The Butler – No Spoilers

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo

Director: Lee Daniels

Genre: Drama

Running time: 132 minutes



The portrayal of oppression is always a complex and difficult subject to approach with sensitivity and accuracy on film, and this has been achieved many times. However, The Butler may be trying a little too hard and is not without its problems. As entertaining as the film is, it can feel a little like a whistle-stop tour of American history as it tells the story of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), an African-American born into near slavery on a plantation who makes his way to work as a butler at The White House for several administrations. Gaines' working life spans several decades including the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.

Despite some things that have been written about it, this film is genuinely moving at times. Although it is long at a running time of 132 minutes, it did not feel overlong and held the attention throughout. The film was entertaining and boredom was not a problem. However, there were moments where The Butler felt as though it was created for people with little or no prior knowledge of American history (not such a bad thing, particularly for the foreign market) but the treatment of history can feel a little ham-fisted as the historical events of the latter 20th century are shoehorned into the personal story of Gaines and his family, including his civil rights activist son Louis Gaines (David Oyelowo) who just happens to have personal interactions with Martin Luther-King and Malcolm X; and his son, Charlie Gaines (Isaac White) who has connections with the Vietnam War. The movie is loosely based upon the life of White House butler Eugene Allen who served in the White House for a long period, but this is such a tenuous connection that it can barely be considered any more than an inspiration. It would be easy to see Gaines as an embodiment of the psychological scars of a people oppressed by slavery and segregation, but also as the importance of the individual, the everyman.

The Butler is truly a star studded affair with everyone from Mariah Carey through to Robin Williams

taking a role. It can often feel like a game of spot the star, with so many big names playing roles that cannot be fully explored in the short space of one film. However, the stand out performance in this film is Oprah Winfrey, who is excellent as Cecil’s lonely wife, Gloria Gaines, who often plays second fiddle to Gaines’ White House job. Winfrey is completely watchable and even convincingly navigates drunk acting. Gloria is easily the most complex and interesting character throughout the film and Winfrey does her total justice. With a story that spans so many decades and historical landmarks it is difficult not to draw some comparisons with Forrest Gump, as the historical milestones and voiceover style bear similarities, but this is a very different film in content and deserves to be watched. A film that is spanning a century of history is going to scan the surface a little, and this film can be a little heavy handed and sentimental, but it is enjoyable, particularly for those who do not have a vast knowledge of the civil rights movement in America. Decidedly less gritty than Daniels’ previous work and there is some sentimentality, but this does not detract from the fact that it is enjoyable and moving.


Four stars. - Complex and interesting as well as entertaining, The Butler is a little over-ambitious but well worth a watch. 

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