<p>I think that the writing was inferred. Remember Abilene said, “My son always said that one of us was going to be a writer.” My guess is that it had two meanings.</p>
<p>^Sure, but it probably left viewers thinking that Aibileen got the short end of the deal. Minny with the permanent position, Skeeter off to NYC.</p>
<p>I think Skeeter’s mother displayed a stronger and more dramatic change of heart in the movie than in the book. </p>
<p>In the book, Skeeter’s mother sends Constantine a birthday check and that’s how she finds out Constantine has died. (The daughter returns the check with a copy of the obituary.) In the movie, however, Skeeter’s mother explains that she found out about the death when “we sent your brother to Chicago to bring Constantine home.” Sending a birthday check is a nice, mildly remorseful gesture, but sending her son for Constantine shows that Skeeter’s mother (in the movie) was trying to actively undo the damage she had done and set things right.</p>
<p>Thanks, for clearing that up, too, Mary13. We discussed that right after the movie, and didn’t think that the brother had been sent to Chicago.</p>
<p>Going to see the movie tonight (surprisingly at DH’s behest) at one of those theaters where you sit at a table and can order dinner and drinks while enjoying the movie. Looking forward to it, though I have not read the book.</p>
<p>Leonard Pitts Jr.'s recent commentary on The Help:</p>
<p>[‘The</a> Help’ — an imperfect triumph - Leonard Pitts Jr. - MiamiHerald.com](<a href=“http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/16/2361956/the-help-an-imperfect-triumph.html]‘The”>http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/16/2361956/the-help-an-imperfect-triumph.html)</p>
<p>No one ever mentioned that fact that in the book Constantine’s daughter was “white” in skin color, and in the movie she was not.</p>
<p>DH and I had a lovely date night last night. We both loved the movie. Now I must get the book to compare.</p>
<p>I saw the movie last night and loved it. I went with two of my kids who had not read the book (and who cried like crazy for much of the last half of the film). I thought it was quite faithful to the book, although it’s been a while since I read it, but I wished they had included the part about Minnie suspecting Celia of drinking and the fact that she really did save her life, calling the doctor, etc. It meant more to have the scene with the food at the end if you knew that. Also, they collapsed the husband coming home one day and finding Minnie and the last scene, which I thought was unfortunate.</p>
<p>I thought the cast was impressive but, even though she did a good job, DS and I thought Emma Stone was a bit miscast. She was serviceable in the role, but it was distracting trying to figure out how they made her less attractive, and she just didn’t seem like a fit to me for the character. Also, they didn’t allow her character to grow throughout the film. All in all, though, it was great and Viola Davis was amazing.</p>
<p>By the way, DD said she figured out the pie right away, but then decided she must have been wrong since nothing came out about it until much later in the movie. I was surprised she would have figured it out without reading the book.</p>
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<p>Not sure what you mean by this. It was stated outright what the deal was with the pie in the same scene in which Minnie gives it to Hilly.</p>
<p>^ There are a couple of flashback scenes earlier, where we see Minny approaching Hilly’s house with the pie, but we don’t know (yet) why she would be bringing it. mimk6’s daughter guessed the secret early. Pretty smart!</p>
<p>Finally saw movie. such a treat. Now, big Q, who will win award? The Abileen character, or Minny? Celia was perfect. Fun to see Sissy S in her role. Allison J’s accent (or lack of) bothered me.</p>
<p>I haven’t read this entire thread because I didn’t want to read any spoilers before I saw the film, so I apologize if this has already been said. Something about the actress who plays Hilly seemed familiar, and I just read that her father is actor/director Ron Howard. That’s it!</p>
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<p>Ahh…wow, I don’t remember those flashback scenes at all. Guess I’ll have to catch it the second time I see the movie.</p>
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<p>Hard to believe Opie has a grown-up daughter. :)</p>
<p>^ I didn’t know that about Ron Howard’s daughter!</p>
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<p>Not only is she grown up, she’s actually 30 years old. I didn’t realize Ron Howard had any children that old.</p>
<p>Bryce Dallas Howard had been acting her whole life. Actually, she went to the same theater camp as my daughter but did not overlap (my D is 22 and Bryce is 30 and is married with child). She also went to the same college as my D (NYU Tisch School of the Arts). </p>
<p>Bryce has been in a bunch of movies such as The Village, As You Like it, Lady in the WAter, Spider-Man3, Terminator Salvation, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, among others.</p>
<p>I just saw The Help (had already read the book and loved it) and thought the acting was really good, including Bryce Howard.</p>
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<p>Actually, I posted very early on that the story of Constantine was not true to the book. Being very early in the release (8/15) I didn’t want to be too ‘spoilerish’ so I didn’t go into any further detail but this was of equal frustration to me as the telling of how she was let go. To me it was the greatest departure from the book that really fell flat/didn’t do the book justice.</p>