The Butler

***
UK Release Date: November 15th 2013

As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.

Director: Lee Daniels (The Paperboy, Precious, Shadowboxer)

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding JR., Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz, Isaac White, David Oyelowo

There's a lot of ground to cover in The Butler. 34 years, 8 presidents, several movements and events later and we're left reeling from how much turmoil Cecil Gaines (Whitaker) has been through. 

After a very traumatic childhood that includes racial issues, it's Gaines's time to finally relax, but there's so many events to take in that one event quashes the previous event, and so on and so on.

The outstanding performances from most pushes The Butler into an awarding winning circle that few could hope for (and deserve). Forest Whitaker is commendable and wonderful. He goes through oppression after oppression with his head held high, never backing down when others would. Whitaker can only work with Gaines to a certain degree. He spends most of his time reacting to other people's actions. There's beauty in this also. Unlike Nelson Mandela if Gaines takes a step out of line, everything will get worse, not better. 

Other great performances come from Gaines's wife and two sons, Oprah Winfrey, Isaac White and David Oyelowo. The four or them are a close pack but are far beyond each others characteristics. How they react and absorb current events make them the most interesting to be around.

Some actors make a great impact with the duration they're given, others bombed like Nixon's Watergate scandal. John Cusack, Robin Williams, James Marsden, Alan Rickman and Liev Schreiber all play a one of the eight presidents. Only the latter makes a mark. A waste of talent and a waste of budget.

Verdict: The Butler is crammed full of historical events that pass like a soft wind, but thankfully the acting talent makes them remarkable.