Bolstered by strong reviews and positive word of mouth, "The Help" racked up a solid $4.3 million at the Thursday box office.

The Civil Rights era drama will screen in 2,534 theaters across the U.S. and Canada this weekend.

Armed with an A-plus Cinemascore rating, "The Help" has earned $9.9 million since debuting on Wednesday.

It should earn north of $25 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates.

Shot for $25 million, the DreamWorks' adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's best-selling novel focuses on Southern society women and their African-American servants. Disney is handling the distribution.

Civil rights Canada