Review of The Butler (2013) by Jc E — 05 Feb 2014

From its inception, this picture was doomed. Director Lee Daniels (The Paperboy) didn't make a whole lot of bones about how this would be a one-sided movie, immersed in racial overtones. That said, he pulled in some notable talent for his bio-pic.

Forrest Whitaker (Where the Wild Things Are) is talented enough to lead this, and having Robin Williams (Happy Feet Two), John Cusack (The Paperboy), James Marsden (2 Guns), Liev Schreiber (Movie 43), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II), David Oyelowo (Jack Reacher), and Vanessa Redgrave (Unfinished Song) along for the ride isn't a bad way to start.

That said, the stunt casting of fellow Obama-ite Oprah Winfrey (Charlotte's Web) reeked of Oscar whoredom. Plus, the inclusion of the less-than-stellar Terrence Howard (Dead Man Down), Cuba Gooding Jr.

(Red Tails), Lenny Kravitz (The Hunger Games), Alex Pettyfer (Beastly), and Mariah Carey (Precious) in throw-away roles was annoying. Also, casting Jane Fonda (Barberella) as Nancy Reagan was nothing short of political posturing.

So, as if the casting wasn't questionable enough, I can't even begin to get into everything wrong with the plot. Besides trying to rewrite history, it's just dull to boot. No one has a standout performance, and it's very poorly paced.

Plus, you would think that Whitaker's character would have learned more in his time in the White House - like the fact that the only real racists are Democrats. Yet Daniels basically made this his love letter to the Al Sharptons, Jesse Jacksons, and Barak Obamas of the world, who would rather cry racist than address the real issues.

Daniels hasn't proven himself as anything more than a filmmaker who wants to soapbox. Don't waste your time on this one.