Reviewed April 2012
Not many movies can be branded clichéd, stereotypical, predictable and at the same time excellent and interesting. This movie is just that, of course some excellent acting and likable characters did help too. I always admire a maker's clarity on what they want to present, even if there are some glitches in execution, but this movie has none.
Skeeter (Emma Stone) an aspiring author during the wake of Civil Rights movement, wants to write a book on the African-American maids point-of-view on their masters. The times are dark and for a black person to come forth and talk is also a crime in the State of Mississippi. After a few refusals, Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) comes forth to talk and share her views. After a few more incidents, another maid Minny (Octavia Spencer) joins. Soon there are plenty of maids who want to share their stories after an injustice after another mounts on them. Skeeter has a neutral point-of-view and is determined to complete what she started, no matter what sacrifices she has to make.
As I had mentioned earlier, this plot is completely cliché driven and the characters and sequences align themselves to present a viewer friendly closure to every incident present. But this whole mess is wrapped in such a nicely packed presentation, though it crossed the corner of my mind while watching, I could point them out only when I think of the scenes when writing the review. So in a way the movie has succeeded it's objective of holding the viewers attention and entertaining them too and the portrayal of those stereotypical characters to be likable is another peak to mount, which this ensemble cast does with ease. A special mention should go to Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as the maids in focus, they are the ones that produce and control the emotional aspect of the movie. There she is, Jessica Chastain again featuring in the immediate movie I have watched, she does her reputation no harm here also displaying another dimension to her acting. She resembles a lot of Julia Roberts to me in both looks and acting wise.
All the negative things you might have heard about this movie are probably true. But what triumphs is the excellent presentation and it should be a case study for that aspect, to hide all the limitations and plot holes at least until its runtime. A definite watch.
Not many movies can be branded clichéd, stereotypical, predictable and at the same time excellent and interesting. This movie is just that, of course some excellent acting and likable characters did help too. I always admire a maker's clarity on what they want to present, even if there are some glitches in execution, but this movie has none.
Skeeter (Emma Stone) an aspiring author during the wake of Civil Rights movement, wants to write a book on the African-American maids point-of-view on their masters. The times are dark and for a black person to come forth and talk is also a crime in the State of Mississippi. After a few refusals, Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) comes forth to talk and share her views. After a few more incidents, another maid Minny (Octavia Spencer) joins. Soon there are plenty of maids who want to share their stories after an injustice after another mounts on them. Skeeter has a neutral point-of-view and is determined to complete what she started, no matter what sacrifices she has to make.
As I had mentioned earlier, this plot is completely cliché driven and the characters and sequences align themselves to present a viewer friendly closure to every incident present. But this whole mess is wrapped in such a nicely packed presentation, though it crossed the corner of my mind while watching, I could point them out only when I think of the scenes when writing the review. So in a way the movie has succeeded it's objective of holding the viewers attention and entertaining them too and the portrayal of those stereotypical characters to be likable is another peak to mount, which this ensemble cast does with ease. A special mention should go to Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as the maids in focus, they are the ones that produce and control the emotional aspect of the movie. There she is, Jessica Chastain again featuring in the immediate movie I have watched, she does her reputation no harm here also displaying another dimension to her acting. She resembles a lot of Julia Roberts to me in both looks and acting wise.
All the negative things you might have heard about this movie are probably true. But what triumphs is the excellent presentation and it should be a case study for that aspect, to hide all the limitations and plot holes at least until its runtime. A definite watch.