Matthew Morrison is noticeably absent (as is Jane Lynch despite being in the advertisements) which one has to assume is punishment for the sin of his advanced age … 32 (gasp!). In reality Morrison is barely older than most of the actors playing his students who, Chris Colfer and Chord Overstreet aside, are near or past the quarter century mark now. I only bring up age because the world's tiniest Darren Criss impersonator steals the film. He's still eight to ten years shy of firsthand knowledge of what a "Teenage Dream" is but the Cuteness is off the charts.
The most interesting element of the movie is its apostolic fervor for Glee as a life-changing quasi-holy force. The movie follows the stories of a handful of real live "Gleeks" who were changed by their fandom whether by opening up their social circles, helping them to come out of the closet, or getting a dream date to the prom. This religious mania is simultaneously endearing and annoying but, then, Glee is miraculously always both; not for nothing is Rachel the signature character.
Already Opened: THE HELP, this weekend's big deal newbie, actually arrived in theaters yesterday to grateful packed houses. That's what you get when you cater to underserved demographics (which is, at this point, anyone who might need a break from superheroes). The movie is based on the bestseller by Kathryn Stockett about a feisty young white woman Skeeter (Emma Stone) who is secretly writing a book about the experiences of maids in the Jim Crow South. She enlists sad-eyed Aibilene (Viola Davis) and sharp-tongued Minnie (Octavia Spencer) first. The three of them raise quite a ruckus in Jackson, Mississippi on their way to Oscar nominations.
Fuller thoughts on The Help here which may divide people into camps: those who love the performances and aren't bothered by its ahistoric feelgood telling and those who object to its surfacey take on a deep topic.
