The Piiat movie has garnered widespread praise for its acting, but at the same time, criticism for its way of dealing with racial segregation.
Viola Davis received an Oscar nomination for her performance. PDO
Published in 2011 Maids was both an audience and award success in its time, but its way of portraying racism, inequality and race relations in the American South has since sparked widespread critical debate.
Maids is set in 1960s Mississippi and follows the lives of black maids Aibileen and Minny in a racist society. At the heart of the story is a young white reporter, Skeeter, who starts writing a book about the experiences of the maids in order to expose the injustices they face.
One of the central critics of the film has been Viola Davis, who played the maid Aibileen, who said For The New York Times in 2018 that he regretted his role and that he felt that the point of view of the handmaidens was not shown sufficiently in the film.
– I felt that, in the end, the handmaidens’ voice was not the one that was heard, he stated and continued:
– I know Aibileen. I know Minny. They are my grandmother. They are my mother. And I know that if you’re making a movie whose whole premise is wanting to know what it’s like to work for white people and raise kids in 1963, I want to hear what that really feels like. I never heard it during the movie.
Emma Stone plays Skeeter in the movie. PDO
In his criticism, Davis pointed out that although the film depicts the life of black maids in Mississippi in the 1960s, it tells the story largely from the perspective of the white main character, Skeeter.
Davis’s criticism is related to a broader discussion of the so-called “white savior” narrative, in which a white figure is presented as a key enabler of change. According to many estimates Maids follows this formula recognized in the film industry, even as it seeks to depict racism and inequality.
Film critic Xan Brooks wrote in the Guardian in his published review of the film:
– Maids is a sweeping Southern melodrama that portrays the quest for racial equality as a narrative of oppressed African-Americans making their voices heard through a lone, benevolent white person.
When the film was released, it was a major success with the public and collected more than 190 million euros in box office revenue worldwide. The critics also received it mostly positively, and the acting performances in particular were widely praised. However, a broader critical examination has only intensified in later years.
Viola Davis, on the other hand, has specified her criticism by emphasizing that making the film was a very positive experience on a personal level, especially thanks to the friendships and colleagues that arose from it.
Maids in Liv today, Wednesday at 10:15 p.m. See all TV programs and broadcast times in Telku’s TV guide.