Inspired (to use the term with a large pinch of salt) by the true story of Eugene Allen, who served over a quarter of a century as a butler in the White House, basically functions as a crash course to the human rights of black citizens in the United States. Renamed as Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), "The Butler" shows the rise of a boy raised in a cotton farm to finally end up as one of the most high regarded butlers in the White House's employ. With a troubled early life, where his father was ruthlessly murdered by a powerful landowner, Cecil slowly lifts himself up by doing one of the few jobs available: serving whites. Immaculate at his employ he becomes drafted into the White House, where he works under presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon or Reagan. However, his own children fail to be proud of his father, as his eldest son Earl (David Banner) is deeply engaged into the struggle for black rights of the era.
In a poor year for 'Oscar films', "The Butler" seems to be in the race for Academy Awards. Nonetheless Lee Daniels feature film is at best a crash course into black rights, slowly showing the evolution from blacks being indiscriminately murdered down south to slowly gaining rights to vote and how consequent presidents slowly broke down the obstacles to having true equal footing in society. Gaines is shown as an integral confidante with which such issues as touched upon. Cecil Gaines however is the glorified 'house ni$$er', subservient and part of the system, that is slowly being changed. Meanwhile his son Earl presents a stark opposite approach, as an unrelenting and ideological youth actively involved in the struggle. Together they form a simplified social rift, where the two approaches unknowingly work together to change the position of blacks within the United States of America. This creates a visible portrait of the inner complexities of black rights and their evolution through time.
I was somewhat saddened by the extent of which the movie diverges from the true story of Eugene Allen with the key protagonist of Earl being totally thought up as is the entire plight of Cecil's childhood. With such script dishonesty it beckons as to why even suggest this story is 'inspired by', instead of just making a movie indiscriminately . Lee Daniels keeps the movie emotionally low-key, putting in certain sticking plot points, such as the internal fight of black White House staff for equal pay, instead affording most detail at showing snapshots of given eras. This black history focused ride through the XXth Century the audience comes to understand how far the United States have managed to change within the time-span. Half a century ago the black man was unable to eat alongside a white man in the southern states. Now Barack Obama is president...
Nonetheless, "The Butler" is littered with contrivances and obviously attempting to pull all the right strings to receive the expected reaction. Lacking in subtlety Lee Daniels obtrusively hit the key points in history home. Given the historical scope of the feature it can be argued that this route was the only possibility to present such a vast film in such a limited movie runtime. Forest Whitaker performs his role with zest and will undoubtedly have an Oscar nomination coming his way...
In a poor year for 'Oscar films', "The Butler" seems to be in the race for Academy Awards. Nonetheless Lee Daniels feature film is at best a crash course into black rights, slowly showing the evolution from blacks being indiscriminately murdered down south to slowly gaining rights to vote and how consequent presidents slowly broke down the obstacles to having true equal footing in society. Gaines is shown as an integral confidante with which such issues as touched upon. Cecil Gaines however is the glorified 'house ni$$er', subservient and part of the system, that is slowly being changed. Meanwhile his son Earl presents a stark opposite approach, as an unrelenting and ideological youth actively involved in the struggle. Together they form a simplified social rift, where the two approaches unknowingly work together to change the position of blacks within the United States of America. This creates a visible portrait of the inner complexities of black rights and their evolution through time.
I was somewhat saddened by the extent of which the movie diverges from the true story of Eugene Allen with the key protagonist of Earl being totally thought up as is the entire plight of Cecil's childhood. With such script dishonesty it beckons as to why even suggest this story is 'inspired by', instead of just making a movie indiscriminately . Lee Daniels keeps the movie emotionally low-key, putting in certain sticking plot points, such as the internal fight of black White House staff for equal pay, instead affording most detail at showing snapshots of given eras. This black history focused ride through the XXth Century the audience comes to understand how far the United States have managed to change within the time-span. Half a century ago the black man was unable to eat alongside a white man in the southern states. Now Barack Obama is president...
Nonetheless, "The Butler" is littered with contrivances and obviously attempting to pull all the right strings to receive the expected reaction. Lacking in subtlety Lee Daniels obtrusively hit the key points in history home. Given the historical scope of the feature it can be argued that this route was the only possibility to present such a vast film in such a limited movie runtime. Forest Whitaker performs his role with zest and will undoubtedly have an Oscar nomination coming his way...