Butter (2011)

In small-town Iowa, an adopted girl discovers her talent for butter carving and finds herself pitted against an ambitious local woman in their town's annual contest.

Director:

Jim Field Smith

Writer:

Jason A. Micallef

Stars:

Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell, Yara Shahidi

Cast

Credited cast:
Jennifer Garner	...	Laura
Ty Burrell	...	Bob
Garrett Schenck	...	Orval Flanagan
Kristen Schaal	...	Carol Ann
Phyllis Smith	...	Nancy
Joe Chrest	...	Butter Fan
Deana Ricks	...	Butter Fan's Wife
Yara Shahidi	...	Destiny
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dodie Brown	...	June Carmichael
Corena Chase	...	Mrs. Schram
Pearce Colwell	...	Webelo
Rob Corddry	...	Ethan
Cindy Creekmore	...	Danielle Mattingly
Andrew Daly	...	Radio Announcer
Ashley Greene	...	Kaitlen

Storyline

In Iowa, laid-back Bob has won the state fair's butter-carving contest 15 years running; his tightly-wound and hard-charging wife Laura sees Bob becoming governor, so when the contest organizers ask him to step aside so others can win, she's incensed; when Bob won't protest, she decides to enter herself. In the county contest, she's up against Destiny, an African-American foster child, and Brooke, a prostitute Bob hasn't paid. When things don't go Laura's way, she enlists the help of Boyd, an old boyfriend. Laura's step-daughter and Destiny's foster parents are in the mix as things heat up at the state fair. What are Destiny and Laura's destiny?

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Plot Keywords:

contest | state fair | iowa | small town | butter | 

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Taglines:

There's going to be a meltdown.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 October 2012 (Russia)

Also Known As:

I proklisi

Filming Locations:

Bossier City, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$70,931 (USA) (5 October 2012)

Gross:

$70,931 (USA) (5 October 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Michael De Luca Productions, Vandalia Films, Weinstein Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where Laura and Bob talk in the Pickler family carving cooler, in the background there is a butter sculpture of a man pointing. That is a replica of the statue of Green Bay Packers' legendary coach, Vince Lombardi, that is outside the atrium entrance to Lambeau Field.

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Goofs

Laura's hand is shown in different places in shots when they announce her speech.

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Quotes

Laura Pickler: I plan on proudly bearing his children.
Brooke Swinkowski: So, you want a cookie 'cause you're going to get pregnant? I get pregnant, like, once a month!

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Crazy Credits

On the Blu-ray, there are no opening credits except for the RADiUS-TWC logo and the title.

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Connections

References American Idol (2002)

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Soundtracks

"To Binge"
Written by Damon Albarn, Erik Bodin, Jamie Hewlett, Yukimi Nagano, Frederik Wallin, and 'Hakan Wirenstrand'
Performed by Gorillaz ft. Little Dragon
Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd.
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

Finds the comedy and odd-behaviour in a butter carving competition

"Butter" takes place in Iowa, most likely smack dab in the middle of it, in a really small town that survives on its dairy industry. So much so, that they have a butter carving competition that is the be-all and end- all to celebrity status within the community. The King of Butter is revered. That title belongs to Bob Pickler (Ty Burrell) who is retiring from the butter competition but finds no solace at home.

He is married to Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner) who is a real balls- buster, clawing her way to control within this small town. He is also seeking out gratification at a local strip club where he gets in over his head with bad girl Brooke (Olivia Wilde). Meanwhile Ethan (Rob Corddry) and Jill Emmett (Alicia Silverstone) are new foster parents to young black child, Destiny (Yara Shahidi), who finds herself armed only with her wit in a sea of white people.

Yes, the film is about butter carving, and yes it is exactly as funny as you would expect that to be. It can go a bit over-the-top at times, but particularly Corddry and young Shahidi handle the extreme humour with ease. She's easily the best young actress in a comedy that I've seen in a long time. Wilde and Garner are able to do their own thing, throwing reality out the window, and just having fun. Kristen Schaal plays one of Laura's butter carving competitors and remains unfunny since she attempted to find a touch-point for reality in her character, when, of course, there isn't one.

There are a few ill-advised side plots and everything is extreme, but then again, it is a dark comedy so the jokes cross lines as the genre dictates. It gets dramatic, which for those enjoying the comedy, seems like an unwelcome departure. Overall it is funny, and quirky, and odd. And Hugh Jackman plays a used car salesman cowboy. Take all that as you will.