The Help OUT TODAY!



The Help stars Emma Stone as Skeeter, Viola Davis as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny-three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s, who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed-even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.

Viola Davis is already getting Oscar buzz for her role.

Viola Davis is one of the greatest actress in Hollywood and I hope she gets the recognition

She was amazing in Doubt.

Tate Taylor’s adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s “The Help” opened around the country on Wednesday night and scored two major victories.

First, the Civil Rights drama pocketed an estimated $5.5 million in grosses, establishing itself as a box-office contender (which is crucial to the film’s pending Oscar campaign).

Second — and perhaps more important to Taylor, Stockett and their cast — the films is playing like gangbusters with its fan base, many of whom read the book and came to the theater hoping “The Help” lived up to the hype.

THR reports that the drama, which stars Emma Stone as a fledgling journalist penning a novel from the perspective of Mississippi maids, earned an impressive A+ score from audience members through CinemaScore. As the trade points out, only “Soul Surfer” earned as high a grade, though that film was supported by loyal Christian groups who embraced the movie’s empowering message.

“The Help,” meanwhile, is being fuelled by book-club members who likely will continue to flock to theaters all weekend. Disney is guessing “The Help” will open in the $20 million range. I think they are being conservative. The movie’s going to open big … and we’ll be reading about it all during the lengthy Oscar season.

Amazing book. Amazing cast. Trailer looked a little too Oprah-approved but the reviews are good so kudos.

This should be nominated for next year's Oscars.

Viola Davis is getting tons of Oscar buzz for her performance!

The beginning dragged. The ending was so good though, and so sad.

I still prefer the book, which was AMAZING, but this was really good.

How was Emma Stone's performance?

The book & movie are AMAZING. The ending made me so sad.

7/10

Sometimes very corny, others very real.
It was a big stretch for her I think, but I think she did well.

This movie was absolutely AMAZING from start to finish. Some moments literally had me in tears because it was so real and so powerful. Well done, Emma Stone, and the entire cast deserves many, many awards for such a fantasic job, well done.

I knew she would be out of her element because she's a comedic actress. This is her first serious role!

that's nice

I liked the story from what I've read recently and since it has Emma into the movie I gotta see it. All I need is to wait to the film come where I live which is only September 15th. I'm really excited about it.

Update: On Thursday, it was a photo finish between The Help and Rise of the Planet of the Apes for the top spot. Help made an estimated $4.333 million, while Apes drew $4.329 million.

Tallying $9.8 million in two days, Help's Wednesday-to-Thursday drop was 21 percent, holding better than past August female-driven Wednesday openers The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (44 percent) and The Princess Diaries 2 (33 percent) at the same point, but worse than Freaky Friday (19 percent).

Apes' opening week tallied $77.4 million, exceeding the comparable grosses of X-Men: First Class ($73.9 million), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra ($76.3 million) and I, Robot ($73.4 million) and ranking as the fourth highest-grossing August opening week ever. Planet of the Apes (2001) racked up $96.2 million in its first week, or the equivalent of $135.5 million, normalized for ticket-price inflation.

Previously: On Wednesday, The Help debuted to an estimated $5.5 million on approximately 3,100 screens at 2,511 locations, claiming first place for the day over Rise of the Planet of the Apes' $4.9 million.

It's not unprecedented for a female-driven drama to make a splash in August, especially one based on a popular book. Julie & Julia and Eat Pray Love saw opening weekends of $20.1 million and $23.1 million, respectively, though they had traditional Friday launches. The Help's marketing campaign has been in full swing for weeks, promoting the movie as a feel-good ensemble comedy-drama, but the book's branding has been the star.

Three recent younger-skewing female-driven August movies fared better than The Help in their Wednesday launches, though two were sequels and one was a remake. In 2008, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 had a $5.7 million Wednesday that resulted in a $10.7 million weekend (for $19.6 million in five days). In 2004, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement nabbed an $8.5 million Wednesday, leading to a $23 million weekend ($37.1 million in five days). The Freaky Friday remake in 2003 grabbed $6 million in its Wednesday opening on its way to a $22.2 million weekend ($33.1 million five-day).

In Box Office Mojo's "when will you see it" reader polling, The Help scored over seven percent for opening weekend, which was significantly better than The Secret Lives of Bees' 4.1 percent. Secret Life had a $10.5 million first weekend at 1,591 locations. Interest in The Help, though, wasn't as high as Julie & Julia (11.7 percent opening weekend) and Eat Pray Love (9.6 percent).

The Help's opening means it's in the mix for the weekend top spot, along with fellow new release Final Destinaton 5, but Rise of the Planet of the Apes is still the main contender. With a $73 million tally in six days, Apes has out-grossed X-Men: First Class and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra through the same point. Based on past comps, its trajectory points to a $23-25 million second weekend.

I heard Octavia Spencer stole the whole movie. Is this true?

I read the title as "Bangs" not "bags"