Director Lee Daniels (“The Paperboy” 2012) has crafted an excellent historical drama called “The Butler.” The star of the show, Forrest Whitaker, delivers a strong performance as Cecil Gaines, who served as a White House butler from 1952 to 1986. It is based on the real life experiences of Eugene Allen, from the book “A Butler Well Served by This Election” by Wil Haygood.
The well written screenplay by Danny Strong provided excellent material for Whitaker and the supporting cast, which includes Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrance Howard, David Oyelowo, Vanessa Redgrave, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Clarence Williams III in his one of his final film roles. Those portraying historical figures are Robin Williams as Dwight Eisenhower, James Marsden as John Kennedy, Minka Kelly as Jackie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber as Lyndon Johnson, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan, and Nelsan Ellis as Martin Luther King Jr.
This is an interesting film to watch. Whitaker is good in the title role, something of a Forrest Gump serving every President from Eisenhower to Reagan. The plot was consistent from start to finish as the storyline switched back and forth between the White House and Gaines’ home life. The African-American butler seemed to get along with Republicans Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan particularly well. All part of the watchable “The Butler” from the Weinstein Company, a success at the box office.
The Butler (2013)
cinema
My Review
Director Lee Daniels (“The Paperboy” 2012) has crafted an excellent historical drama called “The Butler.” The star of the show, Forrest Whitaker, delivers a strong performance as Cecil Gaines, who served as a White House butler from 1952 to 1986. It is based on the real life experiences of Eugene Allen, from the book “A Butler Well Served by This Election” by Wil Haygood.
The well written screenplay by Danny Strong provided excellent material for Whitaker and the supporting cast, which includes Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrance Howard, David Oyelowo, Vanessa Redgrave, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Clarence Williams III in his one of his final film roles. Those portraying historical figures are Robin Williams as Dwight Eisenhower, James Marsden as John Kennedy, Minka Kelly as Jackie Kennedy, Liev Schreiber as Lyndon Johnson, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan, and Nelsan Ellis as Martin Luther King Jr.
This is an interesting film to watch. Whitaker is good in the title role, something of a Forrest Gump serving every President from Eisenhower to Reagan. The plot was consistent from start to finish as the storyline switched back and forth between the White House and Gaines’ home life. The African-American butler seemed to get along with Republicans Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan particularly well. All part of the watchable “The Butler” from the Weinstein Company, a success at the box office.