Movie Time #6

This past weekend The Butler finally premiered here in The Netherlands.  When my mother-in-law suggested seeing it, I agreed, even though long dramas aren't really my type of movies.  And you know, I am so glad I went.  What a great movie!  Within 10 minutes I was ready to cry, and by the end I was sobbing.

Being an American from Florida (The South) I know first hand about racism, unfortunately it still exists.  (It's obviously changed over time, something the movie captures quite well.)  Of course we all know the stories of the slaves all the way to the Black Panthers, but to see it in one place, told from that family's point of view really tugged at my heart.  What they went through to get equal rights, and what they are still going through, is amazing.  It's almost hard to believe people can be so cruel, we're all human, we all bleed, and we all have feelings.  Luckily, I was born way after the civil rights movement, I can't imagine dealing with that first hand.  And I am so glad that Obama is president, it shows just how far Americans have come... and I can't comprehend how much it must mean to African-Americans.

It was strange experiencing this film in Europe, knowing that most of the people in the theater don't actually understand the race issue in America.  It was odd walking out of the theater in tears when no one around me was crying (at least that I noticed).  My mother-in-law said that if we were in America she would have expected applause in the theater at the end.  But when I spoke to my mother in Florida, she said their local newspaper actually gave it a poor review.  Wow, not sure what to think about that.  Did any of you see The Butler?  Were any of you as moved as I was? 

Bye! Dag! Adios! Namaste!

:) Danica