With its heart firmly in the right place, “The Help” deserves credit for trying to shed light on an ugly chapter in Southern U.S. history. And while this adaptation of the popular novel from Kathryn Stockett does have plenty going for it, namely two great performances from Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, it’s still a film that ultimately plays it safe – somewhat lessening the dramatic impact the film could have had.

“The Help” tells the story of racial divide in Jackson, Miss., through the eyes of three women: Skeeter (Emma Stone), Aibileen (Davis) and Minny (Spencer). Aibileen and Minny are maids who have spent their lives taking care of prominent Southern families, while Skeeter is a wide-eyed recent University of Mississippi graduate who aspires to be a great writer.

Skeeter returns home from school to learn her childhood friends are now the pillars of society, including Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard). When Hilly announces a crusade to keep blacks from using the same restrooms as whites in the employers’ homes, Skeeter gets the idea to write a book in which the help share their stories.

Her idea is met with reluctance at first, until Aibileen and, eventually, Minny agree to share their experiences. As Skeeter gets deeper into the project, she starts to learn more about herself and her own family history with the help.

At 21/2 hours, this is a film that features a lot of characters and several plot threads that provide “The Help” with several distinct voices. When “The Help” focuses on Aibileen and Minny, the movie is at its best. Davis and Spencer really get the most out of their respective characters, even in moments when the material feels more like a Lifetime made for TV movie than a major feature film.

I usually like Stone, but her performance is rather flat here. I never bought her as the tomboyish wallflower the film tries to portray her as. It doesn’t help that Skeeter isn’t really that interesting, yet the film throws the character plenty of subplots, including a romance that never works.

Howard has some good moments as the film’s main heavy, while Jessica Chastain provides a nice balance as an ostracized housewife who develops a friendship with Minny.

If the story had used Chastain’s character as the moral centerpiece instead of Skeeter, I think “The Help” could have had a little more emotional impact. As it is, this is a film that wants to have a say about some serious subjects – ranging from racism to spousal abuse – while at the same time appealing to the masses. To its credit, “The Help” succeeds more on the latter than it does the former, leaving a somewhat effective drama that could have been much more.

Also in theaters

The big surprise of the week is “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (A), the latest big-budget blockbuster that is not only the best of the summer’s high-profile releases, it’s the best film I’ve seen in 2011.

A reboot of the 1968 science fiction classic “Planet of the Apes,” this installment takes place in modern day San Francisco with a young scientist named Will Rodman (James Franco), who believes he has created a drug that will cure Alzheimer’s.

When his presentation goes awry, the project is suspended. Will continues to research on his own, using a young ape named Caesar as his prototype.

The drug allows Caesar to develop his intelligence and cognitive skills at an alarming rate, evolving into the most advanced of his species.

Will continues to work on the development of his drug, while Caesar continues to evolve – resulting in a series of events that leads to a potential war for supremacy between man and ape.

I’m probably not the only person who questioned the need for another version of “Apes,” but I have to say this reboot more than exceeded my expectations.

With computer-generated imagery work that rivals “Avatar” and a crisply paced film full of action under the direction of Rupert Wyatt, this alone makes “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” a fun summer film. The action starts with a great opening sequence and builds from there, with a great primate jailbreak and a rousing battle on the Golden Gate Bridge that is the best action sequence I’ve seen this year.

“Rise” could have easily rested on the CGI and action and been a satisfying film, but there is heart and soul here, too – thanks to Caesar, a fully fleshed-out and complex character. As the film progressed, I realized I had an emotional investment in the character. Credit stop-motion veteran Andy Serkis, the man behind the effects. His performance as Caesar, even if it is computer enhanced, is the single best performance I’ve seen this year – a performance that transcends all the CGI.

It won’t happen, but I think Serkis deserves an Oscar nomination for giving the kind of performance that really allows the audience to invest in the character.

However, I had a few minor quibbles. The human cast, not nearly as interesting as the primates, is upstaged, and the film has some formula moments – especially involving the typical big business heavies. Still, I really enjoyed “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” a lot. It’s that rare big-budget film that wowed me and surprised in ways I never imagined.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is rated PG-13 for violence, terror, some sexuality and brief strong language, and is now playing at the Greenwood Mall 10 and Highland Cinemas in Glasgow.

— To get sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton’s up-to-the minute thoughts on all things movies, visit his blog at mcompton.wordpress.com or his Twitter page at twitter.com/mcompton428. You can also email him at mcompton@bgdailynews.com.