20 Heartwarming movies like The Help every empathy seeker must watch

20 Heartwarming movies like The Help every empathy seeker must watch

The Help is a 2011 drama film based on a 2009 novel of the same name. The film revolves around the 1960s and chronicles the lives of African-American maids serving white families in Jackson, Mississippi. It focuses on their challenges, courage, and drive to make an impact in a profoundly divided society. If you enjoyed The Help and are seeking more films that explore similar themes, here are movies like The Help to keep you engaged.

Movies like The Help
Selma, Green Book, and Just Mercy posters. Photo: @rottentomatoes, @imdb, @moviesanywhere on Instagram (modified by author)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

When compiling a list of heartwarming movies like The Help, we analysed various elements, including IMDb ratings, reviews, and popularity, to decide the ranking. We obtained information from IMDb, Blavity News, and other similar websites.

Heartwarming movies like The Help

What should I watch to be a better person? Movies like The Help have had a significant impact on people's knowledge of racial inequity and how many of them participate in it, willingly or unknowingly. These films help you grasp the human rights panorama beyond racial discrimination, particularly during the Jim Crow period and after World War II.

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MovieIMDb ratings out of 10
Green Book 8.2
I Am Not Your Negro 7.9
Hidden Figures 7.8
The Color Purple 7.7
The Trial of the Chicago 7 7.7
Just Mercy7.6
Watchmen7.6
Selma7.5
The Banker 7.3
The Best of Enemies 7.3
Marshall7.3
The Butler 7.2
Till7.2
Brian Banks 7.2
Fences7.2
Loving7
Harriet 6.7
The United States vs. Billie Holiday 6.3
Son of the South 6.2
For Colored Girls 6.2

1. Green Book (2018)

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  • IMDb rating: 8.2/10
  • Genre: Biography, comedy, drama
  • Initial release: 11 September 2018

The film features an African-American pianist who employs an Italian-American bodyguard to transport him around his venues. This is amid severe bigotry in 1960s southern America. The two get closer during their voyage.

2. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.9/10
  • Genre: History, Documentary
  • Release date: 3 February 2017 (USA)

In 1979, James Baldwin sent a letter to his literary agency outlining his upcoming work, Remember This House. The novel was supposed to be a revolutionary, affectionate narrative of the lives and murders of three of his closest companions: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. However, Baldwin died in 1987, leaving only 30 finished pages of this work.

3. Hidden Figures (2016)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.8/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama, history
  • Release date: 6 January 2017 (USA)

According to the film, three African-American female mathematicians play critical roles in astronaut John Glenn's ascension into space. At the same time, they face workplace discrimination based on race and gender.

4. The Color Purple (1985)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.7/10
  • Genre: Drama
  • Release date: 18 December 1985 (USA)

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The movie tells the story of Celie, a young girl at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Celie, a youthful African-American lady, gets assaulted by her dad and carries two of his kids. She then marries an abusive man and lives a difficult life.

5. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.7/10
  • Genre: Drama, history, thriller
  • Initial release: 25 September 2020

The movie is centred on the iconic 1969 trial of seven suspects accused by the federal government of plotting and other offences in connection with countercultural protests in Chicago. This was during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The trial captivated the nation and spurred a debate about mayhem designed to harm the United States government.

6. Just Mercy (2019)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.6/10
  • Genre: Biography, crime, drama
  • Release date: 25 December 2019 (USA)

Just Mercy is a compelling and thought-provoking real story of young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his historic quest for justice. Bryan may have chosen to pursue a lucrative occupation after graduating from Harvard. Instead, he travels to Alabama to fight for people wrongfully imprisoned with the help of local campaigner Eva Ansley.

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7. Watchmen (2009)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.6/10
  • Genre: Action, drama, mystery
  • Release date: 6 March 2009 (USA)

Rorschach, a vigilante, examines the killing of another vigilante and informs his former allies that this could be a plot to kill individuals like them. However, he is introduced to a far darker scheme.

8. Selma (2014)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.5/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama, history
  • Release date: 25 December 2014 (USA)

This fascinating true narrative follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s risky drive to obtain universal voting rights amid deadly opposition for three months in 1965. The historic march from Selma to Montgomery resulted in President Johnson approving the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the civil rights movement's significant triumphs.

9. The Banker (2020)

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  • IMDb: 7.3/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama
  • Initial release: 2 March 2020

Inspired by actual events, two entrepreneurs devise a clever business plan to battle for housing integration and fair opportunity to the American Dream.

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10. The Best of Enemies (2019)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.3/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama, history
  • Release date: 5 April 2019 (USA)

The film concentrates on human rights activist Ann Atwater. It features her confrontation with C.P. Ellis, the Ku Klux Klan's Exalted Cyclops, in 1971 in Durham, North Carolina, about school integration.

11. Marshall (2017)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.3/10
  • Genre: Biography, crime, drama
  • Release date: 13 October 2017 (USA)

The film follows Thurgood Marshall, the campaigning lawyer who eventually became the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, where he deals with one of his profession-defining cases.

12. The Butler (2013)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.2/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama
  • Release date: 16 August 2013 (USA)

The film follows Cecil Gaines, a butler in the White House who serves eight presidents. Vietnam, the civil rights movement, and other significant events impact this man's life, household, and American society.

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13. Till (2022)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.2/10
  • Genre: Biography, crime, drama, history
  • Release date: 6 January 2023 (UK)

Till is a highly emotional and dramatic movie about Mamie Till Mobley's unwavering quest for justice for her 14-year-old child, Emmett Till. Her child is killed in the 50s while visiting his relatives in Mississippi.

14. Brian Banks (2018)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.2/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama, sport
  • Release date: 9 August 2019 (USA)

The inspiring, actual account of Brian Banks, an All-American high school football player going to USC whose life is turned upside down when he is wrongfully convicted of an offence he did not commit. Despite the absence of proof, Brian is railroaded through a flawed court system and imprisoned to a decade in jail and probation.

15. Fences (2016)

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  • IMDb rating: 7.2/10
  • Genre: Drama
  • Release date: 15 December 2016 (USA)

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Troy, an African American guy who previously aspired to be a baseball player, is denied the opportunity due to bigotry. As time progresses, he vents his frustrations on his loved ones, destroying his son's future.

16. Loving (2016)

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  • IMDb rating: 7/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama, romance
  • Release date: 4 November 2016 (USA)

The film tells the tale of Mildred and Richard Loving, a couple arrested for marrying across races in the 60s in Virginia. It sparks a legal battle that ends with the Supreme Court's momentous 1967 ruling.

17. Harriet (2019)

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  • IMDb rating: 6.7/10
  • Genre: Action, biography, drama
  • Release date: 1 November 2019 (USA)

Based on the fascinating and inspiring life of a legendary American freedom fighter, Harriet chronicles the incredible story of Harriet Tubman's liberation from slavery and metamorphosis into one of America's best heroines. Her brevity and creativity see the release of hundreds of enslaved people, altering the course of history.

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18. The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)

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  • IMDb rating: 6.3/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama, music
  • Release date: 26 February 2021 (USA)

Billie Holiday, a musician, rises to prominence after performing a ballad about the execution of Black Americans. However, she quickly finds herself having difficulty with the police.

19. Son of the South (2020)

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  • IMDb rating: 6.2/10
  • Genre: Biography, drama
  • Release date: 5 February 2021 (USA)

In this moving real story centred around Montgomery, Alabama, a Klansman's grandchild must decide which side of history to follow throughout the Civil Rights movement. He defies his relatives and white Southern customs by fighting against social injustice, persecution, and violence to alter the society around him. It is one of the best civil rights movies to watch.

20. For Colored Girls (2010)

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  • IMDb rating: 6.2/10
  • Genre: Drama
  • Release date: 5 November 2010 (USA)

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This film tells the diverse narratives of African American women. It is centred on Ntozake Shange's compilation of 20 poems and addresses topics and problems that women encounter.

Is The Help based on a true story?

The Help is a piece of fiction. However, the story is heavily influenced by the author's childhood experience and the African-American maid's experience in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1950s.

What movie made Emma Stone famous?

Following a succession of outstanding performances, her leading role as Olive in Easy A (2010) cemented her status as a star.

Is Her an A24 movie?

Her is a 2013 movie produced by Megan Ellison, Spike Jonze, and Vincent Landay. Two companies primarily produced the film: Annapurna Pictures and Stage 6 Films.

Above are some heartwarming movies like The Help you must watch. These fantastic literary works are ideal for exploring the world and discovering your inner self. They can change people's perspectives on life, making them another beginning point for introspection.

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Yen.com.gh recently published a list of exciting movies like The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The film The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows Charlie, an introverted character who struggles with sadness and anguish after losing his aunt.

The primary themes in The Perks of Being a Wallflower include friendship, affection, grief, and self-discovery. If you like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, read the article to find out similar films you should watch.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Tatiana Thiga avatar

Tatiana Thiga (Lifestyle writer) Tatiana Thiga is a content creator who joined Yen in 2022. She is an English literature graduate from Kenyatta University. She has amassed sufficient knowledge working on a variety of topics, including biographies, fashion and lifestyles, guides, and more. In 2023, Tatiana finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her at tatianathiga@gmail.com

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