Vertigo

Vertigo
Vertigo

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Lee Daniels’ THE BUTLER and Its Timely History Lesson

Driven by Forest Whitaker’s powerhouse performance, Lee Daniels’ The Butler (based on an article about real life butler Eugene Allen) is a fascinating recreation of a pivotal era in twentieth century America which literally bridges a culture of slavery and discrimination with the present day.  Always interesting and told with a straightforward approach, it is an absorbing history lesson and family love story abetted by a strong screenplay (Danny Strong) and direction (Lee Daniels who did Precious).


An elderly servant, Cecil Gaines (Whitaker), sits and waits in the White House as he reminisces about life from his early childhood in the cotton fields of the South in 1926 where blacks are treated inhumanely and are subjugated and often murdered.  Trained to serve his white masters, he flees this harsh life and finds refuge and a life serving and catering to wealthy white clients.  Married to his wife, Gloria (Oprah Winfrey), and father of two sons, he wants to provide for his family in ways that he never had growing up.  One fateful day, Cecil is offered a remarkable position as a servant to the President in the White House.  Cecil is witness to the Civil Rights changes amid several Presidential administrations.  As the century turns and the nation elects a black President, it signifies a turning point for not only the country, but also for Cecil and his family.   
Whitaker is a marvel at becoming his character and making the audience believe in his long, tumultuous life and physical transformation.  Cecil endures personal and professional hardships by living a dual existence:  serving the most powerful leader in the land without any reaction to politics, and yet, as incendiary news headlines and events (e.g. segregation, the race riots, Vietnam, and political assassinations) swirl around him, his devotion to his job comes at the expense of his family. A subplot involving Cecil’s requests for equal pay and opportunity has an amusing payoff, and the movie’s final line appropriately belongs to him.  His character does evolve over time which leads to an emotional moment near the end.
Winfrey is quite good with a toned down performance as a forgotten wife.  There is able support by other cast members including Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Lenny Kravitz (who is coming into his own as an actor) as fellow butlers, and Clarence Williams III as a mentor.  As the older son, Louis, David Oyelowo is a standout who excels in a difficult role as naïve student, Freedom Rider, and later as a revolutionary Black Panther.  One of his best scenes is a tense dinner with his parents where their respective values clash.  It is a bit hard to believe, however, that Louis could be at the center of so many important events including being with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The casting of major actors as the Presidents may on the surface seem like stunt casting, but for the most part, it works well particularly with James Marsden as John F. Kennedy and Liev Schreiber as Lyndon B. Johnson.  Even Jane Fonda makes an effective Nancy Reagan.  But who thought John Cusack could portray Richard Nixon convincingly?
Daniels does a very good job of highlighting important moments and giving enough focus to the struggles within the Gaines family, but trying to cover this much material in little more than two hours means short changing scenes and truncating some of the narrative.  Some subplots don’t really pan out or aren’t given sufficient time to develop like a womanizing neighbor, Howard (Terrence Howard).  In fact, while the film is well presented on the big screen, it could have worked as a TV miniseries which would have allowed extended character and plot development.
The film is shot and cut in a straight narrative, with no stylish, flamboyant cinematography here, but well produced with a nice flavor of period songs and costumes enhanced by a somber music score by Rodrigo Leão.  Makeup work is impressive.
Always interesting and an inspiring story which accomplishes a lot in its running time, Lee Daniels’ The Butler (studios fighting over title legalities resulted in the current modified title,) is a breath of fresh air of legitimate, historical and heartfelt drama amid a summer awash in action and fantasy.  Despite its long road to secure enough financing from various sources (hence the numerous producers,) as a final pet project by late producer Laura Ziskin, Oscar nominations await, and Whitaker and company should be rewarded quite nicely.
***1/2 of **** stars

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