15 Average Oscar Bait Films Elevated By Amazing Performances
5. The Help
The Help, a drama about a young white journalist (Emma Stone) who writes a book about the experiences of black maids in Mississippi in the 1960s, is very flawed both as a drama and as a piece of social commentary. It's far too safe and superficial in its look at racism and the dramatic material in the film is very hit-or-miss, especially since it's so overlong. Viola Davis has expressed regret about appearing in the film due to the inadequacy of its handling of the racial themes, which says it all really.
Nevertheless, The Help is worth seeing for the acting alone. After all, in how many other films can you see so many of America's finest working actresses all in one place?
Despite her subsequent regrets, Davis gave an exceptional performance in The Help and there are also brilliant performances from Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney and even Sissy Spacek.
Whenever the screenplay falters in the storytelling, these performances are always there to rescue it and give it legitimacy. In fact, The Help simply wouldn't have worked that well without this cast, so they really did save the entire film.