“Lee Daniels’ The Butler” is inspired by the true story of Cecil Gaines, a White House butler who served multiple presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan. This film is a triumph and one of those movies you really can’t miss. All the hype surrounding this movie is totally worth it and I will not be surprised if Forest Whitaker is nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Cecil.
“The Butler” tells Cecil’s tale from his time as a child on a cotton plantation until he is gray headed and very old. In a world torn apart by racism and segregation, Cecil does quite well for himself. A hotel butler finds him and recognizes his potential and later he is hired by an upscale hotel in D.C., the job which leads to his employment at the White House.
Cecil’s employment is in and of itself a powerful story, but that is only a teeny slice of his life. While under the employ of the White House, Cecil’s oldest son, Louis, leaves for college (Fisk) and becomes impassioned by the injustices against the African American community. He, along with several of his peers, protest, participate in Freedom Rides and follow Martin Luther King Jr in the hopes of making a difference.
“The Butler” does a beautiful job of juxtaposes Cecil’s lifestyle in D.C., working at the White House against his son’s experiences of frequently getting beaten and arrested. Louis’ beliefs are a burden to Cecil and their relationship suffers greatly due to their different views.
Forest Whitaker, as Cecil, had some big shoes to fill and he did it flawlessly. But, a leading actor must have a great leading actress to make the film amazing and Oprah Winfrey, playing Cecil’s wife Gloria, was outstanding. Gloria is anything but perfect. Her husband’s job causes her to drink too much, make poor decisions and be all together nasty sometimes. While watching Oprah play Gloria, I forgot I was watching Oprah–that’s how good she is! She may be getting an Oscar nod as well.
Then there’s Cecil’s co-workers at the White House played by Lenny Kravitz and Cuba Gooding Jr. Along with Whitaker, the three have an on-screen chemistry that makes you believe their bonds are lifelong.
My last note about the acting has to be about the veteran actors who played the presidents: Robin Williams, James Marsden, Liev Shreiber, John Cusack, Richard Nixon and Alan Rickman. Although each actor may not have had a ton of screen time, their time was valuable and of all the presidents I was most impressed by Rickman’s portrayal of Reagan. I was slightly nervous about a Brit playing Reagan but I should have never doubted Rickman. His accent and tone were spot on!
This film tells a story of hope and shows how everyone, on every rung of the social and economic ladder, can change things. It’s a bit of a tearjerker so bring some tissue!
Movies are not as cheap as they used to be but this is a movie to spend money on. From the acting to the costume transformations to the message, this film is the film of the year.
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