THE BUTLER
132 Minutes
PG-13
Director: Lee Daniels
Writer: Danny Strong
Oprah Winfrey, Forrest Whitaker, John Cusack
Cast
Forest Whitaker...Cecil Gaines
David Banner...Earl Gaines
Oprah Winfrey...Gloria Gaines
Robin Williams...Dwight D Eisenhower
Lenny Kravitz...John F Kennedy
Cuba Gooding Jr...Carter Wilson
Terrence Howard...Howard
John Cusack...Richard Nixon
Nelsan Ellis...Martin Luther King Jr
Tom Cain...Racist Cop #37
I Don't Want To Sound Racist: An Essay By E. Dunn
Cramming history into a film is possible, like with FORREST GUMP or GAHNDI. But it doesn't feel seamless here. It all just felt like an answer to 2016: OBAMA'S AMERICA.
Robin Williams wasn't too bad as Dwight D-Day Eisenhower, but it felt like he didn't need to be there, perhaps someone else could have played him better. Like Tom Selleck. I know he's only played Eisenhower, the general, but I think he would be a decent president, and I think he could play the part of President Eisenhower better than Eisenhower himself. Because he's dead, and dead guys can't act. Just look a WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S.
I'm not the first to say this, but Cuba Gooding Jr. looks like Terrence Howard. It's funny, until now, I thought Cuba was having a real career renaissance. This was confusing. I couldn't tell who Oprah was having an affair with: black guy #2 from IRON MAN, or the SNOW DOGS actor.
What's the deal with Forrest Whitaker's lazy eye? I'm tired of looking at it. This issue needs to get resolved. We've turned a blind eye for far too long. The most likely solution is inserting a CG-eye in post-production. Another eye-dea: Forest Whitaker gets baked constantly, this way both eyes become lazy.
'I'm sorry I had to fight in the middle of your Black Panther party.' -FORREST GUMP
As opposed to the butler, Cecil's kids actually lead interesting lives. One son died in combat, and the other joined the black panthers. But their stories were largely glossed over.
I like that THE BUTLER wasn't so one-sided. We got to hear what the civil rights people believed, and we got to hear the thoughts of white supremacists as well. As a member of the audience, I was free to draw my own conclusions.
My critique of this film has been harsh. So it may surprise you that I think this movie is okay, in the literal sense that is. Parts of it were excellent, and as a whole, THE BUTLER is not a complete waste of time, but it's not essential viewing material either.
If you enjoy butlers in Civil Rights movies. I suggest watching CRY FREEDOM. Featuring Geoffrey, the butler from FRESH PRINCE. It's an apartheid movie with Denzel Washington.
Final Verdict: 65 out of 100
