This is a scene from the movie “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” (CNS photo/Weinstein)

Lee Daniels’ The Butler

By John Mulderig, Catholic News Service

A frequently heard slogan of the late 1960s held that “the personal is political.” Whatever its value as a rallying cry, that phrase certainly fits the affecting fact-based drama “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” in which the private and public realms collide.

Drawing on a 2008 Washington Post article by reporter Wil Haygood, director Daniels (“Precious”) tells a fictionalised version of the life of former White House butler Eugene Allen (1919-2010). Allen’s screen stand-in is Cecil Gaines, played by Forest Whitaker.

Escaping the vicious racism of the early 20th-century Deep South – flashbacks to the Georgia cotton plantation where he was raised prove harrowing – Cecil makes his way to the relatively less oppressive surroundings of Washington. There he masters the art of providing elegant service to the all-white patrons of an elite hotel, a skill that requires him to suppress not only his true feelings, but his views on any controversial matter.

Cecil’s discretion wins him the favourable notice of a White House agent, and he secures a coveted place on the domestic staff of the executive mansion. As he proceeds to work, close at hand, with every president from Dwight D. Eisenhower (Robin Williams) to Ronald Reagan (Alan Rickman), Cecil cherishes the cautious hope that, under their leadership, white Americans will eventually see the light on racial issues.

This patient, conservative stance, however, increasingly conflicts with the civil rights activism of Cecil’s older son Louis (David Oyelowo). And the long hours Cecil puts in at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue leave his strong-willed but fragile wife Gloria (Oprah Winfrey) feeling neglected.

Of the several appealing performances from which the movie benefits, Winfrey’s complex portrayal of Gloria is perhaps the most impressive. Earthy yet spiritual, a commanding matriarch yet a woman tempted both by the bottle and by a slick, seductive neighbour (Terrence Howard), Gloria follows an erratic course through life – one very much in contrast with her husband’s steady ways.

In addition to its subtle fictitious characterisations, the surprisingly nuanced view of the various real-life chief executives offered by screenwriter Danny Strong’s script – an irretrievably self-absorbed Richard Nixon (John Cusack) alone excepted – also helps to keep the unfolding events from feeling like a chronological checklist of postwar history.

Still, it does come across as a bit too pat when Louis moves, with seeming inevitability, from training for sit-ins at lunch counters to enrolling as a Freedom Rider to enlisting in the Black Panther movement. All the more so, since his on-cue, Malcolm X-inspired radicalisation is followed, in short order, by his younger brother Charlie’s (Elijah Kelley) departure for Vietnam.

Additionally, those of a Republican bent should note that the climactic first-term election of the current commander-in-chief is presented not only in an understandably celebratory light but in one that borders on adulation.

Vulgar language and other red-flag content would normally prevent recommendation of “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” for any audience but grown-ups. But the moral significance of this uplifting journey – undertaken within a context of implicit religious faith and strong marital commitment – is such that at least some parents may consider it acceptable for older teens.

The film contains occasional action violence, an adultery theme, numerous mature references, a half-dozen uses of profanity, a couple of rough terms and some crude and crass language. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Jill Scott, Adam Brody, and Paula Patton star in a scene from the movie “Baggage Claim.” (CNS photo/Foxsearchlight)

Baggage Claim

By Joseph McAleer, Catholic News Service

A good man is hard to find, especially at 30,000 feet. So a determined flight attendant searching for a soul mate among her passengers discovers in the romantic comedy “Baggage Claim”.

Director David E. Talbert (“First Sunday”), who also adapted the screenplay from his 2005 novel, charts an old-fashioned, predictable course with some thematic turbulence along the way. Though riddled with clichés and overly sentimental, “Baggage Claim” is ultimately a trip worth taking. It’s that Hollywood rarity, a film that upholds and promotes the institution of marriage.

Montana Moore (Paula Patton) thinks she’s finally found Mr. Right in wealthy businessman Graham (Boris Kodjoe). Unfortunately, on the eve of their “engagement,” he turns out to be married.

“My relationships have never been cleared for take-off,” Montana laments to William (Derek Luke), her neighbour and friend since childhood. “I don’t want to end up alone in a house full of cats.”

Her mother, Catherine (Jenifer Lewis), has the opposite problem, having been married five times.

When Montana’s younger sister, Sheree, (Lauren London), announces her engagement, Montana is determined to make it to the altar at last (and shed her relationship “baggage”). With the help of colleagues Gail (Jill Scott) and Sam (Adam Brody), Montana arranges in-flight rendezvous’ with a series of ex-boyfriends, hoping to rekindle a past romance.

We follow Montana’s slapstick adventures in the air and on the ground as she reunites with, among others, record producer Damon (Tremaine “Trey Songz” Neverson), rising politician Langston (Taye Diggs), and millionaire Quinton (Djimon Hounsou).

To her credit, Montana resists the temptation to settle for second-best and a life of submission and exploitation. She’s looking for true love, a lifelong commitment, and mutual respect, and is willing to wait. Unfortunately, she’s not always so patient where sex is concerned.

In the end, Montana realizes that staying married is a bigger challenge than just getting hitched. For that reason alone, “Baggage Claim” deserves a test flight.

The film contains implied non-marital sex, mature references, including to homosexuality and contraception, a same-sex kiss, innuendo and some crude language. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.