Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Help’.
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There was a time, where critical issues and concerns within our society, were more or less ignored by television networks and motion picture studios. Because the executives in those worlds at the time, believed that consumers were of the belief that T.V. and film were escapes from the everyday world and injecting a touch of real-world concern would ruin that escape and upset the folks at home or in theaters. But there was in fact, demand for the networks and studios to say something when the issue was big enough and that answer to that request, was a ‘very special episode’ or an ‘after school special’ that addressed those very concerns before returning audiences to the land of escapism post haste.
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But as time has rolled along and more people in charge have come to understand the healing power of storytelling and how movies and shows can do more than just entertain, and can actually teach and address real world issues, more and more we are seeing shows and movies that tackle real world problems. So that genuine conversations can take place and awareness can be brought forth regarding important matters and well, that’s led to a bevy of powerful stories on the market. The kind that really are shining a light on topics that we won't or don't discuss enough, such as domestic violence. Which is an important matter that a brand-new motion picture entitled, Help, tackles in a unique manner. 

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a woman named Grace that is going through a tough time. For she’s broken up with her boyfriend and in the hopes of lifting her spirts, she heads out to the countryside to spend a little time with her bestie Liv and her boyfriend, Edward. But upon arriving at their cozy and wonderful abode, Grace picks up on a strange atmosphere within the house, one that is exacerbated by odd behavior between this supposedly loving couple. The kind that leaves Grace suspicious that a secret is being hidden within the walls of this ‘loving home’ and what she will uncover, will change the course of her life in ways that she never thought possible. 

Which at first glance, is a plot that seems to lean harder into the horror genre. Since such concerns could revolve around a spirit or something sinister nearby. But by keeping us guessing as to what to expect, we are immediately engaged and engrossed by what’s happening in this story and that allows for the grand reveal that domestic violence is the actual evil waiting inside this home, to take us by surprise and what's incredible, is that the twist and turns in this story… don't end there. For it turns out that Liv is the individual committing violent acts against Edward and that’s a smart twist to add to this story for several reasons. In part because it informs us of the fact, that DV isn’t something that is exclusively committed by men. Granted, a vast majority of men do indeed initiate and engage in any and all forms of DV and that has to be recognized and spoken to often.
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But it is important to note that women will engage in it as well and having a woman be the instigator of it here, not only takes the viewer off guard, but it also motivates them to look at this story from a different perspective and think back on every moment and hint of abuse in this relationship and that’s really where the film excels in its commentary. Since now, every warning sign and every bit of gaslighting and manipulation becomes apparent. Giving the viewer a complete understanding of what domestic violence really looks like in the home and the warning signs that present themselves accordingly, and that’s a powerful way to engage the viewer on a topic that too many people choose not to discuss or concern themselves with.

But we should, plain and simple, because the well-being of an individual both mentally and physically is at stake when we stay silent and inactive, and that is perhaps the finest message present within this story. In that, if we know this is happening, say something and get the right authorities involved and the same goes for those currently experiencing it… regardless of how scary that may be. Because domestic violence isn’t something that will magically resolve itself and go away. It’s dangerous, it’s unhealthy and those dealing with it, need to be free from it and that message and everything we’ve discussed today, make this a poignant and powerful motion picture. One that needs to be seen so that we can finally get some serious discussions going about a topic that has languished in the dark for far too long.    

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Help’.

One thing that we can all agree upon, is that the last couple of years… have been difficult to say the least. Okay, that’s being nice, they’ve been a hellscape, plain and simple. Courtesy of political unrest, social unrest and an economy that’s offered up more twists and turns than a mountain road and that’s not the only thing that’s made the last couple of years as stressful as can be. Because to top it all off, we’ve been in the midst of a shockingly divisive global pandemic, one that has claimed millions of lives and is mired in rhetoric and difficulties when it comes to its end, and this event has been so impactful and eye opening for all of us… that it does leave one to wonder what will come next when it finally ends.
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But while there is great uncertainty surrounding tomorrow when it comes to the pandemic, one thing that will happen for certain… is that we will indeed reflect upon it and its meaning to humanity and what’s amazing, is that some people are getting a head start on that particular examination. Because there are plenty of powerful moments and musings and stories about the pandemic that are itching to be told by creative minds and the people that experienced some of the darkest hours of Covid’s reign, and it just so happens… that Acorn TV is now host to a motion picture that is getting a head start on exploring the impact the pandemic had, and continues to have, on front line workers in Help.

Now in this particular motion picture, we are transported back to the winter of 2019 to meet a woman named Sarah, who is looking for life to give her the break she needs. Because she’s out of work and living at home and is desperate to find a job and a way forward, and after one wild interview… she seems to find her calling when she starts working at a local care home. Because she connects with the folks in this place in a way she’s never connected with people before, to the point where she forges incredible bonds with some of the residents, including a kind man named Steve. But the arrival of the Covid-19 Pandemic is going to test Sarah and her bond with the residents like never before, courtesy of grave missteps and prejudices from the National Health Care system. 

So, it’s best we get this out in the open now and point out… that this is a movie that holds nothing back in its presentation of the pandemic and all the missteps that in this instance, the United Kingdom’s healthcare system made regarding care homes. Since Sarah and her team are without PPE often in this tale and face incredible odds and what she goes through in this facility as the world buckles around her, makes for some powerful moments. The kind that leaves you transfixed on the screen with your heart racing and your hands clutching the pillows on your couch… as you watch her, and the residents suffer through Covid in every way imaginable. Giving this film a raw realism that makes it clear that front line workers went through hell to save lives, and watched so many innocent lives be lost on their watch at the height of the pandemic. 

But while that alone could have carried this movie over the course of its run time, it is what it has to say about what we could have done differently to alleviate the suffering of so many that makes this film so poignant and powerful. Obviously, for starters, the inaction on the part of the U.K. government and governments around the world led to a great deal of suffering and infections in health care facilities. As did not having PPE ready or properly distributed, and prioritizing care was also a horrid choice. Since it put facilities such as the fictional one here, under incredible duress and undoubtedly led to lost lives. But above all else, the most powerful message present in this film… is that the biggest failure of all when it comes to the pandemic, was the inability of some to be decent and courteous toward other people.

Because had some parties worried less about supposedly being ‘robbed’ of their ‘freedoms’ and listened to the science over rhetoric and had been just plain been decent people… who knows what the course of this pandemic would have looked like and that’s a powerful question to pose to the audience, one that gives us pause and demands that we reflect upon that core element of the human condition and how we improve it going forward. But of course, to genuinely hammer home that point and sell us on the power and the gravity of what front line workers experienced, you need a stellar cast, and this film has that as well. Because Jodie Comer (Sarah) turns in a brilliant and authentic and powerful performance that will bring you to tears and she is anchored by Stephen Graham (Steve), whose portrayal of a younger man suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s, is equally as moving and emotional and invests one into the story. So, if you’re looking for a powerful experience, one that chronicles some important aspects of the pandemic, and you’re ready to hear those stories, swing by Acorn TV first chance you get and give this incredible film a look.