The Butler

“One quiet voice can ignite a revolution”.

From the Producer/Director Lee Daniels who brought us ‘Precious’ and ‘The Paperboy’, in 2013 he brought another dramatic true story to life entitled ‘The Butler’. Rated PG 13 for some violence and disturbing images this film was nominated for 2 BAFTA awards, another 32 nominations and 5 wins. Danny Strong and Will Haygood adapted this biography into screenplay and actors Forest Whitaker,  Mariah Carey (songstress turned actress), Oprah Winfrey, English David Oyelowo, Robin Williams, John Cusack, Yaya Alafia, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard and Lenny Kravitz (also singer turned actor) to name a few brought their story to life.

Quite a hard movie to watch as it dealt with the Civil Rights Movement in America and struggles of a particular family that weathered the storm of 3 generations. With an estimated budget of $30 million USD it made back more than triple at the box office with a whopping $116 million USD. Gripping from beginning till end, chock-full of inspiration with mention of Gandhi and as well as the quote by Martin Luther King “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that”; this film speaks to the human heart.

We see numerous amount of films on the Holocaust but there are no death tolls for the Africans during slavery. Makes one think and reminisce on times not too very long ago. Keep the tissues nearby for this one.