Lee Daniels' The Butler

I finally got around to watching Lee Daniels' The Butler. I wanted to see it before the Oscars, even though it wasn't nominated – there are so many good movies made these days, sometimes the ones that are not nominated for Oscars get lost in the shuffle. I was glad I took the time to watch this one. I really enjoyed it, but also, because of its depth and breadth, I felt that there were times that it was disjointed—montage-like. The central story, the Butler working in the White House, played by Forest Whitaker was dramatic, tragic, meaningful and emotionally moving. It's amazing that this is really a true story, based on a real person's life. It's difficult to imagine the conflict he must've felt during his lifetime. The contrast between this man's life and the world of the White House is portrayed expertly. There are several scenes where the director/writer flashes between the Butler doing his job in the cloistered atmosphere of the White House, and real events happening in the outside world. The scenes are riveting and revealing – they must've been very difficult to write and create. Mr. Whitaker definitely deserved a Best Actor nod.

The sub story of the civil rights movement and the progression of black people through America's turbulent and sad history, is less dramatic but still informative and educational. This is where I believe the director, writers and producers were too ambitious. They tried to put too many incidents, events and issues into the film. It must've been very difficult to decide what to include and what to leave out. The film is epic in scope, covering the Butler's life from the early 1940s to the present day. At times, I felt as if the filmmakers were trying to educate me, rather than really tell the story of the Butler and his family. That's okay, I was a willing audience, especially knowing that this was based on a true story.

The dialogue was excellent and engaging. The acting was superb. Watching Oprah Winfrey smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol to excess, dance and party, was worth the price of the rental by itself. Don't let this fine film get lost in the very crowded shelf of options – it's well worth watching.