Lee Daniels' The Butler

2013 • 132 minutes
4.4
3.08K reviews
72%
Tomatometer
PG-13
Rating
Eligible
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About this movie

LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER tells the story of a White House butler (Academy Award®-winner Forest Whitaker) who served eight American presidents over three decades. The film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society during this time, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man's life, his wife (Academy Award®-nominated Oprah Winfrey), and the rest of his family. Rounding out this all-star cast is Robin Williams as Dwight Eisenhower, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, James Marsden as John F. Kennedy, Liev Schreiber as Lyndon B. Johnson, and many more. Academy Award®-nominated Lee Daniels (PRECIOUS) directs the script from Emmy® Award-winning writer Danny Strong (TV's GAME CHANGE).
Rating
PG-13

Ratings and reviews

4.4
3.08K reviews
Justin Metzger
August 9, 2015
I like the movie so I shouldn't be so harsh, but it turns out most of it is made up. That spoiled the fun for me. Otherwise Whitaker is great, as usual. Winfrey is fantastic, also as usual. Lots of fun figuring out who is under the makeup playing the presidents. Just lying about things being real and then finding out this is mostly fiction made the film feel less important.
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Pamela Darlene Woodward
June 13, 2020
Evan Harris Ditto.unfortunately yes,white people got in on the slave trade.But who started it? Who executed it?And who was left holding the bag?I knew that Oscar was paid4.I grew up in Georgia and I see more old south in NYC.And it's legalized reversed racism here.Thanks JOSSIE&Big Bev from page5.Part of the problem not the solution.All lives matter.wen1 hurts,we all hurt. That's my stance on the issue.And I see blk ppl bringing stuff on themselves,here in nyc.And let's end the United negro fund
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Lorenzo Arredondo
August 13, 2016
If this film has been writing, then it might have turned out better. It's the same concept done by so many other films: overcoming racism and being held back because of social and racial lines, but this one just doesn't deliver the drama.
3 people found this review helpful
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