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THE HELP

Title : The Help

Genre : Drama

Release Date : August 10, 2011

Runtime : 146 minutes

Director : Tate Taylor

Distributor : Walt Disney Studious Motion Pictures

Starring : Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Olivia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Horward

Country Origin : United States

Language : English

The Help is a drama film directed by Tate Taylor. This film is adapted from the novel “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. The film takes place in 1960s, it tells about the life of Black women maids who work as housekeeper in the White people house. The Help stars are Emma Stone as Skeeter, a college-educated woman who determined became a writer, Viola Davis (Academy Award Nominee) as Aibileen who is a maid in Leefolt family, and Octavia Spencer (the best Actress in Supporting Role in Academy Award in 2012) as Mimy who is a maid in Holbrook family.

Skeeter is a woman who is pursuing her career as a writer. She is a pluck writer who wants to write about something serious and audacious which reveal something taboo. She lived in 1960s, this is the era before the civil rights and there is still separation level between White and Black people. Skeeter joined in community of White women, and most of them have Black woman maid in their home. Skeeter has friend whose name is Hilly. Hilly humiliate her Black woman maid, Mimy. She makes a new rule for her Black woman maid to use different toilet with her family. Hilly thought that the Black women maid can spread disease viruses to her family. In the other hand, Skeeter has different character with Hilly. Skeeter is a kind woman; she thinks that Black women maid shouldn’t accept the bad treatment from their boss. The phenomena encourage her to write about the life of Black women maids who works as housekeeper in the White people’s house. She makes friends with some maids to interview them. Skeeter wanted to interview Aibileen as a maid in Leeflot family. Firstly, Aibileen refused Sketeer’s request to interview her, she thinks that it is dangerous for her life considering that Black people’s rights are still weak in the law. But, finally Aibileen accept Skeeter’s request to interview her. Mimy as a former Hilly’s maid also follows Aibileen to be other Skeeter’s informant about Black woman maid, then it is also followed by other Black women maids in the city. Skeeter success to publish her book which title is The Help, and the book can make influence to the life of Black women maids.

So, she was afraid if she accept Skeeter’s request, she will get a big trouble that can endanger her life. Then, how the continuation of Skeeter’s book that tells the story about the lives of Black maids? Will she be able to persuade Aibileen to be interviewed? Does Sketeer’s writing can influence the life of Black women maids? To find out

I think this is a film of which story can touch people’s heart, it can make sympathy and compassion feeling to people who watch the film. The film not only shows about injustice of Black women maids, but it also served humor which can make the story isn’t boring. It is a film which tells about how the Black women maids suffer from their boss who still humiliates their prestige and right as human. We won’t find any violence in the film, because it is more show about the internal conflict of major character in the film. From the film we can learn about appreciating other people although she is a maid.

I would suggest that the film is recommended to watch because the film is supported by some talented actress like Octavia Spencer as Mimy who won Academy Award in 2012 as the Best Performance by an Actrees in Supporting Role, Viola Davis as Aibileen who Academy Award Nominee 2012, and Emma Stone as Skeeter. So, we can enjoy the good acting from the talented actrees. The film has story interested, because it take place in 1960s era and show about the life of Black women maids that can inspire us.

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1. What is the social function of the text above?