A Big Chuck Movie Review: “The Butler”

This movie is right in my wheelhouse, as they say.

The acting is superb on the part of Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr. and others. And it is quite fun picking out the stars who play the former chief executives.

While Robin Williams doesn't even come close to President Eisenhower, Liev Schreiber essays the raw LBJ in a nice turn and John Cusack really gets into the role of an unraveling Richard Nixon.

For my part, Jane Fonda and Alan Rickman's portrayals of Ronald and Nancy Reagan are positively uncanny. All of these actors (and more) are on screen for five minutes or so but really flavor Lee Daniels' movie with a fun and exciting spice.

The back drop of the story of Cecil Gaines' life as a White House butler is played against the turbulent Jim Crow era pre-Civil Rights. There are beatings, lynchings, shootings and plenty of usage of the "N-word." The effect is quite chilling.

I loved this movie. The film  is one that I would suggest should be played to students in Junior High School to show them that the trials and travails of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s were more frightening and harrowing and problematic than any text book can depict.

I give this movie "4 Meatballs"....my highest rating!

Watch for this film to be a major player come Oscar time.