"The Butler" tells us the life story of Cecil Gaines, from his childhood on a Southern cotton plantation in the 1920s all the way up to Barack Obama's proclamation as US President. In between, Gaines was a silent witness to the inner workings of the White House as one of its butlers, from the presidencies of Dwight Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan.
We actually see more of his personal life. His wife Gloria enjoyed smoking and alcohol. They had two sons. The eldest Louis becomes an activist for black rights. The younger son is Charlie, who becomes a soldier in Vietnam. Through their lives, we see the history of the civil rights movement during the 1960s and onwards.
The story has been told in many films before, albeit this one has a unique point of view. However, the conceit of this movie, as its poster proudly announces, is its all-star cast. A lot of critics decry the use of the most unlikely actors to portray peripheral characters, such as the US Presidents. But for me, this makes the film more special to watch.
Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey play the central roles of Cecil and Gloria Gaines. They will age several years and we will see the passage of time through their makeup and costumes. Their acting will definitely earn them Oscar nominations. For Oprah, it may as well be her Oscar already, as early as now.
We actually see more of his personal life. His wife Gloria enjoyed smoking and alcohol. They had two sons. The eldest Louis becomes an activist for black rights. The younger son is Charlie, who becomes a soldier in Vietnam. Through their lives, we see the history of the civil rights movement during the 1960s and onwards.
The story has been told in many films before, albeit this one has a unique point of view. However, the conceit of this movie, as its poster proudly announces, is its all-star cast. A lot of critics decry the use of the most unlikely actors to portray peripheral characters, such as the US Presidents. But for me, this makes the film more special to watch.
Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey play the central roles of Cecil and Gloria Gaines. They will age several years and we will see the passage of time through their makeup and costumes. Their acting will definitely earn them Oscar nominations. For Oprah, it may as well be her Oscar already, as early as now.