The Butler
A quietly observant White House butler confronts the cost of serving power while his family and country struggle toward racial justice.
Overview
A powerful tale of resilience and change, set against the backdrop of American history.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- earnest
- melancholic
- emotionally affecting
- historical drama night
- discussion-oriented viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the film emotionally affecting and engaging, with Forest Whitaker’s understated performance and its all-star cast compensating for an uneven, overly melodramatic narrative.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Cecil Gaines serves presidents while witnessing the civil rights movement and changing racial politics without initially becoming a public actor.
Cecil’s accommodation-based survival conflicts with Louis’s activism and insistence on confronting racial injustice.
Gloria’s addiction, Cecil’s emotional absence, and Louis’s activism make national events inseparable from domestic strain.
Cecil’s discretion and composure define his professional identity even as private and political conflicts demand action.
Films like The Butler, and why
Forrest Gump
shared multidecade historical drama, family conflict, and national political backdrop
Selma
shared civil rights history, Black American experience, and emotionally direct biographical storytelling
Roots
shared sweeping family saga, racial injustice, and intimate personal stakes across historical change
Movie Details
- Director
- Lee Daniels
- Release Date
- 2013-08-16
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (3084)
Cast
- Forest Whitaker
- Oprah Winfrey
- David Oyelowo
- John Cusack
- Jane Fonda
- Cuba Gooding Jr.
- Mariah Carey
- Terrence Howard
- Lenny Kravitz
- Aml Ameen
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Butler about?
- A quietly observant White House butler confronts the cost of serving power while his family and country struggle toward racial justice.
- What is The Butler like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Butler as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Butler violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Butler as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Butler?
- Critics generally found the film emotionally affecting and engaging, with Forest Whitaker’s understated performance and its all-star cast compensating for an uneven, overly melodramatic narrative.
- Which films are like The Butler?
- Films with a similar feel include Forrest Gump, Selma, and Roots.
- How long is The Butler?
- The Butler runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Butler?
- In United States, The Butler streams on Philo, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.
