Loosely based on a real story, a young man leaves the South and eventually finds employment at a swanky hotel in Washington D.C. Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker) gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he is offered employment as a butler at the White House. Over the course of three decades and eight presidents, Cecil has witnessed many changes in American history, from the Vietnam War to the civil rights movement; he also has a front row seat to the inner workings of the Oval Office. Meanwhile, his commitment to the First Family has caused some tension with his wife (Oprah Winfrey) and his anti-establishment son.