresh approach of both sides of the white & black community of yesteryear. a good solid cast worth watching

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Moving

KatieF Flicks Superstar (?)

This film is very moving, it really shows you how much society has changed and grown to this present day. Had some very funny moments also, and the casting was perfect. Fantastic movie.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Worth watching

Brian1 Flicks Superstar (?)

not sure about the authenticity, but an enjoyable insight into what was.

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

comment / reply

Very powerful film that made you want to cheer!

adeej Flicks Superstar (?)

This moving film deals with the reality of racism in Mississippi in the 1960s. Being in the South of the US, Mississippi was one of the states where a clear separation between white and black was very strong for many years - unfortunately way after the Black Civil Rights Movie happened. Sure, the film is fairly predictable, but in the great emancipatory moment, you want to stand up and cheer! It was a really nice touch, though, to not end the film on that moment but to bring the tale back to reality. Unfortunately, racism is still rampant in much of the American South, even in the 21st century.

Your rating / review...

Rate it:

Review it:

After submitting your review, you will need to login or signup to Flicks. Don't worry though, we'll keep your review and post it after you're done.

Press Reviews

A.V. Club (USA)

Shot like an inductee in the Hallmark Hall Of Fame, The Help covers an ugly era in superficial gloss... Full review.

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

This is a good film, involving and wonderfully acted. Full review.

Hollywood Reporter

This self-conscious and self-congratulatory portrait of the Jim Crow South does at least contain two magnificent, award-worthy performances. Full review.

Los Angeles Times

The movie exists within an emotionally charged landscape sometimes too starkly black and white — there is no room for ambiguity at this table. Full review.

New York Times

If the movie’s director, Tate Taylor, had his way, your tear ducts would be sucked dry by that big finish... Full review.

Rolling Stone

Short on style and flashy technique, The Help on film compensates with genuine emotional force. Full review.

Sunday Star Times (Kim Knight)

There is humour, drop dead gorgeous costuming, and plenty of great acting to recommend The Help. Full review.

Time (USA)

Taylor's adaptation is a finely crafted distillation of the book; even at two and a half hours it never lags. Full review.