"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.
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.