The movie is really full. It never lags a bit. You are involved and have to watch to keep all the characters straight. There are shenanigans going on and some are supposed which are not going on and it is a bit confusing if you are on the computer or otherwise diverted from really watching. And for that attention, you get a full story with multiple plot lines going on at the same time but without the choppiness that frequently comes with multiple plots. It is all woven together and feels so natural and flowing that I did not even think about it until I was writing this.
This is a must see for those who lived in that time and for those who would like to understand a bit more about how it was and never should have been. It is not over the top in any respect. The abuse leveled on the maids is just the right amount for the story and not overdone, either. They could have gone farther but it would have not been right and would have ruined the story. I am not saying it was right for them to be abused this way, but, sadly, it was accurate for the time of this story.
It hit home with me and I highly recommend it. It is a well crafted, full story that will leave you feeling that you have not wasted your time, not even a second in watching it as you watch the evolution of lives on both sides of the "color fence".