'The Help'

MamaStrong · Dec 7, 2011

I did a search for this topic and did not find anything. If I missed it, and there is already a thread about this movie, please close, move or whatever action you deem fit.

My husband and I rented this movie tonight. I had already seen it in theatre's, but managed to get the husband to cuddle and watch it tonight.

Opinions? Do you think the movie did the book justice? What are your thoughts about the topic? Anyone here ever did anything daring like that?

I'm a newbie to the writing world, but thought this was a well done movie, and book as well.

Thoughts?

Devil Ledbetter · Dec 21, 2011

[Possible Spoilers]

I just watched this for the first time over the weekend, having read the book last summer.

I don't think the movie did the book justice, although movies rarely do. The complications with Minnie, Celia Foote and Johnny were glossed over. We never really get just how impoverished Celia's background was, or how tough to the core she is despite her seeming fragility (and this is what made her an excellent character in the book, IMO.)

The relationship between Skeeter and Stuart was skimmed to the point of pointlessness. The movie never reveals Stuart's real problem with Skeeter's activism, (and what would that have taken? One line of dialogue?) so he comes across as a bigger jerk than he was in the book.

The situation with Constantine's daughter was changed completely for no reason I could understand. In the book, Constantine is fired after her near-white daughter comes to the DAR event at the Phelan house and "passes" for white, mingling with the other DAR members until Mrs. Phelan discovers who she is. In the movie she doesn't even attempt to "pass." All she does is come to the front door. This makes Mrs. Phelan's reaction even more ridiculous.

My biggest complaint is that for cutting out so much story and characterization, the movie dragged and dragged.

If anyone saw this movie and hated it, don't be afraid to read the book anyway. It's much better.

MamaStrong · Dec 22, 2011

Devil Ledbetter said:
[Possible Spoilers]

I just watched this for the first time over the weekend, having read the book last summer.

I don't think the movie did the book justice, although movies rarely do. The complications with Minnie, Celia Foote and Johnny were glossed over. We never really get just how impoverished Celia's background was, or how tough to the core she is despite her seeming fragility (and this is what made her an excellent character in the book, IMO.)

The relationship between Skeeter and Stuart was skimmed to the point of pointlessness. The movie never reveals Stuart's real problem with Skeeter's activism, (and what would that have taken? One line of dialogue?) so he comes across as a bigger jerk than he was in the book.

The situation with Constantine's daughter was changed completely for no reason I could understand. In the book, Constantine is fired after her near-white daughter comes to the DAR event at the Phelan house and "passes" for white, mingling with the other DAR members until Mrs. Phelan discovers who she is. In the movie she doesn't even attempt to "pass." All she does is come to the front door. This makes Mrs. Phelan's reaction even more ridiculous.

My biggest complaint is that for cutting out so much story and characterization, the movie dragged and dragged.

If anyone saw this movie and hated it, don't be afraid to read the book anyway. It's much better.

Thanks for your feedback. I have to agree with you on a lot of points. I truly enjoyed the book much more than I did the movie.

'The Help'

MamaStrong

Devil Ledbetter

Come on you stranger, you legend,

MamaStrong