The Help became Netflix’s top-viewed movie this week in the wake of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests. The Help released in 2011 and is based on the popular novel by Kathryn Stockett. It’s set in the 1960s and focuses on a young white woman (played by Emma Stone), who plans to write a book about the maids in her town of Jackson, Mississippi. Throughout the movie, she spends the most time with Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) and Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis). Both Davis and Spencer were nominated for Academy Awards for their work in The Help, as was then-breakout star Jessica Chastain. Spencer went on to win the Oscar.
The Help is in the spotlight now due to the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests resulting from the murder of George Floyd and countless other black civilians. In recent days, cities across America have come together, calling for an end to police brutality. Many figures in Hollywood have joined the fight as well. Star Wars actor John Boyega is one of the most notable, making a passionate speech in London that drew support from dozens of directors in the industry. Others, including J.J. Abrams and the cast of NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, have helped via donations to charities for the cause.
Now, it seems Netflix viewers are turning to The Help in order to make sense of this troubling time. Per EW, the film became Netflix’s top-viewed movie this week. However, despite its awards recognition and a successful box office run, The Help was seen by some as problematic at the time of its release, an assessment that’s only become more accurate with time. Despite the focus of The Help supposedly being the maids’ stories, many feel the movie actually dismissed their voices. This includes Davis, who said in 2018 she regrets her role in the movie.
As a result, it’s disappointing viewers are turning to The Help instead of other movies that focus more wholly on black voices. The film may have some great performances, but it falls into the same trap as 2018’s Green Book and dozens of other movies that have been accused of perpetuating the “white savior” narrative. Like The Help, Green Book did well during awards season, but also proved Hollywood has a long way to go in its depictions of race and championing diverse voices.
Netflix’s viewership numbers have always been something of an enigma, as the streaming service famously rarely reveals data. That makes statistics like this one about The Help particularly interesting. It also shows that viewers are aware of the Black Lives Matter protests and looking to understand them in some way through their watching choices. However, there are better alternatives to The Help out there, provided viewers are willing to look.
