Lee Daniels’ The Butler: there is no denying this is an important film, due to the issues (the civil rights movement, the racial divide) it touches. However, Lee Daniels seemed content in making an important movie and not an engaging one. It resembles a superficial travelogue through the fight against racism and, as such, it’s emotionally uninvolving. The title character is, more often than not, a passive observant of the action (as his station required), a supporting player in his own film; therefore, uninteresting. Forest Whitaker is a dignified presence, as are David Oyelowo and Oprah Winfrey, but other cast choices don’t resonate as well and suggest a publicity stunt.