Just imagine...
A white, young, educated & rich woman interviewing a black, old, marginalized maid! How does it feel to
raise WHITE children when your own are left at home by themselves? How does it
feel to work for the WHITE? Do you dream of being someone else? Asks Eugene
Skeeter (Emma Stone) to Abilene Clark (Viola Davis)
Based on Kathryn Stockett's novel, the film revolves around racial
discrimination in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960's. Young Miss
Skeeter has just returned to Jackson, after completing her education & has
landed up with a job as a "cleaning" columnist rather than finding a
suitable groom for herself. Since her maid Constantine (Cicely Tyson), who
worked for her family for 29yrs., has been fired, she asks for Abilene’s help,
as she herself knows nothing about the "cleaning" due to her privileged
background. Eugene desires to be a writer & is in search of a subject that
has not been written about.
On one of the "Only WHITE" Bridge club parties Skeeter's
friends, Elizabeth & Hilly discuss about how "separate" toilets
for the BLACK maids are necessary, highlighting the raciest nature of Miss
Hilly(Bryce Dallas Howard).
Lightning has struck & this is what Skeeter wants to write about:
Racism, from the maid's perspective!
Hilly later has to "Eat Shit" (literally) after firing her
maid Minnie (Octava Spencer), for using the same bathroom as the WHITES. Minnie’s
new employer, Celia, is exactly the opposite of Hilly.
How were the BLACKs treated? Were all the WHITES racists? What was the
norm in the early 60's? What kind of legislation applied to the BLACKs? &
many more questions answered through the characters, brought to life, by the
dint of Flawless acting of the entire cast.
The main drawback of the movie is its story line! If Skeeter is so
bothered about the help, why doesn’t she share her income, as the columnist,
with Abilene? Why doesn’t Abilene get credit for the cleaning column? Why would
the maids in the first place, trust Skeeter, when her own mother has fired
Constantine? Why doesn’t Skeeter Insist on knowing other maid's story before
the publication house demands more interviews? Why are the WHITE men never in
the picture, weren’t they as racists as their counterparts?
Though the movie has its flaws & raises more questions than what it
answers, it is a MUST WATCH! Stunning performances make up for the flaws!
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