Lee Daniels' The Butler

Scott Hardie: “It ruled.”

This is a gut-wrenching drama with some very affecting scenes of racial violence and family strife, and two outstanding lead performances by Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. Director Lee Daniels has a reputation for overcooked melodrama to some people, but I guess I'm on his wavelength, and you have to be cynical not to be moved by this kind of material. The movie does feel like it overextends its artistic license, inserting its characters into too many cultural flashpoints like Forrest Gump, especially when major historical figures take time out from their work just to help the family get along better. The movie may have picked an easy subject to mine for drama, but it definitely paid off.

− October 6, 2013 • more by Scott • log in or create an account to reply

Erik Bates: I've really been wanting to see this one. As with most movies, though, it'll have to wait until it hits the ol' Redbox. − October 7, 2013 • more by Erik

Scott Hardie: Yeah, this one's totally fine to see on a small screen. For us it was just about getting out of the house and choosing a movie we could both agree on. :-) − October 7, 2013 • more by Scott

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Erik Bates: “It ruled.”

This review contains spoilers. Reveal it.

− January 22, 2014 • more by Erik • log in or create an account to reply

Scott Hardie: This reply contains spoilers. Reveal it. − January 22, 2014 • more by Scott

Erik Bates: Ok, so I can see that angle now, too. And now that I think about it more, you are right in that is likely exactly what they were trying to convey. However, I still don't like that they put her character through that, especially knowing that the real person the character was based on did not have those same issues. − January 23, 2014 • more by Erik

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