(PHOTO PROVIDED VIA IMDB)
***WARNINGl REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***
RELEASE DATE: Featured in Film Festivals throughout 2011 but had a limited release in the USA October 5, 2012
RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
RATED: R
DIRECTOR: Jim Field Smith
WRITER: Jason A. Micallef
STARRING:
Jennifer Garner as Laura Pickler
Ty Burrell as Bob Pickler
Hugh Jackman as Boyd Bolton
Yara Shahidi as Destiny
Alicia Silverstone as Jill
Rob Corddry as Ethan
Ashley Greene as Kaitlen Pickler
Olivia Wilde as Brooke
(TRAILER PROVIDED VIA YOUTUBE)
Bob Pickler has won the Iowa State Butter Carving Contest for the past 15 years. Just before the next contest, Bob is asked to step down from competing to give others the opportunity to win. Bob agrees without hesitation, in a sense he is relieved. On the other hand, his wife Laura is not taking this news too well. She had plans for Bob which included a run at Governor after continuing his legacy as the greatest butter carver. Laura grows frustrated with Bob after she catches him being intimate with Brooke (whom Bob never pays for her services).
Laura ends up entering the butter carving contest herself and finds herself going up against Destiny (a young foster child who just realized her butter carving talents) and Brooke (she just wants to get paid and she will stalk and harass Laura until she does).
This film is actually a lot more fun than it seems. Jennifer Garner seems psychotic as Laura Pickler with her need for the butter carving championship to go to anyone but a Pickler. I found myself feeling bad for Bob throughout the movie. He ended up realizing that he just wanted it hang it all up and move on. The Brooke character is funny in what she is willing to do to get what she feels in owed to her. She has no limitations to how far she will go. And she does not seem phased at all by how ridiculous it may make her look.
This film didn't do well in the box office, it was only a limited release. It had most of it's life in film festivals throughout 2011. Honestly, I don't feel it would have done very well if it was given a bigger release. The only reason I gave it a shot was because of the star power. It ends up paying off in a big way. But sadly, I can see why it wasn't given a bigger release than it did.
I give the film 3.5 out of 5 stars. It had a good story which was fun. The acting was done well. But this is not an amazing movie. Is it worth watching? Yes. Would I go around telling friends this is a must see? No. Am I recommending that the reader watches it? Sure, why not.
