I felt like watching something starring Robin Williams recently. This film was new to me, and it happened to be available without charge. Even though Williams has a limited part as Eisenhower, the movie itself was remarkable: it made me think deeply and brought tears to my eyes. It might not have been ideal viewing for an early Saturday morning, but I’m definitely planning on buying it on DVD. The story traces a man's life (played by Whittaker) from his childhood on a plantation, through escaping home, finding work as a houseboy in a luxurious Washington D.C. hotel, and eventually serving as a butler to seven presidents—though Carter and Ford aren’t shown. It’s about family, falling for a fellow hotel employee (Whimphry), raising two sons; one pursues a career in politics, encompassing figures from MLK to the Black Panther Party to Congress, much against his father's desires, while the other son becomes a "good boy" and joins the army because of his convictions. I hadn’t really seen Whittaker in anything besides *Young Rock*, but he gave a strong performance. The makeup effects were impressive in depicting aging. Oprah did well as a mother, supporting her sons, trying to make her husband happy, and experiencing loneliness as a housewife while he worked long hours at the White House, dealing with issues related to alcohol and infidelity. It’s one of the best dramas I've seen in quite some time.

Source on TMDB