MOVIE - The Butler

PG-13 (2:12)

Wide release 8/16/2013

at El Con on 9/4/2013 with Sheila

RT Critic: 72 Audience: 82

Cag:  5 Loved it 

Directed by Lee Daniels

The Weinstein Company

Actors:  Forest Whitaker, Opray Winfrey, Liev Schrieber, James Marsden, Alan Rickman, John Cusack, Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Rotten Tomatoes summary:  LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER tells the story of a White House butler who served eight American presidents over three decades. The film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society during this time, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man's life and family.

My comments: I totally enjoyed this for many reasons.  One, it is a great overview of the Civil Rights Movement.  Two, the lead actors were great, and it was really, really fun to see other well-known actors play presidents and first ladies (Jane Fonda was Nancy Reagan, James Marsden was Jack Kennedy, Liev Schrieber was Lyndon Johnson, and Alan Rickman was Ronald Reagan, to mention just a few).  And three, it was based on a true story.  Granted, I don't know how much of it was true, but if Gaines' son, Louis, was indeed a part of all the civil rights media giants of the 60s and 70s as portrayed, then the Gaines family truly had a huge part in US history.  It was long ... but I barely noticed, I was so enthralled with the movie.  Highly recommended.