Bryce Dallas Howard's 8 Best And 8 Worst Movies

"The Help," which featured Bryce Dallas Howard as its primary antagonist, got generally good reviews upon its initial theatrical release in 2011. However, even with these first reviews, there was a general understanding that the film had some grave shortcomings. Roger Ebert, for instance, praised the feature as an example of especially well-made feel-good cinema, but freely admitted that this wasn't as deep or insightful as it could be. He compared the whole thing to a "fable" rather than an accurate or substantive examination of racial discrimination in the 1970s. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone went even further in his praise and dubbed "The Help" as something truly special, particularly when it came to the performances of cast members like Octavia Spencer or Viola Davis.

In the years since its debut, the initial criticisms of "The Help" have garnered more prominence, with many of them focusing on how the film centers white perspectives in a story that's ostensibly about Black women. Even Howard herself has acknowledged the flaws in "The Help" and even noted that she would not appear in the movie if she were offered it now. Even with a complicated legacy, the initial reviews for "The Help" were more than positive enough to make it a standout title in Howard's filmography.