The Help Dana Stevens Analysis
English 1301
9 September 2013 In the review of Dana Stevens, "The Help. A feel-good movie that feels kind of icky", she describes some of the strongest and weakest characteristics of the movie, she doesn't hate the film but I am sure that it is not in her favorites movies list. Stevens argues that the public wanted to watch the story in big screen and she declares that it is a good melodrama that contains some funny moments: “It's hard to actively hate The Help, a movie so solicitous of the audience's favor that it can't help but win it some of the time" (775). "There are several solid laughs, and at least two instances when I had to scramble for a tissue"(776). Stevens criticized that the movie is focus in one person (Emma
Stone) despite the efforts to talk about racism, the topic of the movie is leaving behind the enrichment of the protagonist: "This isn't about me," aspiring journalist Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone) assures housemaid Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis)..." ". But it's never clear whether we, the audience, should believe Skeeter's disclaimer or not, since the movie sort of is about her" (775). Dana Stevens doesn't state clear what was the purpose of the movie, as she comments that it only summarizes a period in what there wasn’t equality between races but the film doesn’t go far enough in the topic. Also she points out that the topic is very controversial due that many people still feel that the problem still exist: “The story simplifies and reduces the civil rights movement, yes, but at least it’s about it” (777). “…a Barbie Band-Aid on the still-raw wound of race relations in America” (776). “Contemporary viewers might recognize a moment we've actually lived through, rather than being encouraged to congratulate ourselves on how far we've come" (777). After I read the article of Dana Stevens, I’m not excited about the film but I will give me the opportunity to watch the movie, after all it is only the opinion of Dana Stevens and maybe I can interpret the movie in a different way or maybe I can agree with her.
9 September 2013 In the review of Dana Stevens, "The Help. A feel-good movie that feels kind of icky", she describes some of the strongest and weakest characteristics of the movie, she doesn't hate the film but I am sure that it is not in her favorites movies list. Stevens argues that the public wanted to watch the story in big screen and she declares that it is a good melodrama that contains some funny moments: “It's hard to actively hate The Help, a movie so solicitous of the audience's favor that it can't help but win it some of the time" (775). "There are several solid laughs, and at least two instances when I had to scramble for a tissue"(776). Stevens criticized that the movie is focus in one person (Emma
Stone) despite the efforts to talk about racism, the topic of the movie is leaving behind the enrichment of the protagonist: "This isn't about me," aspiring journalist Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone) assures housemaid Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis)..." ". But it's never clear whether we, the audience, should believe Skeeter's disclaimer or not, since the movie sort of is about her" (775). Dana Stevens doesn't state clear what was the purpose of the movie, as she comments that it only summarizes a period in what there wasn’t equality between races but the film doesn’t go far enough in the topic. Also she points out that the topic is very controversial due that many people still feel that the problem still exist: “The story simplifies and reduces the civil rights movement, yes, but at least it’s about it” (777). “…a Barbie Band-Aid on the still-raw wound of race relations in America” (776). “Contemporary viewers might recognize a moment we've actually lived through, rather than being encouraged to congratulate ourselves on how far we've come" (777). After I read the article of Dana Stevens, I’m not excited about the film but I will give me the opportunity to watch the movie, after all it is only the opinion of Dana Stevens and maybe I can interpret the movie in a different way or maybe I can agree with her.