When Oprah Winfrey is in a movie, you can expect a lot of buzz, but is she enough to get Lee Daniels' "The Butler" a box office hit?
Reviews are in for the flick starring Forest Whitaker, and critics have both kind and harsh words for Daniels' "brilliantly truthful movie," according to The New York Times:
Taking inspiration from an article by Wil Haygood in The Washington Post about the life of Eugene Allen, who worked as a butler in the White House during eight presidential administrations, Mr. Daniels has told the story of the civil rights movement in the bold colors of costume pageantry and the muted tones of domestic drama. He also throws in a few bright splashes of crazy, over-the-top theatricality, in the form of outrageous period-appropriate outfits and startling celebrity cameos, as well as dabs of raucous comedy. You may hear it said, in praise of "The Butler," that it shows this director in a more restrained, responsible frame of mind than his earlier films did.
Here's a snippet of what The Wall Street Journal has to say about the film:
"The Butler" is weakened by heedless overreaching, and by spasms of ineptitude in Danny Strong's script. Cecil's middle-class home life seldom rises above cliché, even though Oprah Winfrey gives a fine, incisive performance as his troubled wife, and David Oyelowo is impressive throughout as their politically astute-and quickly radicalized-older son. (The cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr. as another White House butler, and Terrence Howard, who is wasted on the role of an amorous neighbor.
PEOPLE magazine chimed in about the flick as well, suggesting their readers to not skip this film:
It's a fascinating juxtaposition: While Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker) thrives as a White House butler thanks to his discretion and subtlety, this film doesn't bother with such quiet niceties. Loosely based on the story of Eugene Allen, who served eight presidents from Truman to Reagan, Lee Daniels' The Butler chooses instead to barge into complicated conversations on race, politics and our nation's tricky history reconciling the two. It's a flawed, but ultimately satisfying, jaunt through the ages, told by a man who learned tragically early to keep his mouth shut.
Will you see the film? Check out the trailer and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
