Review of The Butler (2013) by Lisa K — 20 Jan 2016

I watched this movie with my family which was a treat in itself. We all loved it and cried and smiled together. Perhaps, the choice of actors to play the politicians was a little off or the actual events were not quite accurate. However, the story is so powerful because slavery and the civil rights movement did happen and this movie brings it all home by highlighting the story of one man. This story is about resilience, hope and forgiveness. Even though, Cecil Gaines suffered terrible trauma and abuse in his childhood, he managed to rise above falling in love, getting married, fathering two children from the same woman and working hard at his job. This is a testament to the human spirit. I admire his resilience, I am in awe. His strong character was transferred to his sons. His older son fought for equal rights through passivity. Even though, conditions were so bad for black people, Charlie did not want to hurt anyone. I admire his restraint, his discipline and his ability to form loving relationships amidst such hardship. There are some very tough scenes to watch and these moments have stuck with me for days. I can't believe how white people abused their power and justified their hatred. It is so scary when people are judged by a color or race.

This is a remarkable story.Forest Whittaker and Oprah played their parts flawlessly. I feel privileged to have been able to watch this movie knowing that we still have a long way to go to eradicate racism, but we have entered the race and are on our way.