Steve Reviews Lee Daniels' The Butler

I don't get too excited about films anymore. Partly because I spent 13 years not paying for them and partly because movies just don't seem to be as good as they once were. In today's age of remakes and endless sequels, I look forward to "Oscar season" for independent, original works that make me want to run to the cinema. The Butler (or I guess, "Lee Daniels' The Butler" – because somehow the director is more important than the title) was the first non-horror movie (my favorite genre, but not one the Academy smiles upon) to make me want to put on my running shoes.

Talk about Academy fodder: it's a true story, it's about American history, and it has a cast full of past winners and nominees. You know, the kind where they have to do a montage in the trailer just to make sure you see them all. This particular true story is of slave named Cecil Gaines who went on to serve 30 years as a butler in the White House.

The laundry-list cast is topped by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker as The Butler, and former nominee Oprah (no last name required) as his wife. The movie takes the viewer through 30 years of civil rights reform in the USofA through the eyes of the guy who delivers coffee to the Oval Office. Sounds pretty great, right? I thought so too.

Unfortunately, Lee Daniels didn't quite deliver what he promised. I loved the first half hour, where we see Cecil grow up, get out of slavery, and land a job in the nation's capitol. Then the story takes a turn. The part I was not expecting was that Cecil's eldest son Louis spent his life actually fighting through the civil rights movement. Louis seemed to find himself at damn near every major event in black history. Despite the continuous voice-overs from Cecil and the movie being titled after him, the film is really about Louis and his Forrest Gumpian chapter book of black oppression.

We've seen movies about civil rights. We've seen movies that use the word "nigger" in a way that makes your skin crawl. We've seen movies where famous people play the president. What we had not seen before was what life is like for the staff at the White House. I wanted to know what they do. I wanted to see how things changed for them in the (arguably) most volatile 30 years since the Civil War. I was disappointed. Granted, there were some scenes that depicted life in that role. Those were the best parts of the film, in my opinion. As a Kennedy Assassination buff, I was fascinated to see it play out from a perspective I hadn't seen before. I just wish the rest of the movie was that way instead of a history lesson. By the end of the movie, what did I really know about the life of Cecil Gaines? Not that much, actually. Sure, the dichotomy of a black butler working in Washington with a son who is fighting for the laws his dad's employer makes is interesting, but I suppose "Lee Daniels' The Butler's Son Louis" isn't as exciting of a title.

What should you look for on Nomination Day? I think Oprah's Supporting Actress nom is probably a lock. If nothing else comes and goes with a bang, I could see Lee Daniels getting a nod for directing. Considering the bad script he was working with, he made it look pretty good. And yes, I think the civil rights will push it onto the Best Picture list – where subject matter always wins over content.

-Steve
8.20.2013