Lee Daniel’s The Butler
A review
August 20, 2013
Viewed August 20 2013
***.5 out of *****
“I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Langston Hughes
The canvas of US history is laden
with events that resonate with a certain age citizen. These generations that stretched from the
end of World War II to the era of the internet and technology survived and grew
in a turbulent passage of painful challenges, and for many that long ago world
exists in memory, or in the filtered images that television covered, and for
today’s youth it is only history. History asks questions of both the ones who
survived it and can relay their role within its foundations, but it asks a
larger question of those who follow in its footsteps. What have we learned, and how can we take
that knowledge into our own uncertain future?
The
Butler writer/director Lee Daniels fourth film. The
acclaimed director who garnered huge praise four years ago for Precious, is back with a film that seeks
to cover sixty years of American history filtered through the eyes of a White
House butler, Cecil Gaines. The film,
sharply performed is both touching and honest in its portrayal using the life
of Gaines to reflect the decades fight for civil rights.
The story which uses a magazine
article, “A Butler well served by This Election” by Will Hagood to form the
story of Gaines which follows his early life on a cotton farm in a tense
opening scene to his career in the White House where he encounters President
after President while his family life takes a back seat, and a lifelong rift
develops with his son.
The screenplay by Danny Strong works
best when we are allowed to see behind the man that Gaines is in the scenes with
his family, and especially the people he encounters behind the world of working
at the White House. It is only in the scenes
with the men who play the Presidents that the film falters, as the audience is
asked to spot the star casting. The
film peaks in its middle section that covers the turbulent Civil Right Movement
that Gaines son, Louis is on the front lines fighting his personal battle to
not be his father.
Like most films that deal with this
length of time in history certain eras get passed over, for better or for worse
and the film chunks out large gaps in time.
I imagine that a longer film may exist, even though the film runs well
over two hours it seems to fly by.
The film offers three excellent
performances of note. First off Oprah
Winfrey, who for an iconic personality she has become does a wonderful job
vanishing into the role of Gloria, Gaines’ wife through the times. Ms.
Winfrey brings a tenderness to the role that is needed. As Gaines, the multi-faceted actor, Forest
Whitaker is at the top of his game. As
an actor there is something complex, strong, and sensitive in Whitaker’s
portrayal that recalls why he has flourished in nearly every role he has taken
in his career. Young English actor,
David Oyelowo is mesmerizing as Louis, Gaines oldest son. It is
his career best work to date.
Terrence Howard shows up at the
midpoint in the film to provide a counterbalance to the steady Cecil. Other actors like Cuba Gooding Jr, and music
stars, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz play characters who needed more fleshing
out. Robin Williams, John Cusack,
James Marsden, Live Schreiber, and Alan Rickman briefly play Eisenhower, Nikon,
Kennedy, Johnson, and Reagan.
One of the strengths of The Butler
is that it could be told using multiple perspectives. There have been many good films made about
these eras in history. Very few have
tackled all of these times with the ambitious scope that this film wants to
encompass. Despite losing steam in its
last third, The Butler represents a
vivid glance into our recent history.
Tommy Key
