We know that films and TV programmes that take place during the Covid1 19 pandemic can feel a bit uncomfortable to watch, especially with the virus still ongoing, but Channel 4's powerful film Help is well worth a watch.
Written by BAFTA award-winner Jack Thorne, Help focuses on life in a care home during the early, dark days of Covid 19. The film explores the moving bonds between carer and resident, and the struggle they must face in the unimaginable and haunting new world of the coronavirus.
Help plot
Set in a Liverpool care home, Sarah (Jodie Comer) has found her calling at Bright Sky Homes. Instantly connecting with the residents, she forms a special bond with Tony (Stephen Graham), who is in his late 40s, with Early Onset Alzheimer’s. Sarah feels like she finally fits in and has a purpose, and the residents feel like they have someone that truly cares.
But then in March 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic hits, and everything is thrown into disarray. Unprepared and ill-equipped, Sarah and her colleagues fight tooth and nail to keep their vulnerable inhabitants safe, but it seems they’ve been all but abandoned by the powers that be.
A determined Sarah goes to extraordinary lengths to protect those in her care, whose conditions make their suffering and isolation even more traumatic. But the staff’s unwavering commitment, compassion and heroic efforts can only do so much, and Sarah is pushed into a dark corner, as she desperately searches for a way out.
Help cast
Jodie Comer (Sarah)
Jodie plays Sarah, a young woman whose fiery exterior hides a wounded soul. In and out of Pupil Referral Units as a teen, her family told her she’d never amount to anything. But finding her job at Bright Sky Homes and, more importantly, meeting Tony changes her life forever. He shows her the power she has to make the residents’ lives better, that she’s good at something truly important. Through caring for Tony in the midst of a catastrophe she finally finds herself.
"It feels like a very human story, and it’s something that I think a lot of people can relate to right now," says Jodie. "I hope that this film goes some way in telling the unseen and unheard stories of our country’s carers and the horrendous position they found themselves in.
Stephen Graham (Tony)
Played by the talented Stephen Graham, Tony has Young Onset Alzheimer’s which was hidden by his overbearing mother until her death. Now left without family, Tony is living out his days in care as his mind slowly deteriorates. He’s good-natured with a cheeky sense of humour, but his disease and makes him unpredictable and sometimes aggressive. Sarah is the only one who can calm him. And together they form a bond of care that sees them perform extraordinary acts.
Speaking about Help, Stephen says: "To me, this is a story about finding the hero deep inside ourselves. It’s about what people in the care industry deal with on a daily basis – it’s superhuman. For me, this story is about a normal woman who is a bit lost in her life and finds out what her purpose is. She meets this resident and they develop this amazing friendship. They need each other at this difficult time. It really shows what it’s like to become somebody’s carer, and what it’s like to look after someone. She goes above and beyond to try and make sure he’s safe."
Help trailer
Help release date
You can watch Help on Channel 4 on Thursday 16 Sep at 9pm. You'll also be able to watch it on catch up on 4OD afterwards.