Tate Taylor's The Help (2011) is a moving drama that reflects on racial injustice and the plight of Black maids during the 1960s in Mississippi. Based on Kathryn Stockett's novel, the film is directed towards giving visibility to the voices of African American women who toiled in white homes and were subjected to discrimination and mistreatment. Although it attempts to raise awareness about institutional racism, its end purpose appears to be presenting a sentimental,

palatable story to mainstream audiences.

The film is based on Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone), a budding journalist who embarks on recording the lives of maids such as Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) and Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer). Aibileen is introverted but intensely sympathetic, and Minny's confidence brings comedy and resilience to the movie. Bryce Dallas Howard's performance of the sadistic Hilly Holbrook also showcases the deep-seated racism prevalent during that time.

Although The Help effectively raises the issue of racial injustices, it has been faulted on its "white savior" theme and attention to Skeeter's story at the expense of the Black women's plight. Nevertheless, the movie is strongest in emotional resonance, with a strong cast performance—particularly by Davis and Spencer—rendering the injustices intimate and emotive.

In the end, The Help is an open portal to the conversation about racism, although it reduces complicated historical facts. It is perhaps not the most groundbreaking interpretation of civil rights matters, but because of its emotional charge, its message regarding the efficacy of narrative and acts of courage will continue to be effective.