Last night the family and I took Granny (98yrs old) to see Lee Daniels’ The Butler. The movie inspired by the real life of Eugene Allen. a man who served as the White House butler for 34 years. We all enjoyed the movie. The all-star cast did a stellar performance. Oprah Winfrey, the main female lead was in rare form. This is Oprah like you have never seen her before. She was truly amazing as Gloria Gains, the butler’s wife.

Eugene Allen and Forest Whitaker as (Cecil Gains)

Don’t worry there are no spoiler alerts in this post.

“The Butler” was a beautiful story that used the White House and the Civil Rights movement as the back drop; while the relationship between a man (Forest Whitaker) and his son (David Oyelowo) played as the foreground.  This was not a story of politics and philosophy but one that is a tribute to the struggle, strength and evolution of the human heart through unconditional self-acceptance, compassion and growth. This is a “Be More” story. One that I feel comfortable in naming the “Be More” movie of the year even with four months to go in 2013.

The Butler Trailor

Both Cecil Gains (Forest Whitaker) and Louis Gains (David Oyelowo) his son pursued very different ways to “Be More”.  Because they differed about their Be More approach there was conflict between the father and son.  The father unknowingly broke down stereotypes about African-Americans from his calm, elegant manner and hard work ethic from within the White House; while his son pursued a more aggressive approach joining Freedom Riders and The Black Panther Party.  The father and son spent so much time focusing on the difference in method that they forgot that they were on the same side.  They both wanted more out of the life than was being handed to them.  The father and son were so very alike in their unwillingness to settle.  They both went  after it the best way each of them knew how. Though their approaches were different they were more alike than they were different. We are all more alike than we are different.

Interviews with the cast of Lee Daniels’ The Butler

This movie reminded me of the importance of knowing what your own “Be More” anthem is and not being afraid to march to the beat of your own drum while being careful not to misjudge or demean another who is perhaps using a different Be More strategy.

Posted by Rasheem on Sunday, August 18th, 2013 @ 7:03PM
Categories: Personal Note, Uncategorized
Tags: Inspiration, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Oprah, self-help, Whitaker