It also has zero competition.

I'd say not just middle America, but also my parent's generation.

There's a huge baby boomer market out there, hungry for films (who also tend to favor films over videogames and other distractions unlike the younger market).

Why Hollywood continues to ignore this demo is beyond me.

It's also movies like this that Gen X'rs and the betweeners are starting to look for. Remnants left over from our childhoods that are seemingly disappearing from the big screen. I think our eye, may see this as little trite than our parent's generation -- but we want more than the flashy, slick, redundant, same ol' garbage that is currently marketed to our children's demo.

Of course, what do I know?

Oh, I've been preaching for years about Hwood missing out on Baby Boomers including here and here.

If some studio would just make Boomers their primary focus, I think they could do quite well [depending upon the movies they produce, of course]. Boomers actually like movies, the format branded into our consciousness as a primary form of entertainment, whereas young people -- apparently -- see movies as just one of many entertainment options.

Participant Media has come about as close to this model as is out there co-funding lots of adult dramas including "The Help." Here is a list of their movies.

All four of the examples listed are...wait for it...passion projects. Each has a story behind its making that is anchored in the passion of a key creator.

That's the secret sauce that infuses the writing, the voice of the material, the collaborations, the collective effort required to get the story up on the screen. That three of the four are based on true stories? All the more amplification for that passion.

Scott, I think you hit the nail on the head. Boomers love movies. When I try to get my grandkids interested in watching a classic film, they balk, they would rather play video Batman or some such. They also won't watch anything that is not in color. Except for my oldest granddaughter,7, who likes to please me and as a result is beginning to "get it".

Let's throw out True Grit from your analysis, as it is a remake of an Oscar winner, and go with the other three.

Original stories, or more likely, stories we've heard or seen before, but told in a unique way.

It's also, a girl film, according to the analysis provided by Box Office Mojo. Which is the same as a chick flick, however, I don't like that term.

Playing to the demographic that as James said, had no competition is what made this unique, I'm sure we'll see more copycats of this come fall movie season. I'd be more interested in knowing how long it took to get these from conception to the big screen, as it all starts with a great script.

@Batman: Your request is my demand. Check out updated OP with a background story on the making of "The Help."

Thanks, Scott!!! I wish we'd get more posts like the one you linked to.

This is a based on a fairly successful book though. So, it's not like it came out of nowhere. Both my wife and mom had read the book and were looking forward to seeing the movie.
Although my wife said the movie looks like the ABC Family version.. as she was actually afraid of what might happen to "the help" in the book.
They've yet to see it, though.

@CP: See this later post here that makes the same point you do: If it hadn't been for the popularity of the book, almost guaranteed this story could not have gotten produced. On the other side, Disney used book clubs to market the movie.