Year: 2013
Rated PG-13
Rating: * * * Stars Jesse's Rating: * * * 1/2 Stars
Cast: Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, Mariah Carey
Written by Cole Pollyea
Considering that it’s a historically significant movie event
with an all-star cast, Lee Daniels’ The Butler has a lot to live up to. It’s my
duty as a film critic to formulate a knowledgeable summary of the quality of
the film and pass it on, but “The Butler” is one I’m having a hard time with
because of how wide-ranging this movie is. I can almost guarantee that no
single person will formulate the very same judgement, but I’ll share mine
anyhow. “The Butler” is a movie that, while it sometimes contains scatter shot
narrating that may offset the viewer, ultimately tells an applaud worthy story
that captures quite a bit of cinematic and historical importance all the while
exercising its cast effectively.
“The Butler” chronicles the lives of a White House black
servant’s family and his struggles throughout his long life. It begins with the
tragic death of his father and continues to chronicle his endeavors in a mostly
heavy handed manner. While it isn’t a bone-deep character study, the movie
tries hard to the point where one might say that it’s good enough. The above
mentioned wavering narrative had me pointing out flaws, but what really saves
it is how passionately Forest Whittaker commands the screen. As the viewer, I
could occasionally sense the passion he emitted while attempting to (and
succeeding at) emoting in crucial scenes that, without his acting prowess,
would have otherwise suffered.
Written by Cole Pollyea
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