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"The Help" is a safe film about a volatile subject. Presenting itself as the story of how African-American maids in the South viewed their employers during Jim Crow days, it is equally the story of how they empowered a young white woman to write a best-seller about them, and how that book transformed the author's mother. We are happy for the two white women, and a third, but as the film ends it is still Jackson, Mississippi and Ross Barnett is still governor.

Still, this is a good film, involving and wonderfully acted. I was drawn into the characters and quite moved, even though all the while I was aware it was a feel-good fable, a story that deals with pain but doesn't care to be that painful. We don't always go to the movies for searing truth, but more often for reassurance: Yes, racism is vile and cruel, but hey, not all white people are bad.

The story, based on Kathryn Stockett's best-seller, focuses on Skeeter Phelan ( Emma Stone ), a recent college graduate who comes home and finds she doesn't fit in so easily. Stone has top billing, but her character seems a familiar type, and the movie is stolen, one scene at a time, by two other characters: Aibileen Clark ( Viola Davis ) and Minny Jackson ( Octavia Spencer ).

Both are maids. Aibileen has spent her life as a nanny, raising little white girls. She is very good at it, and genuinely gives them her love, although when they grow up they have an inexorable tendency to turn into their mothers. Minny is a maid who is fired by a local social leader, then hired by a white-trash blonde. Davis and Spencer have such luminous qualities that this becomes their stories, perhaps not entirely by design.

The society lady, Hilly Holbrook ( Bryce Dallas Howard ), is a relentless social climber who fires Minny after long years of service. The blonde is Celia Foote ( Jessica Chastain , from " The Tree of Life "), who is married to a well-off businessman, is desperate to please him, and knows never learned anything about being a housewife.

Minny needs a job, and is happy to work for her. Celia wants her only during the days, when her husband is away, so that he'll think he's eating her cooking and enjoying her housekeeping. Minny helps her with these tasks and many more, some heart-breaking, and fills her with realistic advice. Chastain is unaffected and infectious in her performance.

Celia doesn't listen to Minny's counsel, however, when she attends a big local charity event (for, yes, Hungry African Children), and the event provides the movie's comic centerpiece. Celia's comeuppance doesn't have much to do with the main story, but it gets a lot of big laughs. Some details about a pie seem to belong in a different kind of movie.

Skeeter convinces Aibileen and then Minny to speak frankly with her, sharing their stories, and as the book develops so does her insight and anger. A somber subplot involves the mystery of why Skeeter's beloved nanny, who worked for the family for 29 years, disappeared while Skeeter was away at school. Her mother ( Alison Janney ) harbors the secret of the nanny's disappearance, and after revealing it she undergoes a change of heart in a big late scene of redemption.

Two observations, for what they're worth. All the white people in the movie smoke. None of the black people do. There are several white men with important speaking roles, but only two black men, including a preacher, who have much to say.

There was a 1991 movie named " The Long Walk Home " that starred Whoopi Goldberg and Sissy Spacek as a maid and her employer at the time of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It had sharper edges than "The Help." But I suppose the Stockett novel has many loyal readers, and that this is the movie they imagined while reading it. It's very entertaining. Viola Davis is a force of nature and Octavia Spencer has a wonderfully expressive face and flawless comic timing. Praise, too for Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard and Alison Janney. They would have benefitted from a more fearless screenplay.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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The Help (2011)

Rated PG-13

146 minutes

Ahna O'Reilly as Elizabeth Leefolt

Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote

Mike Vogel as Johnny Foote

Chris Lowell as Stuart Whitworth

Anna Camp as Jolene French

Sissy Spacek as Missus Walters

Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark

Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson

Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly Holbrook

Cicely Tyson as Constantine Jefferson

Emma Stone as Skeeter Phelan

Mary Steenburgen as Elaine Stein

Allison Janney as Charlotte Phelan

Written and directed by

Tate Taylor

Based on the novel by

Kathryn Stockett

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The Help becomes most-viewed movie on Netflix amid anti-racism protests

The film was criticized by star Viola Davis in 2018, and its renewed popularity in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests has drawn criticism from black activists on social media.

Despite the bounty of films by black artists available to stream (some of which are now available for free ) in this time of crisis, many viewers are turning to The Help — a movie written and directed by a white man, based on a book by a white woman, about a white woman's quest to document the plight of black maids — instead.

As nationwide anti-racism protests continue, demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other black people killed by police, the 2011 film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's novel became the most-viewed movie on Netflix in the U.S. on Thursday, according to the streaming service's metrics. The film's resurgence has drawn criticism from many black writers and activists on social media, who are urging viewers to seek out other resources and films to educate themselves on racism.

"I'm so sorry but the last thing folx need to be watching are bootleg 'racial reconciliation' movies like 'The Help' - if you need a list of Black films, Black film critics are on here happy to suggest some really good ones. Hi, happy to help," film and TV critic Rebecca Theodore-Vachon tweeted .

"DO NOT WATCH THE F---IN HELP RIGHT NOW," writer Ashly Perez tweeted . "WATCH 13TH, SELMA, WHEN THEY SEE US. LITERALLY ANYTHING BUT THE HELP."

Criticism of The Help is nothing new, incidentally. In 2011, ahead of the film's release, black novelist Martha Southgate penned an op-ed for EW in which she wrote, "Implicit in The Help and a number of other popular works that deal with the civil rights era is the notion that a white character is somehow crucial or even necessary to tell this particular tale of black liberation."

Even star Viola Davis critiqued the film in retrospect, telling The New York Times in 2018 that she regretted taking part in the project . "It wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard," Davis said at the time. "I know Aibileen. I know Minny. They’re my grandma. They’re my mom. And I know that if you do a movie where the whole premise is, I want to know what it feels like to work for white people and to bring up children in 1963, I want to hear how you really feel about it. I never heard that in the course of the movie."

Directed by Tate Taylor, The Help earned Octavia Spencer an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and also stars Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, and Bryce Dallas Howard.

If you're currently looking for relevant viewing, Ava DuVernay 's film Selma , about Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1965 campaign to secure equal voting rights for black Americans, is currently available to stream on all digital platforms for free for the rest of June as is Just Mercy . Streaming service The Criterion Channel has also made films highlighting black lives free to watch , including Daughters of the Dust , the first film directed by an African American woman to be theatrically distributed in the U.S.

To help combat systemic racism, please consider donating to these organizations:

Campaign Zero , which is dedicated to ending police brutality in America through research-based strategies.
Color of Change , which works to move decision makers in corporations and government to be more responsive to racial disparities.
Equal Justice Initiative , which provides legal services to people who have been wrongly convicted, denied a fair trial, or abused in state jails and prisons.

Help review – Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham will leave you breathless with rage

A care home worker and a patient with young onset Alzheimer’s form a bond – then Covid strikes. What a harrowing and important film this is … until the third act

H elp, a one-off drama starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham and written by Jack Thorne, is set in a care home in 2020. Which is to say, in essence, a plague house. Even if not all the stratospherically high expectations roused by such a holy trinity of talent are quite met, it still provides in the first two thirds of its 90-minute run one of the most evocative and harrowing depictions of recent history we have yet seen.

Comer plays a 20-year-old newly qualified carer, Sarah, who starts a job looking after residents in a Liverpudlian care home and finds she is unexpectedly good at the feeding, changing, cajoling, cheering and calming that makes up the average day. Tony (Graham) has young onset Alzheimer’s and a tendency to roam if not gently monitored. He is one of the more able residents and they form a friendship alongside her duty of care, fostered by games of Shithead over which they trade stories of their respective misspent youths. There are lovely, funny, poignant scenes as they talk, laugh then suddenly have to negotiate the blanks in Tony’s memory and ride the mood swings his relentlessly advancing condition causes.

Sarah is still in her six-week probationary period when Covid strikes, brought in by one of the “bed-blockers” the hospital delivers to them to free space for the growing number of patients stricken with the new virus. The ambulance crew who bring them ask where the staff’s masks are. “We were told we didn’t need them.” Thorne constructs a fine portrait of the interconnectedness of all things – or at least all chronically underfunded, under-advised things left to beg for help, piece together independent protocols and scrabble for PPE. Steve (Ian Hart, as effortlessly credible as ever), the competent and committed boss of the home, does his best, pounding the phones for protective gear (a mate manages to get some dust masks from a builder), going beyond government guidelines and banning visits early on.

Covid distancing requirements mean the laundry service is cut and sheets are washed half as often as usual. Residents must be fed in their rooms instead of communally, which eats into the time staff have to perform other tasks. The residents start to sicken and die, their rooms fumigated and doors stripped of nameplates. Steve and other staff catch Covid until one night, inevitably within the frame of governmental failure that exists just out of shot, it is just Sarah – in her binbag apron – on duty as one of her charges, Kenny, falls dangerously ill. The local surgery isn’t answering, she is in a queue to be answered by 111 and when she rings 999 an ambulance cannot be allocated for hours. She enlists Tony to help turn Kenny on to his front to help him breathe more easily (“I read about it on one of the forums – it’s called proning”), as she phones in vain for help, any help. There is none to be had.

It’s a bravura set piece (given extra power by Comer’s growing but repressed hysteria) and the nightmarish scenes are brilliantly emblematic of the abandonment of care homes across the country. It leaves you breathless with both anxiety and rage.

When Tony becomes an indirect victim of Covid, however, the film moves into a less convincing third act, one that seems even to come from a different drama. In the absence of enough staff to monitor his walkabouts, Steve – the epitome of a good man in a bad situation – medicates Tony almost to catatonia. After a (beautifully written and played) argument with her boss about the terrible betrayal of the man this constitutes, Sarah breaks Tony out and they hide in a caravan together – the weak reasoning being that if she can quarantine him for 14 days, he can be moved to a home that won’t medicate him.

This final section also doesn’t work because their relationship hasn’t been established enough to suggest that she would go so far – they are friendly rather than devoted – and it undermines the development of Sarah from what her school stories suggest was an irresponsible, aimless young woman to someone tested in a crisis and not found wanting. A preachy monologue delivered in the back of a police car about society’s unwillingness to care or face uncomfortable truths (“When did our lives stop being worth the same, eh?”) doesn’t help the sense of momentum slipping away.

But Comer and Graham remain faultless to the end, and the first hour is a fine addition to the wealth of pandemic testimonies that can and must be entered into the record in any way they can be, from television drama to heart-wall monuments to official enquiries. On we go.

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Stephen Graham
Jodie Comer

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'The Help' is currently the most watched movie on Netflix

Today in egregiously problematic, The Help is now the most watched movie on Netflix.

As anti-racism protests continue across the country , media outlets and activists are suggesting people — especially white people — better educate themselves on the United States' systemic history of intolerance and oppression towards black people.

Book lists and streaming guides (including Mashable's round-up of racial justice documentaries) have come in droves, but the popular 2011 period drama The Help seems to have risen above those recommended titles for many Netflix subscribers. At time of writing, Netflix listed The Help as the most popular film on the service and the fifth most popular offering on the site overall.

The film by Tate Taylor, the white director who helmed the 2014 James Brown biopic Get On Up and the 2019 Octavia Spencer-led horror flick Ma , has repeatedly drawn criticism from activists, critics, and filmmakers as a classic example of whitewashing . Based on the novel of the same name written by white author Kathryn Stockett, The Help tells the story of a white woman (played by Emma Stone) chronicling the injustices faced by black domestic workers in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s civil rights movement.

Star Viola Davis, who received a Best Actress nomination for her portrayal of The Help 's Aibileen Clark at the 84th Academy Awards, said she regretted participating in the film in a 2018 interview with The New York Times .

When asked if she had any roles she regretted passing on, Davis responded: "Almost a better question is, have I ever done roles that I’ve regretted? I have, and The Help is on that list. But not in terms of the experience and the people involved because they were all great. The friendships that I formed are ones that I’m going to have for the rest of my life. I had a great experience with these other actresses, who are extraordinary human beings. And I could not ask for a better collaborator than Tate Taylor.

"I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard. I know Aibileen. I know Minny. They’re my grandma. They’re my mom. And I know that if you do a movie where the whole premise is, I want to know what it feels like to work for white people and to bring up children in 1963, I want to hear how you really feel about it. I never heard that in the course of the movie."

Tweet may have been deleted

Film critics have been quick to emphasize the importance of streaming wisely, pointing out Davis' statements and offering alternative titles for Netflix subscribers seeking to educate themselves.

"I'm so sorry but the last thing folx need to be watching are bootleg 'racial reconciliation' movies like The Help, " tweeted film critic Rebecca Theodore-Vachon (h/t Entertainment Weekly ). "If you need a list of Black films, Black film critics are on here happy to suggest some really good ones."

Suggestions have included Ava DuVernay's documentary 13th (also streaming for free on YouTube ) and drama series When They See Us — as well as Chris Rock's stand-up special Tambourine, Justin Simien's dramedy series Dear White People, and David France's The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson.

In addition, the Criterion Channel is streaming a large selection of films that "focus on black lives" for free. Throughout the month of June, DuVernay's 2015 Best Picture nominee Selma and Destin Daniel Cretton's Just Mercy are also available to stream for free through most digital rental platforms.

Netflix did not immediately respond to Mashable's request for comment.

Topics Black Lives Matter Netflix

Alison Foreman is one heck of a gal. She's also a writer in Los Angeles, who used to cover movies, TV, video games, and the internet for Mashable. @alfaforeman

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'Agent Recon' Review: Chuck Norris Is Back in Action, Barely

The classic thriller that put alfred hitchcock on the fbi’s watchlist, return to 'downton abbey' as third movie sets exciting release date.

Movies that take place during the Civil Rights era have become their own genre and one that sometimes diminishes the characters and their stories by making everyone into a hero, a villain, or a martyr. The Help tries to expand those roles by showing that not all southern white people in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi are vile racists, not all black people are born courageous activists, and that while the battle lines were clearly defined as right and wrong, some people had to do some soul-searching to find where they stood. The movie stumbles when it forgets to shade its characters and by being too faithful to the book at the expense of effectively translating the story to the screen. But despite these missteps, The Help manages to deliver some powerful emotional moments due in large part to yet another tremendous performance from Viola Davis.

As Aibileen Clark (Davis) explains in the opening scene, black maids raise the children of affluent white people and then they end up working for those children. For Aibileen, raising children isn't a curse but a blessing and she loves to do it. It's the mothers, in particular her employers (and some would argue, her owners in a society that has clung to any remnant of slavery they can find) that are the problem. They're selfish and entitled and see both their children and their help as accessories rather than people. When Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan (Emma Stone) comes back to Jackson after graduating from Ole Miss she wants to be a writer. She gets a job at a local newspaper writing for the "Miss Myrna" column which offers cleaning advice. She happily accepts it as a start and asks her friend Elizabeth (Ahna O'Reilly), who is Aibileen's employer, if Aibileen (Davis) will help with the column. But as Skeeter wrestles with the mysterious departure of Constantine (Cicely Tyson), the maid who raised her, she decides to write a book from the perspective of Aibileen and her fellow maids.

the-help-movie-image-viola-davis-octavia-spencer1

The Help does a solid job of showing why maids like Aibileen and her friend Minny (Octavia Spencer) are reluctant to share their stories. They could lose their jobs, get blackballed by their former employers, and put their very lives at risk by the swell of racist hatred in Jackson. But eventually, Aibileen and Minny are pushed too far, particularly by the actions of evil rich white person Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard), and feel compelled to tell Skeeter their stories.

The storylines of Aibileen, Skeeter, and Minny is where The Help lives and where its most powerful moments come from. The movie wisely makes sure to not turn Skeeter into the hero whose magnanimous actions make her the savior of Jackson's black community. She's simply a vehicle for the maids to tell their stories. She does have her own arc and her story is richest when she fondly remembers her time with Constantine and now has to deal with the cowardice of her mother (Allison Janney) and her lifelong friends. But the movie drags her story down with an unnecessary love story and ridiculously trying to convince the audience that men have never been attracted to someone who looks like Emma Stone.

Minny's storyline fares better. She serves mostly as the comic relief but Spencer does get to handle some drama when she builds a relationship with Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain), a ditzy newcomer to Jackson who doesn't understand why she's become a pariah to Hilly and her cadre of shallow women. Taylor (who also wrote the screenplay) tries to add some more drama by bringing in Minny's abusive husband Leroy as a background character but we never see him. It's as if seeing a black person behave in an undignified light would be detrimental to the film. I don't believe it's racist to show that anyone of any race can be a bad person. Since The Help tries to show that balance among the character of white people, it feels disrespectful to use kid gloves when showing the diversity of character among the black characters.

Instead, The Help shades the African-American characters with respectable fear. The movie never makes us think that the maids who won't tell Skeeter their stories are cowardly, but it hammers home the courage of the maids that choose to speak up. Aibileen embodies this conflict between self-preservation and reexamining what exactly is being preserved. Davis gives an Oscar-worthy performance as she balances the strength, intelligence, fear, regret, and love wound up in her character. There will inevitably be talk about whether Davis should be submitted in the Best Supporting Actress or Best Actress category, but to me there's no question: this is a leading performance and it's the reason to see this movie.

Taylor had no problem in developing the characters of Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter, which is why it's bizarre to see someone so one-note and predictable as Hilly. She's a racist, shallow, and hateful human being. The end. At one point, Hilly's mother (Sissy Spacek) says to her daughter, "Your father spoiled you," whatever the hell that means. So her dad was a vile, hateful racist? Then why is Hilly's mother kind to Milly? You never have any idea where Hilly's behavior comes from, Howard never hints at a deeper character, and the conclusion that some people are just rotten is ill-befitting a movie that wants to probe deeper.

There are times when The Help is a little too broad or a little too saccharine and it's certainly a little too long. You could shave off about half an hour from the movie and it would be far more effective in telling its story. But if you can get past the sluggish pace and the uninteresting character of Hilly, you're going to find a thoughtful movie that goes beyond the clichés of the Civil Rights Era drama and instead finds a touching story that's bolstered by strong performances from Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney, and an outstanding one from Viola Davis.

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Poignant, thought-provoking civil rights tale.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties of be

Skeeter starts her book project because she wants

Minny is domestically abused; it happens off-camer

For the first half of the movie, there's virtually

The word "s--t" is of prominent importance to the

Coca-Cola is shown a couple of times, as is a Pigg

Accurately for the '60s setting, almost everyone i

Positive Messages

The movie doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties of being African American in Jim Crow Mississippi, but there are positive messages about how the '60s were a revolutionary time for civil rights, even as so many had to die to achieve it. Through Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny's partnership, the idea that a member of the "elite" class can find common ground with disenfranchised African-American servants is critical to the movie, even if it was improbable in real life.

Positive Role Models

Skeeter starts her book project because she wants to be published, but as she gets to know Aibileen and Minny, she realizes that her book is an important exercise in getting disenfranchised voices heard. Aibileen and Minny bravely, carefully buck the Southern system of Jim Crow to share their stories with Skeeter. Aibileen teaches the little girl in her care to be self-confident and loving. Skeeter suffers the consequences of her actions but realizes it was for the best. Skeeter's mom has a change of heart about the way she treated their family housekeeper. Celia sees Minny as an equal and actually befriends her, and Minny helps save Celia from misery.

Violence & Scariness

Minny is domestically abused; it happens off-camera, but viewers do see her with bruises on her face. The assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers is a key moment in the film; President Kennedy's assassination is also discussed. In a disturbing scene, a character suffers a miscarriage and is shown sitting in a small pool of blood. A police officer is rough with an African-American woman he arrests (and her friends), even hitting her in the head with his night stick. Parents sensitive to physical discipline should know that a parent spanks her child for a minor "mistake." A mother recounts how her son was basically left for dead by his white employers; another woman explains how she was threatened at gun point. The maids seem genuinely fearful of white men, whom they know could kill them without any repercussions.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

For the first half of the movie, there's virtually no sexuality (except for the occasional presence of Celia, who wears form-fitting outfits and has considerable cleavage). In the second half, Skeeter goes on a date that turns into her first serious relationship, although she and her boyfriend only kiss and hold hands. A woman's history of multiple miscarriages is discussed; she and her husband are depicted as playful and flirty. Other married couples embrace and dance at a holiday gala.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

The word "s--t" is of prominent importance to the storyline and is said several times throughout the movie. Other language includes "damn," "hell," "jackass," "a--hole," "goddamn," "oh my God," and the "N" word, which is used once, in a casual, matter-of-fact way: "Some n---er just got shot, now y'all got to get off the bus." Hilly often pronounces the words "negro" and "negra" in a way that sounds like "niggra." Other insults used toward the help include "thievin'," "sass-mouthin'," and "no-good."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Coca-Cola is shown a couple of times, as is a Piggly Wiggly supermarket.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Accurately for the '60s setting, almost everyone in the movie (even a pregnant character) smokes. One character orders drink after drink on a blind date. A woman gets drunk at a party and accidentally rips her social rival's sleeve; she then throws up on her adversary's party gown.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Help is an emotionally intense adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's best-selling civil rights-era novel. It isn't likely to appeal to young kids, but it's a historically relevant drama that mature tweens and teens can see with their parents. The film not only teaches about segregation and the importance of racial equality, but it also shows how oppressed people have important stories to tell. The language is tame for a PG-13 movie except for the word "s--t," which is used several times, and one casual use of the "N" word by a bus driver. African Americans are referred to as "negro," and a grown-up restaurant worker is called "boy" by white patrons. There's no graphic violence, but a character is obviously physically abused by her husband, and a woman has a miscarriage, leaving her in a pool of her blood. Reflecting the '60s setting, almost everyone (even a pregnant woman) smokes cigarettes and drinks. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Based on 50 parent reviews

Great historical movie

Great thought provoking movie, what's the story.

Skeeter ( Emma Stone ) is one of the few young women in her upper-crust circle to actually graduate from college. She returns home to Jackson, Miss., where all of her friends are married young mothers who let their African-American maids do the heavy lifting while they gather for bridge games, gossip, and charity-ball planning. Unfulfilled with her job as a household-tips columnist, Skeeter pitches a book idea to a New York city editor ( Mary Steenburgen ): She'll write a collection of stories about THE HELP, from their point of view. But first Skeeter must convince her friends' housekeepers -- starting with Aibileen ( Viola Davis ) -- to be interviewed for the project. Hesitant at first, Aibileen eventually relents and nudges her best friend, the recently fired Minny (Octavia Spencer), to tell the truth about raising and loving white children who grow up to be just as racist as their parents.

Is It Any Good?

All of the performances are remarkable in this drama. On the surface, The Help looks like yet another civil rights story told from the perspective of an open-minded white character who acts as the catalyst for change. But director Tate Taylor is careful not to put an overwhelming spotlight on Skeeter at the expense of Aibileen (who narrates the drama) or Minny. Stone continues to solidify her stellar reputation with her understated performance as the ambitious but slightly misfit young writer. But the real revelations are Davis, who's such a nuanced actress that she can elicit a storm of emotions with her soul-piercing stare, and relative newcomer Spencer, who's not only playing the opinionated Minny but is her inspiration (she's a close friend of both the author and director). Both actresses are deserving of an Academy Award nominations.

There's not a flat note in the production, although special mention must be made of scene-stealers Bryce Dallas Howard and Jessica Chastain . Howard plays Hilly Holbrook, one of the meanest, most heartless villains this side of Cruella DeVil. She's the Junior League set's queen bee and is so racist that she wants a bill passed forcing white homes to have a separate bathroom for their black servants. Chastain, who wowed critics in The Tree of Life , lets loose as Minny's kind and charismatic employer, who's desperate for a friend. The Help is one of those perfect movies for parents and mature tweens/teens to see together. It sparks discussion, teaches a history lesson, and makes everyone think about how we treat others. And yes, don't forget the tissues. There will be weeping.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how The Help depicts African Americans' struggle for racial equality. How accurate do you think it is? How could you find out more about this part of history?

Are the characters realistic? Do you consider any of them to be stereotypes ? If so, why?

Some have criticized Stockett's story for making a white character central to the civil rights movement. How is the movie sensitive to this issue? What did you learn about the South under Jim Crow laws?

For those who've read the book, how faithful is the movie adaptation? What changes did you like? What do you wish the director had included?

Movie Details

In theaters : August 12, 2011
On DVD or streaming : December 6, 2011
Cast : Bryce Dallas Howard , Emma Stone , Octavia Spencer , Viola Davis
Director : Tate Taylor
Inclusion Information : Gay directors, Female actors, Black actors
Studio : DreamWorks
Genre : Drama
Run time : 137 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : thematic material
Last updated : June 19, 2024

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"The Help" Has Been Trending On Netflix — Here's Why It's Not A Good Idea To Watch It Right Now

Two words: "white savior."

BuzzFeed Staff

As George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests have continued this weekend, The Help has been trending on Netflix — even reaching the #1 spot .

Skeeter Phelan ( Emma Stone ), an aspiring writer, listens to advice from her editor in New York as she embarks on a secret writing project that puts her, and especially the women she is working with, at great risk.

In case you didn't know, The Help is a 2011 movie about a white woman who writes a book about the experiences of Black housemaids. The film — which is based off a book authored by a white woman — was written and directed by Tate Taylor, a white man. It even got a Best Picture Oscar nomination , as well as a win for Octavia Spencer for Best Supporting Actress.

However, The Help has been criticized for being a white savior movie. This trope is basically when white people are portrayed as "saving" Black people and POC from their circumstances.

manny @mannyfidel "The Help" just became Netflix's most watched movie amid Black Lives Matter protests. Before I go bang my head into the wall, let me explain why "white saviors" movies are extremely dumb: 09:16 PM - 05 Jun 2020 Reply Retweet Favorite

In the words of Wesley Morris' 2011 review, "Skeeter’s exposé is meant to empower both the subjects and the author, but The Help joins everything from To Kill a Mockingbird to The Blind Side as another Hollywood movie that sees racial progress as the province of white do-gooderism. Skeeter enjoys all the self-discovery and all the credit."

Meredith Goldstein @MeredithGoldste If it is true that "The Help" is the No. 1 movie on Netflix, I invite you to Wesley Morris's 2011 review of the film. After writing it he won a Pulitzer. The last paragraph ... https://t.co/4rgGV2SFd1 01:59 PM - 06 Jun 2020 Reply Retweet Favorite

You can read the full review here .

And The Help is far from the only Oscar-nominated movie to fit the white savior narrative:

Cynthia @cynthiacide Movies NOT to watch when trying to educate yourselves on racism: The Help The Blind Side The Green Book Freedom Riders Any other White Savior movie... 02:59 PM - 05 Jun 2020 Reply Retweet Favorite

Please note that Freedom Riders was put in error and Freedom Writers was intended .

Subsequently, as The Help continued to trend, lots of people took to Twitter to criticize the movie's popularity right now:

Ashanté M. Reese @AMReese07 "The Help" trending on netflix is all we need to know about how some ppl are educating themselves. LOLOLOL 12:00 AM - 04 Jun 2020 Reply Retweet Favorite

After all, Viola Davis herself said in 2018 that she regrets her role in the movie: "I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard."

"I know Aibileen. I know Minny. They’re my grandma. They’re my mom. And I know that if you do a movie where the whole premise is, 'I want to know what it feels like to work for white people and to bring up children in 1963, I want to hear how you really feel about it,' I never heard that in the course of the movie."

And, in 2011, The Help 's author Kathryn Stockett was sued by Ablene Cooper — a real-life nanny who worked for the Stockett family — for allegedly using her likeness against her will in the character of "Aibileen Clark."

The lawsuit said that the book's portrayal "is not a mere insult, indignity, annoyance or trivial matter to Ablene. Kathryn Stockett's conduct has made Ablene feel violated, outraged and revulsed." The case was dismissed because the judge said that the statute of limitations had run out .

As many pointed out, there are plenty more movies out there that are about racism and don't fit into the white savior narrative:

Cheo Hodari Coker @cheo_coker The Help is #1 on Netflix? Fuck that. Click on "Malcolm X". When They See Us. 13th. LA 92. Dear White People. On My Block. HiphopEvolution. Spider-Man into the Spider Verse...and that show with the bald bulletproof muhfucka. What's his name again? 02:51 AM - 06 Jun 2020 Reply Retweet Favorite

Karen Attiah @KarenAttiah Please don’t watch “The Help” to understand this moment we are in. Or “The Green Book”, or “Crash” (ugh) The three movies I would recommend this weekend as a primer to race issues and racism: “I Am Not Your Negro” -Raoul Peck “13th” by @ava “Get Out” by @JordanPeele https://t.co/GV0MFeCWrN 02:33 AM - 06 Jun 2020 Reply Retweet Favorite

If you're looking for movies you can stream right now about racism, you can find a few here .

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'Help' — release date, cast, plot, trailer and everything we know

'Help', starring Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, reaches the US on Acorn TV.

Help is a one-part drama — on Acorn TV in the US and C4 in the UK — that tells the moving story of a young worker called Sarah in a fictional Liverpool care home.

Along with her patient, Tony, Sarah finds her life torn apart by the ever-challenging coronavirus pandemic. It has been penned by the award-winning writer Jack Thorne ( His Dark Materials ).

Killing Eve 's Jodie Comer (Sarah) and This is England and Line of Duty 's Stephen Graham (Tony) star in the new project.

Speaking about the role, Graham said: “Jack is one of the greatest and most truthful writers of our generation and in Help he has crafted a profoundly important piece of social realism.

“I’ve wanted to work with Jodie for ages, and together we’re hugely passionate about shining a light on one of the biggest tragedies of our time and the people at the heart of it.”

Here's everything you need to know about Help ...

'Help' star Jodie Comer: Why I wanted to work with Stephen Graham

'Help' release date

Help has now arrived in the US on Acorn TV. It aired in the UK on Channel 4 and you can still watch it on All4 .

What is the plot of Help?

After a hard upbringing spent struggling at home, in education and at work, Sarah (Jodie Comer) has finally found her calling as a carer at Sunshine Homes. She is known for connecting with the residents there, especially with Tony (Stephen Graham). He has early onset Alzheimer's, which leaves him prone to periods of confusion and sudden outbursts which the other staff struggle with.

However, Sarah steps in and the two form a real bond. But the unexpected coronavirus pandemic throws the home into disarray and Sarah and her colleagues are left poorly prepared to fight the virus. The pressure eventually proves too much for Sarah, who begins to search for a way out...

Talking about how she researched the role, Jodie says: "I spoke with a lot of carers and they were very honest about what it was like during those early days of the pandemic. There were times when I was wondering why my character wasn’t wearing a mask, but then I remembered they were told they didn’t need them at that time!"

Stephen Graham is to star in C4 drama, Help

What inspired 'Help'?

Help writer Jack Thorne said: “30,000 people have died unnecessarily in these care homes because of the indifference and incompetence of our government. Hearing the stories of those at the frontline, having people break down in tears on Zoom in front of us has been incredibly moving and galling.

“Getting the story right will be incredibly important, we are aware of the pressure upon us, this has to be written and made with anger and precision. We hope we do it justice.”

Who stars in 'Help'?

Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham lead the cast for this series, and will also be joined by Coronation Street ’ s Angela Griffin, Mr Selfridge ’s Mike Noble, and Brassic’ s John McGrellis.

Is there a trailer?

Yep, here you go...

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23 highest-rated Netflix movies that are 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes

These Netflix movies are required viewing

Netflix on TV with remote control in foreground

Let’s be frank, Netflix movies don’t have the best reputation , especially the Netflix Originals. That little red “N” logo on a movie poster is often less of a seal of approval, and has become a warning to skip rather than stream. That doesn’t mean the streamer never gets it right. In fact, there are plenty of Netflix movies that aren’t just good, but downright great — a few are legit masterpieces. And, of course, Netflix's movies aren't just limited to those it produces, as we've just added two critically-acclaimed titles it licensed in.

Here at Tom’s Guide, putting together a list of our favorite Netflix movies involves days of debate — as our staffers disagree on many picks. And while we relish those polite arguments, sometimes it’s good to look at the bigger picture. In this case, that means taking a look at review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes , which offers a broad critical consensus that helps provide insight to help us pick the Netflix movies that truly deserve top billing.

Once you're done with this list, though, peep the list of new Netflix movies in 2023 to see what's on deck and see what new Netflix titles to watch this weekend. As for what Netflix has just added, we've got the latest batch of the best new Netflix movies that are 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes based on February additions.

Now we’re not suggesting these are the only Netflix movies worth watching. For starters, I think crime thriller Windfall is hugely underrated (and it scored only 59% on RT). However, if you’re looking for something new to watch on Netflix you really can’t go wrong with any of these 23 options. So without any more preamble, these are the highest-rated Netflix movies with a high Rotten Tomatoes score that you watch right now.

Call Me by Your Name (2002)

While not a Netflix Original (which means it's not likely to stay here forever), Call Me by Your Name a fantastic and critically acclaimed film that just recently returned to Netflix. Call Me By Your name was also the big break for director Luca Guadagnino, who's gone on to make similarly complexed and nuanced films.

Call Me by Your Name gives audiences the vantage point of young 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet), who is as inexperienced as he is pretentious. On vacation with his family in Italy — while his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) is working on his academic studies — Elio meets Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old interning with Elio's father.

While Elio and Oliver don't click at first, they soon actually find a spark. Unfortunately, it doesn't end as well as both parties would prefer. – Henry T. Casey

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Genre: Romantic drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% Stream it on Netflix

The Woman King (2022)

The Woman King is based on the impressive and intimidating all-women army of the Agojie tribe, from the Dahomey Kingdom in West Africa. This film sees General Nanisca (Viola Davis) working both to prepare her new class of warriors to protect the region from colonizers, and disagreeing with King Ghezo (John Boyega).

We should note that The Woman King got hit with a boycott, with some arguing it glosses over the Dahomey Kingdom's involvement in the slave trade. That said, if you're going into The Woman King for a film that's less of a historical document than a feel-good action movie with some basis in reality, you'll be entertained. Davis and Boyega may be the stars, but Lashana Lynch and Thuso Mbedu earned critical applause for their supporting roles. – Henry T. Casey

Genre: Action/Drama Rotten Tomatoes: 94% Watch on Netflix right now

Marriage Story (2019)

Inspired by the breakup of his own marriage, director/writer Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is sort of like Kramer vs Kramer for the modern age. Carried by towering leading performances from Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, this emotionally charged film follows a theater director and his leading lady as their relationship dissolves. The filmmaking on display is excellent throughout, but it’s the nearly flawless screenplay that holds the whole picture together. – Rory Mellon

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% Stream it on Netflix

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Spike Lee doesn’t do half-measures, and he goes all in on Da 5 Bloods. The film focuses on a group of Vietnam vets who return to the country in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader. The central foursome — Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters and Norm Lewis — are excellent, as is the late Chadwick Boseman as the leader of the Bloods in several flashback sequences. Commenting on both the past and the present, Da 5 Bloods is a gripping post-war movie that will have you laughing and crying throughout its lengthy 156 minute runtime. – RM Genre: War Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Stream it on Netflix

The Irishman (2019)

Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman spent years in development hell and at one point it looked as if the project was destined to never see the light of day. Thankfully all that waiting, and perseverance from the famed director, was worth it. It may be almost three and a half hours long but The Irishman holds your attention throughout. Reuniting Scorsese with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, The Irishman tells the tale of a truck driver turned mobster with focus on his swift rise and inevitable fall. Although the digital de-aging tech is a mixed bag, it’s a gangster movie that hits hard. – RM

Genre: Crime Rotten Tomaotes score: 95% Stream on Netflix

Roma (2018)

A passion project for director Alfonso Cuarón, Roma is a semi-autobiographical recount of his own upbringing in Mexico City. Cuarón rightly won Best Director at the Academy Awards for this deeply personal film about family, loss and growing up. Actress Yalitza Aparicio is truly phenomenal as Cleo, a maid helping a mother take care of her four children in the 1970s. If one film on this list is going to make you tear up, it’ll almost certainly be Roma. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 96% Stream it on Netflix

The Two Popes (2019)

Based on true events, The Two Popes is a real actors movie giving legends of the screen Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce the chance to shine. The film sees Hopkin’s play Pope Benedict XVI as he seeks to convince Jorge Mario Bergoglio (who is now the serving Pope) to reconsider his decision to resign as an archbishop. It might not sound the most thrilling concept on paper, but the interplay between Hopkin and Pryce keeps the film comfortably ticking along across its entire two-hour runtime. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 90% Stream on Netflix

Beasts of No Nation (2015)

One of the first Netflix Original movies to make waves on the awards circuit, Beasts of No Nation sees Idris Elba play a fierce African warlord who takes in a young boy named Agu (Abraham Attah) in order to train him to fight in his guerrilla army. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga has since gone on to helm Daniel Craig’s last Bond outing, No Time to Die, and directed and produced the first season of HBO’s True Detective, but Beasts of No Nation arguably remains his best work. – RM

Genre: War Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% Stream on Netflix

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

We definitely didn’t need a follow-up to Breaking Bad in the form of a feature-length movie, but El Camino proved there was another story worth telling in this universe. Serving as an epilogue to the original series, El Camino follows Jesse Pinkman as he seeks to evade the cops and leave New Mexico behind forever. The film’s narrative does spin its wheels a little, but the strength of the performances from Aaron Paul and Jesse Plemons are once again top-notch. And necessary or not, it’s nice to get some closure after Breaking Bad’s slightly ambiguous ending. – RM

Genre: Thriller Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Stream it on Netflix

Dolemite is My Name (2019)

Dolemite is My Name sees Eddie Murphy play Rudy Ray Moore, the larger-than-life performer better known under his stage name, you guessed it, Dolemite. Murphy completely loses himself in the role and was rightly nominated for a Golden Globe for his work. The film’s unique comedy styling also helps set it apart. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself needing to pause Dolemite is My Name in order to compose yourself after some of its best gags. – RM

Genre: Comedy Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% Stream it on Netflix

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Did we need another feature-film adaptation of the 1929 novel All Quiet on the Western Front? Probably not, the 1930 Best Picture-winning original is still a hugely powerful watch. Netflix’s effort from last year just about stands shoulder to shoulder with the older versions of this film. The movie follows an idealistic 17-year-old named Paul who enlists in the Imperial German Army during the First World War. His head stuffed full of propaganda and believing he's set to become a war hero, the brutal realities of the harrowing conflict soon rock the schoolboy to his core. This staunchly anti-war picture is a hard watch, but it’s also a timely reminder that in war there are no real winners. – RM

Genre: War Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% Stream it on Netflix

Uncorked (2020)

Strained family relationships are something that many of us can relate to, and it’s those dynamics that Uncorked plays with. Mamoudou Athie plays Elijah, a wannabe sommelier struggling to deal with the expectations of his demanding father (Courtney B. Vance) who insists that Elijah will take over the family barbecue business. A deeply tender film about personal aspirations and growing into the person you want to be, much like a fine wine, Uncorked should be savored. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Stream it on Netflix

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020)

Crip Camp is a Netflix documentary film that focuses on a summer camp in New York named Camp Jened. Described as a “loose, free-spirited camp designed for teens with disabilities,” the film focuses on the loveable cast of campers and their fight for stronger accessibility laws. Regardless of whether you’ve been to summer camp or not, Crip Camp is sure to strike a chord with you. And frankly there’s something refreshing about a Netflix doc that isn’t in the true crime genre. – RM

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% Stream it on Netflix

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

While some of the best Netflix movies are prestigious dramas, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is one of the best Netflix movies in ages and also very easy to watch. Almost akin to a bag of chips you can't stop eating, Glass Onion is a very fun watch. In it, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back with another mystery on his hands, but not the one he or you will expect. The mystery unravels in an incredibly modern situation — tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) has invited his merry band of influencers to a private island — and riffs on most aspects of modern culture. Kate Hudson (who plays the dim-witted Birdie) gets most of the best lines, which she delivers with a perfect lack of awareness. – Henry T. Casey

Genre: Comedy/Mystery Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Watch it on Netflix

Descendant (2022)

While many an education included a history lesson or few on the slave trade, the story of Africatown is one that's gone under the radar for many. This region (found near Mobile, Alabama) is finally getting its spotlight thanks to director Margaret Brown's film Descendant. In it, the descendants of those aboard the last known ship to smuggle stolen Africans to America finally get the chance to tell their own story. An engrossing film that reminds us all of the need to pass down truths that haven't been told to a wider audience, Descendant is a must-see. – HTC

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% S tream it on Netflix

The Lost Daughter (2021)

Helmed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, in her feature film directional debut, The Lost Daughter follows an older woman (Olivia Coleman) who becomes obsessed with a young mother (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter while holidaying alone. Coleman is truly phenomenal in the leading role and rightfully received a wave of awards nominations for her performance. But it should be noted that The Lost Daughter is actually a fairly divisive movie. While its RT score from critics is almost perfect, its audience rating is far less impressive at just 52%. So be mindful, this ambitious flick won’t be to everybody’s tastes. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% Stream it on Netflix

Mudbound (2017)

Set in the American South during World War II, Mudbound is a story of two families made enemies by the social hierarchy of the times but bonded together by shared farmland in the Mississippi Delta. Packing an ensemble cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Rob Morgan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Jonathan Banks and Mary J. Blige, Mudbound boasts tour-de-force performances all over the place. But it’s the emotionally devastating ending that will truly stick with you. One of the earliest examples of a Netflix Original movie that really made waves. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% Stream it on Netflix

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)

Considering its produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who also worked on Spider-Man : into the Spider-verse and The Lego Movie, it should come as little surprise to learn that The Mitchells vs. the Machines is a delightfully fresh animated movie. Focused on the eponymous family, the zany flick sees the Mitchell's road trip vacation disrupted when the world's electronic devices come together to stage an uprising. It's now down to the bumbling family foursome (and their beloved pet pooch) to save the world. We're doomed! – RM

Genre: Animation Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Stream it on Netflix

The Tinder Swindler (2022)

Netflix offered a tidal wave of true crime in 2022, and one of the streamer's most popular documentary offerings of last year was undoubtedly The Tinder Swindler. Centred on the exploits of conman Simon Leviev, it showcased how he was able to use the popular dating application to connect with various individuals across the world and manipulate them into supporting his lavish lifestyle. The Tinder Swindler is the perfect blend of shocking and compelling, and it's all packaged together with highly polished production values. After watching this feature-length true crime doc you just might find yourself deleting all your dating profiles. – RM

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Stream it on Netflix

Hustle (2022)

Adam Sandler doesn't just make movies for Netflix that involve copious amounts of fart jokes. Hustle is a sports drama movie that sees Sandler play an NBA scout who discovers a raw but very talented basketball player in Spain (Juancho Hernangómez) and sets out to prepare him for that season's NBA draft. It's an against-type performance from Sandler that earned him his first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, and a well-time reminder that while he may often plight his trade in toilet humor he's actually a very talented drama actor as well. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Stream it on Netflix

Matilda the Musical (2022)

Based on the Tony-award-winning stage production of the same name, Matilda the Musical is an all-singing all-dancing retelling of the beloved Roald Dahl book. It sees Alisha Weir play the eponymous young child who is neglected by her parents and mistreated at school by the sinister Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson) but develops magical powers that help her overcome the obstacles in her life. With new songs written by original composer Tim Minchin, Matilda the Musical is sure to be a family favorite for years to come. – RM

Genre: Musical Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Stream it on Netflix

Enola Holmes (2020)

Enola Holmes follows the teenage sister of world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes as she attempts to strike out on her own and prove herself equally adept at solving mysteries. But what starts out as a search for her missing mother soon becomes a whole lot bigger as a plot that threatens the entire United Kingdom comes to light. Millie Bobby Brown, most well-known for her role in Stranger Things, stars in the eponymous role while Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin and Helena Bonham Carter also feature. Plus, if you enjoy this zippy mystery film, it's now part of a franchise. Enola Holmes 2 was released on Netflix last year and pulled an even more impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes . – RM

Genre: Adventure Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Stream it on Netflix

Miss Americana (2020)

Taylor Swift continues to be one of the biggest stars in the world, and this 2020 documentary offers an exclusive sneak peek behind the scenes at her life. It primarily covers a tumultuous period of Swift’s career that saw her struggle against a sizeable social media backlash as well as voice her political opinions in public for the first time. There’s also a smattering of behind-the-scenes concert footage from Swift’s 2018 Reputation Stadium tour, and plenty of insight into the recording of her seventh studio album Lover. One of Netflix’s best biographical docs to date, this slickly-presented film just might convert you to a Swiftie, if you're not one already! – RM

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Stream it on Netflix

Read next: I canceled Netflix for these three streaming services

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.

Henry T. Casey Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

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New Netflix action movie with negative reviews and terrible Rotten Tomatoes score surprisingly tops the streamer's top 10 charts

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Netflix has a new number-one movie in the streamer’s original action flick Trigger Warning starring Jessica Alba . But despite the movie taking first place on the site, it hasn’t had the same positive response elsewhere.

According to FlixPatrol , Trigger Warning is Netflix’s current number-one movie worldwide, taking first place in many countries such as the US, the UK, and Australia.

The movie follows Special Forces commando Parker (Alba) who gets called back to her hometown when her father suddenly dies. In a bid to find out what really happened to him, she reconnects with the people in the town and soon finds herself in the middle of a local violent gang and shady politicians. With only her commando training and the help of her covert ops partner, she faces up to the town’s corrupters to uncover the truth.

However, despite the love over on the streamer, it seems as though the movie hasn’t been as well received elsewhere as Trigger Warning currently stands at a lackluster 25% score on Rotten Tomatoes with an even more measly 16% audience score. Robert Taylor from Collider ’s review reads, "In a movie with so much blade work, what ends up on screen needed to be much, much sharper," and Robbie Collin from the Daily Telegraph described the movie as "pure filmmaking-by-paycheque." Ouch.

This differs massively from last week's Netflix number 1 Hit Man which racked up an impressive 13.7 million views since its release on June 7, as recorded by Tudum on June 16. The action-comedy starring Glen Powell, which stands at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, spent 2 weeks in the global top 10, but has been knocked off this week and replaced with movies such as Get Out, Ultraman: Rising, and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning , just to name a few.

Trigger Warning is directed by Mouly Surya and also stars Gabriel Basso, Anthony Michael Hall, Mark Webber, and Jake Weary.

Trigger Warning is available to stream on Netflix now. For more, check our list of the best Netflix movies , or keep up with upcoming movies heading your way.

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TAGGED AS: binge , Binge Guide , Film , movies , Netflix , streaming

100 Best Movies on Netflix Ranked by Tomatometer (June 2024)

In our world of massive entertainment options, who’s got time to waste on the below-average? You’ve got a subscription, you’re ready for a marathon, and you want only the best movies no Netflix to watch. With thousands of choices on the platform, both original and acquired, we’ve found the 100 top Netflix movies with the highest Tomatometer scores! Time to get comfy on the couch!

New top movies this month: Hit Man , Godzilla Minus One (the best-reviewed Godzilla movie ever ), Tangerine (maybe get your Xmas viewing in early this year?), The Breakfast Club , 1917 , The Conjuring (see best horror movies of all time ).

His House (2020) 100%

Miss Juneteenth (2020) 99%

The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020) 99%

Under the Shadow (2016) 99%

Godzilla Minus One (2023) 98%

Hit Man (2023) 96%

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) 97%

Dolemite Is My Name (2019) 97%

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) 97%

Mudbound (2017) 97%

Paddington (2014) 97%

I Lost My Body (2019) 97%

Roma (2018) 96%

Tangerine (2015) 96%

Atlantics (2019) 96%

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 96%

Life of Brian (1979) 96%

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) 96%

Outside In (2017) 96%

The Irishman (2019) 95%

Marriage Story (2019) 95%

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) 95%

It Follows (2014) 95%

They Cloned Tyrone (2023) 95%

The Sea Beast (2022) 95%

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023) 95%

Klaus (2019) 95%

The Power of the Dog (2021) 94%

Moneyball (2011) 94%

The Lost Daughter (2021) 94%

X (2022) 94%

The Edge of Seventeen (2016) 94%

Emily the Criminal (2022) 94%

Private Life (2018) 94%

Traffic (2000) 93%

Hustle (2022) 93%

Enola Holmes 2 (2022) 93%

Cam (2018) 93%

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (2022) 93%

Baby Driver (2017) 92%

Da 5 Bloods (2020) 92%

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017) 92%

The White Tiger (2021) 92%

The Squid and the Whale (2005) 92%

Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) 92%

Nimona (2023) 92%

The Little Prince (2015) 92%

Set It Up (2018) 92%

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Netflix’s No 1 film continues undesirable review streak for Jessica Alba

Alba stars as a us special forces commando in the film, which has reached no 1 on netflix in the uk, article bookmarked.

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Fans and critics are tearing apart Netflix ’s latest hit movie Trigger Warning .

The film, which landed on Netflix on Friday (21 June), has shot straight to the No 1 spot in the streamer’s Top 10 movies in the UK list.

Trigger Warning stars Jessica Alba as Parker, a US Special Forces commando stationed overseas who is forced to return home when her father is killed.

Parker takes over the family bar in her hometown, where she finds herself caught up in a violent conspiracy as she investigates the circumstances surrounding her father’s mysterious death.

Trigger Warning is currently the number one film in the UK on Netflix, sitting in front of Jodie Comer ’s thriller-drama The End We Start From and 24 Hours in Lidl – a behind-the-scenes documentary about the supermarket chain.

Despite earning the coveted top spot, however, Trigger Warning is receiving dismal reviews from all sides, with both critics and subscribers criticising the action flick.

As noticed by Screenrant , the film continues Alba’s unenviable Rotten Tomatoes streak of late . The actor, best known for films such as Honey (2003) and Fantastic Four (2005), has not achieved a score above 45 per cent in either audience or reviewer scores on Rotten Tomato since Stretch . The 2015 comedy, in which she starred pposite Chris Pine and Patrick Wilson, was well-received overall.

Three of Alba’s films in the last 10 years – Barely Lethal , Some Kind of Beautiful , and Killers Anonymous – have pulled in Rotten Tomato scores of less than 30 per cent. The latter pulled in a 0 per cent critic score based on nine reviews, and a 16 per cent audience score based on over 100 ratings.

Unfortunately, however, TriggerWarning will do little to remedy the problem with Alba’s latest film achieving just a 25 per cent rating based on 20 reviews. It has achieved an even lower audience score of 19 per cent.

Writing on X/Twitter, one Netflix subscriber said: “ Trigger Warning is one of the most boring movies I’ve seen all year, but it’s also far and away the dumbest! A film seemingly made to justify Netflix’s ability to watch things at 1.5x speed.”

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Someone else criticised the film’s writing, calling it “one of the worst script [writing[ in a while”.

“I watched Trigger Warning on Netflix last night,” said a third person. “I’m a fan of Jessica Alba but that movie is really bad.”

“Top 5 worst movie [sic] ever,” agreed another. “Total waste of time. That’s a review.” Meanwhile, others praised Alba’s acting ability and action sequences while still deriding the film’s plot and writing.

Some critics were less harsh than others, however, with The Guardian awarding the film three stars in a review titled: “Jessica Alba returns in solid Netflix action vehicle.”

Trigger Warning is available to stream now on Netflix.

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A young woman's life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend. A young woman's life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend. A young woman's life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend.

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Michael J Fox walking across the street in a scene from the film 'Back To The Future', 1985. (Photo ... [+] by Universal/Getty Images)

Netflix has its share of critically acclaimed movies and duds coming to the streaming service in July. Read on to find out which are the best and worst-reviewed movies in the new batch.

As usual, most of the movies new to the streaming service will premiere at the beginning of the month. As such, July 1 marks the debut of director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and director Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future trilogy, which were both well-received by critics and audiences.

On the contrary, there are two other new movies on Netflix in July that finish out an infamous movie trilogy that appeared to be doomed by the critical reception of the first film in the series.

Not included in this assessment are four Netflix original films that are making their debuts on the streaming service in July, including movie legend Eddie Murphy’s long-awaited return to the Beverly Hills Cop series with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F . None of the four new Netflix originals were reviewed by critics before the publication of this article.

Here are the five best-reviewed and five worst-reviewed movies coming to Netflix in July, based on critics’ ratings on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes . RT “fresh” or “rotten” rating ties are broken by RT Audience Scores.

The Best-Reviewed Movies Coming To Netflix

Best high-yield savings accounts of 2024, best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, 5. ‘american hustle’ (2013).

Directed by David O. Russell, American Hustle follows a pair of grifters, Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) who are forced into an undercover operation after being busted by FBI Agent Richie DiMasso (Bradley Cooper).

The FBI’s target is a group of corrupt politicians, including Camden, New Jersey, Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). American Hustle also stars Jennifer Lawrence as Irving’s wife, Rosalyn, who gets caught up in the sting operation.

RT critics gave American Hustle a 92 percent “fresh” rating based on 298 reviews, while more than 100,000 RT users collectively gave the movie a 74% “fresh” Audience Score.

American Hustle was nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Russell, as well as Best Actor and Actress nominations for Bale and Adams, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress nominations for Cooper and Lawrence.

American Hustle debuts on Netflix on July 1.

4. ‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)

A rare sequel that’s just as revered as its original film, Spider-Man 2 finds Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) encountering a new nemesis, Dr. Otto Octavius/Doc Ock (Alfred Molina).

Kirsten Dunst returns as Peter’s crush, Mary Jane Watson, while James Franco reprises his role of Peter’s best friend, Harry Osborn, from the original Spider-Man in 2002.

RT critics gave Spider-Man 2 a 93% “fresh” rating based on 277 reviews, while RT users gave the movie an 82% “fresh” Audience Score based on 250,000-plus user ratings.

Spider-Man 2 debuts on Netflix on July 1.

3. ‘Captain Phillips’ (2013)

Based on a real-life incident in 2009, Captain Phillips stars Tom Hanks as Captain Richard Phillips, whose vessel—the MV Maersk Alabama—became the first U.S. cargo ship to be hijacked in 200 years.

Barkhad Abdi also stars as Muse, who leads the band of Somali pirates who hijack Phillips’ ship.

RT critics gave Captain Phillips a 93% “fresh” rating based on 281 reviews. The RT Audience Score was 89% percent “fresh” based on 100,000-plus user ratings.

Captain Phillips was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture. Abdi also earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination in his first screen role.

Captain Phillips debuts on Netflix July 1

2. ‘Back to the Future’ (1985)

Back to the Future stars Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, a California teen in the 1980s who is accidentally transported back to the 1950s in his mentor Doc Brown’s (Christopher Lloyd) DeLorean car/time machine.

Because of his inadvertent blast into the past, Marty puts his future in jeopardy when he encounters his parents Lorraine and George (Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover). Thomas F. Wilson also stars in Back to the Future as George’s bully, Biff Tanen.

RT critics gave Back to the Future a 93% “fresh” rating based on 111 reviews, while the sci-fi adventure comedy earned a 95% “fresh” Audience Score based on 250,000-plus user ratings.

Back to the Future debuts on Netflix on July 1.

1. ‘Call Me by Your Name’ (2017)

Timothée Chalamet stars in Call Me by Your Name , which chronicles a love affair in Italy in 1983 between 17-year-old Elio (Chalamet) and his father’s research assistant, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old graduate student.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name earned four Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Chalamet. The film won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for screenwriter James Ivory.

RT gave Call Me By You Name a 94% “fresh” rating based on 364 reviews. RT users gave the film an 86% “fresh” Audience Score based on 10,000-plus user ratings.

Call Me by Your Name debuts on Netflix on July 1.

The Worst-Reviewed Movies Coming To Netflix

5. ‘bad boys ii’ (2003).

The first sequel to the 1995 hit Bad Boys , Bad Boys II reunites Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as Miami police detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, who are trying to stop a Cuban drug cartel from smuggling ecstasy into their city.

Arriving on Netflix in time to capitalize on the theatrical success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die , the first two films in the four-chapter action series didn’t receive nearly the critical praise.

Bad Boys II has the worst Rotten Tomatoes score in the franchise, with a 24% “rotten” rating based on 186 reviews. Viewers reacted much differently, however, giving the film a 78% “fresh” RT Audience Score based on 250,000-plus user ratings.

Bad Boys II debuts on Netflix on July 8.

4. ‘Midnight Sun’ (2018)

Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger star as Katie Price and Charlie Reed in Midnight Sun , a teen romance drama about how the couple copes with an illness that prevents Katie from being out in the sun.

RT critics gave Midnight Sun a 20% “rotten” rating, while viewers seemed a little more impressed. Still, the movie was deemed “rotten” with a 56% Audience Score based on 1,000-plus RT user ratings.

Midnight Sun debuts on Netflix on July 15.

3. ‘The Boy Next Door’ (2015)

Jennifer Lopez stars in The Boy Next Door , a crime thriller about how a dangerous situation develops after divorced school teacher Claire Peterson (Lopez) has a one-night stand with her 19-year-old former student, Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman).

After the one encounter, Claire tries to end the relationship but Noah becomes enraged.

RT critics gave The Boy Next Door a 12% “rotten” rating based on 139 reviews, while viewers gave the movie a 34% “rotten” Audience Score based on 25,000-plus RT user ratings.

The Boy Next Door debuts on Netflix on July 16.

2. ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ (2017)

Two years after critics trashed Fifty Shades of Grey , Fifty Shades Darker —the second book in author E.L. James’ erotic book trilogy—was released.

Dakota Johnson reprises her role of Anastasia Steele, who fell under the spell of billionaire businessman Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan, back for round two) and his lurid world of BDSM in the first film. Fifty Shades Darker finds Christian trying to lure Anastasia back into his life after she left him at the conclusion of Fifty Shades of Grey .

RT critics gave 50 Shades Darker an 11% “rotten” rating based on 209 reviews. Viewers were more split on their reaction to the film, giving it a 48% “rotten” RT Audience Score based on 25,000-plus user ratings.

Fifty Shades Darker debuts on Netflix on July 16.

1. ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ (2018)

E.L. James’ Fifty Shades book-turned-movie trilogy concluded with Fifty Shades Freed .

Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) accepted Christian Grey’s (Jamie Dornan) marriage proposal at the end of Fifty Shades Darker and 50 Shades Freed finds the two as newlyweds. Things get complicated when Anastasia reveals that she is pregnant, but her joy is tempered when she learns Christian is communicating with a former BDSM dominant.

Fifty Shades Freed —like Fifty Shades Darker —received an 11% percent “rotten” rating from RT critics, but this rating was based on 194 reviews. Fifty Shades Freed , however, earned the No. 1 spot as the worst movie new on Netflix in July because it earned a 38% “rotten” Audience Score based on 5,000-plus user ratings.

Fifty Shades Freed debuts on Netflix on July 16.

If viewers want to take in the entire Fifty Shades movie trilogy, Netflix added the first film—2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey —to its streaming platform in June .

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COMMENTS

Help (2021)
Netflix streaming; Apple TV; Prime Video; Most popular streaming movies; ... Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/30/23 Full Review Wayne M Help is a superbly acted, deeply effective film ...
The Help
Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/01/24 Full Review Audience Member i love this movie truly, however i feel like it missed many important points of the novel. regardless, a must-watch!!
The Help movie review & film summary (2011)
"The Help" is a safe film about a volatile subject. Presenting itself as the story of how African-American maids in the South viewed their employers during Jim Crow days, it is equally the story of how they empowered a young white woman to write a best-seller about them, and how that book transformed the author's mother. We are happy for the two white women, and a third, but as the film ends ...
Help
It is shot in the style of a horror film, as one continuous take. Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 20, 2021. Lauren Morris Radio Times. The main highlight of the two-hour film is Comer's ...
The Help is most-viewed movie on Netflix amid anti-racism protests
The Help. becomes most-viewed movie on Netflix amid anti-racism protests. The film was criticized by star Viola Davis in 2018, and its renewed popularity in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests ...
News, sport and opinion from the Guardian's US edition
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'The Help' becomes the most watched movie on Netflix
At time of writing, Netflix listed The Help as the most popular film on the service and the fifth most popular offering on the site overall. Credit: mashable composite; netflix. "I just felt that ...
THE HELP Review
The Help review. Matt reviews Tate Taylor's The Help starring Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, and Bryce Dallas Howard.
The Help Movie Review
What you will—and won't—find in this movie. Parents need to know that The Help is an emotionally intense adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's best-selling civil rights-era novel. It isn't likely to appeal to young kids, but it's a historically relevant drama that mature tweens and teens can see with their parents.
Help (2021 TV film)
Help is a 2021 British drama television film about the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, written by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden.It follows Sarah (Jodie Comer), a young health care assistant who starts working at a care home in Liverpool, where she cares for Tony (Stephen Graham), a middle-aged man who has early-onset Alzheimer's disease; when the pandemic hits the UK, both ...
The Help (2011)
The Help: Directed by Tate Taylor. With Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer. An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
Help (TV Movie 2021)
A powerful film that shows the hard truth of how care homes were ignored and left to survive on their own. Jodie Comer and Stephen Were phenomenal in their roles. The acting felt real. A true masterclass in acting and never sliding into over dramatic acting which I feel could have happened if they weren't these actors.
Help (TV Movie 2021)
Help: Directed by Marc Munden. With Jodie Comer, Stephen Graham, Arthur Hughes, Ian Hart. Sarah seems to have found her calling working in a Liverpool care home where she has a special talent for connecting with the residents. Then, in March 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic hits.
"The Help" Has Been Trending On Netflix
In the words of Wesley Morris' 2011 review, ... If it is true that "The Help" is the No. 1 movie on Netflix, I invite you to Wesley Morris's 2011 review of the film. After writing it he won a ...
Help
Watching-guides. 'Help' — release date, cast, plot, trailer and everything we know. 'Help', starring Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, reaches the US on Acorn TV. Help will tell a heartfelt story about the coronavirus pandemic.(Image credit: Channel 4) Help is a one-part drama — on Acorn TV in the US and C4 in the UK — that tells the moving ...
23 highest-rated Netflix movies that are 90% or higher on Rotten
Hustle (2022) Adam Sandler doesn't just make movies for Netflix that involve copious amounts of fart jokes. Hustle is a sports drama movie that sees Sandler play an NBA scout who discovers a raw ...
Jessica Alba's 'Trigger Warning' Defies Bad Reviews To Become Netflix
The reviews didn't detract from viewers tuning into Trigger Warning, though, as the action crime thriller debuted at No. 1 on the Netflix Global Top 10 Movies chart for the week of June 17-23 ...
New Netflix action movie with negative reviews and terrible Rotten
This differs massively from last week's Netflix number 1 Hit Man which racked up an impressive 13.7 million views since its release on June 7, as recorded by Tudum on June 16.
'Hit Man' Dethroned In Netflix's Top 10 List By A New Movie
Movies can only last so long on Netflix's Top 10 list as people move on from a two hour adventure eventually, and Hit Man has now lost the #1 spot there. The 96% rated movie was universally ...
Netflix's 100 Best Movies Right Now (June 2024)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving. Directed By: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski. The latest Certified Fresh movies, including Enola Holmes 2, Captain Phillips, The Bad Guys, Dolphin Tale, The Mask of Zorro, Moneyball, Notting Hill, Up in the Air.
Help (2021)
Rated: 3.5/5 Feb 17, 2022 Full Review Federico Furzan Movie-Blogger.com Help is solid enough to make you want to stick to the end and solve whatever's happening in this strange encounter with friends.
Critics Blast Jessica Alba's Netflix Movie 'Trigger Warning'
Jessica Alba's new Netflix movie Trigger Warning is getting blown to pieces by Rotten Tomatoes critics. New on the streaming service Friday, Trigger Warning stars Alba as Parker, a U.S. Special ...
Trigger Warning movie: Netflix's latest hit film continues undesirable
Fans and critics are tearing apart Netflix's latest hit movie Trigger Warning. The film, which landed on Netflix on Friday (21 June), has shot straight to the No 1 spot in the streamer's Top ...
'Trigger Warning' review: Jessica Alba leaps back into action mode with
Jessica Alba marks her return to the action genre in "Trigger Warning," the kind of Netflix movie that invariably lands atop its "most viewed" tier. CNN values your feedback 1.
Help (2021)
Help: Directed by Blake Ridder. With Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Louis James, Blake Ridder. A young woman's life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend.
'The Price of Nonna's Inheritance' Netflix Movie Review: Stream It Or
He Hopes His First Comedy Special Can Help Everyone Else 3 Donald Sutherland Movies on Netflix to Watch In Honor Of the Late, Great Star It's A 'Bridgerton' Romance: Bessie Carter And Sam Phillips ...
Badass Moms. Short-Ass Movies. How Netflix hooks you with catchy
With the help of algorithms that analyze viewing habits and underlying data that tags movies with snappy descriptions, Netflix categories can make highly customized recommendations, Patel says.
'IF' Digital Release Streaming Movie Review: Stream It Or Skip It?
3 Donald Sutherland Movies on Netflix to Watch In Honor Of the Late, Great Star This story has been shared 361 times. 361. Hollywood Mourns Donald Sutherland: Ron Howard, Elijah Wood, Edgar Wright ...
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He Hopes His First Comedy Special Can Help Everyone Else 3 Donald Sutherland Movies on Netflix to Watch In Honor Of the Late, Great Star It's A 'Bridgerton' Romance: Bessie Carter And Sam Phillips ...
The Best And Worst-Reviewed Movies Coming To Netflix In July 2024
4. 'Spider-Man 2' (2004) A rare sequel that's just as revered as its original film, Spider-Man 2 finds Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) encountering a new nemesis, Dr. Otto Octavius ...

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"The Help" Has Been Trending On Netflix — Here's Why It's Not A Good Idea To Watch It Right Now

As George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests have continued this weekend, The Help has been trending on Netflix — even reaching the #1 spot .

However, The Help has been criticized for being a white savior movie. This trope is basically when white people are portrayed as "saving" Black people and POC from their circumstances.

And The Help is far from the only Oscar-nominated movie to fit the white savior narrative:

Subsequently, as The Help continued to trend, lots of people took to Twitter to criticize the movie's popularity right now:

After all, Viola Davis herself said in 2018 that she regrets her role in the movie: "I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard."

And, in 2011, The Help 's author Kathryn Stockett was sued by Ablene Cooper — a real-life nanny who worked for the Stockett family — for allegedly using her likeness against her will in the character of "Aibileen Clark."

As many pointed out, there are plenty more movies out there that are about racism and don't fit into the white savior narrative:

If you're looking for movies you can stream right now about racism, you can find a few here .

'Help' — release date, cast, plot, trailer and everything we know

'Help' release date

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