This very US-centric drama plays out mainly in the White House, in the period after World War II. In effect it is a history of the civil rights movement, as seen through the eyes of a fictional butler and his family, who served under eight successive presidents during that period.
133 minutes, No persons under 13 (Language, Violence, Prejudice) Biographical, Drama, On the art circuit
Forest Whitaker, Alan Rickman, Cuba Gooding Jr., David Oyelowo, John Cusack, Lenny Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, Melissa Leo, Oprah Winfrey, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard, Vanessa Redgrave
Director
Lee Daniels
Screenplay
Danny Strong, from the article by Wil Haygood
Music
Rodrigo Leão
Cinematography
Andrew Dunn
Editing
Joe Klotz, Brian A. Kates
Sound formats
Dolby Digital
Soundtrack
Available
Made in
2013
Produced by
Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Laura Ziskin Productions, Lee Daniels Entertainment, Pam Williams Productions, Windy Hill Pictures
Fairly frequent, pejorative, mild to moderate impact
Nudity
None
Sex
None
Violence
Frequent scenes, mild to moderate
Prejudice
Frequent scenes, mild to moderate
Blasphemy
None
Drug abuse
Two scenes of excessive drinking, mil impact
Comments
Racism is the principal theme that runs through a film about America and its deeply divisive segregated nature. Themes linked to it are a slowly awakening national consciousness, and the efforts of civil rights movements to oppose bigotry. These themes are mature and complex, prompting viewers to things carefully about this important issue.
