This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Boring

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Butter is a moderately enjoyable movie that suffers from one major problem. It doesn't know what type of movie it is, or what type of audience its trying to appeal to. The movie feels torn between being a dark comedy and a heart-warming family movie.When Butter focuses on being a feel good movie, it pulls it off relatively well. The little girl (Yara Shahidi) and her foster parents (Corddry and Silverstone) all put in enjoyable performances, and there's a cute little message about loving and caring for others.Where I feel this movie fails is as a dark or black comedy. Its really not very funny, and the offensive/rude humour that randomly pops up feels almost out of place in this movie. Plus the performances for this side fall flat as well. Hugh Jackman is essentially wasted as a stupid car salesman, Ty Burrell just plays a weaker version of his character from Modern Family, and Jennifer Garner's character comes across as an awkward jab at Sarah Palin (who was popular at the time). There's also a meaningless and pointless side story with a stripper that sees basically no resolution in any of the characters it affects.If Butter had focused a little more on the heart-warming side and added a little substance, it could've been pretty good...but instead it tries too hard to be something its not really that good at.

I really wouldn't rate any film 1 out of 10 very lightly. But this film is so unconvincing and superficial, that I could not do otherwise.For example, why does Bob go to a strip club? It seems completely impulsive and contrary to the history of his character depicted in great details just minutes before.Then there seems to be no coherency in Laura's character either. What was the cause of the marital problems - she seemed happy enough to have stuck it out for 15 years, so why now suddenly does she go back 360 degrees?What is the role of the stripper, apart from insisting on $600? She is not a catalyst for anything, and she does not add anything to the eventual outcome of the movie.I would like to think that an actor like Hugh Jackman is rather embarrassed about his role in the film, albeit with some real comic sense.These are just examples of the unconvincing characters and story line. The one compelling performance is by Yara Shahidi, but whose role is somehow diminished by racial jokes which seem completely out of context.Please stay clear of this one...

Butter develops its satirical tone right away and makes it clear that it won't be taking itself too seriously. The entire backdrop for the characters' stories is a cutthroat butter carving competition, after all. This competition envelops the entire world of its handful of participants, with two in particular: Laura, the self-important, over-privileged wife of the 15-year title holder, and Destiny, a cherubic foster child with a sweet disposition and natural talent. These may be the most straightforward foils I've ever seen. Their stories are expanded and developed with the support of the impressive ensemble cast, and the number of actors playing against type make for quite a few laughs. The contrast between the two primary sculptors fits nicely into the film's ironic tone and actually brings up a bit of a social commentary on both art and privilege, though this aspect of the story is underdeveloped. Ultimately, the light tone, character development, and social commentary make this a fun but forgettable film.The story begins with a super cheesy political-style video introduction praising Bob (Ty Burrell) and Laura (Jennifer Garner) Pickler for his great accomplishments and her unwavering support. The excessive self-importance of the voice-over delivery immediately sets the satirical tone of the film. This overly serious mindset...about butter carving, mind you...is highlighted by the subsequent introduction of Destiny (Yara Shahidi), who takes everything in stride, mostly because she has no other choice. Nearly every character in the film is more of a caricature than a realistic, multi-faceted human being, further developing the sarcasm director Jim Field Smith has set from the outset. Even the extras contribute, as they appear in massive crowds, pushing and shoving for a great view of the "Iowa State Fair Mastery in Butter" competition.As with most caricaturized figures, the characters in this film are primarily one-dimensional archetypes set to serve a very specific role in the development of the story. This time, we have Garner's ambitious, even ruthless Laura; Burrell's spineless, unfaithful Bob; Olivia Wilde's gold-digging stripper mistress; and Yara Shahidi's perfectly pure Destiny in a great contrast with her overzealous competitor. While Jennifer Garner does an admirable job implying that Laura's character does have some degree of growth, all of the characters are quite static. And in this case, it works. To manufacture a great improvement of character would be a disservice to the sarcasm of the comedy. All of the actors fill their roles well, though I was particularly amused by Rob Corddry and Hugh Jackman, both playing against type here. Jackman is hilarious as a dim-witted car salesman used by Garner's character as a sexual pawn, and Corddry is surprisingly effective as Destiny's foster father, giving this mostly superficial comedy a few brief, heartfelt moments and a bit of emotional depth that I quite enjoyed.While the film is generally superficial, it does make an attempt at some social commentary, and while it does so with a satirical tone, it is not truly satire. By definition, a satire must work toward the goal of evoking change. Butter points out some common flaws in human behavior, but it does so with such a wink that change seems less necessary than a brief chuckle. It doesn't take itself quite seriously enough to encourage social change, particularly since none of the characters, with Laura as a possible exception, feel the need to do anything drastically differently themselves. The contrast between Laura, who is excessively put-upon in spite of her privilege, and Destiny, who seems bothered by nothing--likely because she has never had anything, certainly emphasizes the triviality of those things so many of us lament in our own lives. But that doesn't really lead to anything here, other than a quick mental note or personal criticism. The film does raise a question in the end about the nature of art itself, particularly about the difference between an artist's intent and her audience's interpretation, but it is more to evoke further reflection than to encourage any change.Ultimately, I did enjoy the film and I would recommend it for a quick, light watch. The cast and crew did their jobs well, and it was fun to watch. The cast was impressive, and they didn't disappoint; in fact, the surprises arising from those actors playing against type was very p0ssibly my favorite aspect of this movie. Make sure to stick around for the credits, too. The outtakes are a great reminder of the absurdity of the story's content, and the actors' difficulty in playing the comedy straight-faced actually drive home the director's goals in the film.

just saw this, and it was pretty damn funny. Butter revolves around the participants in a butter carving contest in a white-washed suburban area. It's sweet, it's funny, it's holding itself back trying not to be too pottymouthed, and did I mention it's about butter? Jennifer Garner and Yada Shahidi both do great jobs; while Shahidi's character Destiny is the underdog and therefore the obvious choice to root for, Garner brings a certain vulnerability and nervousness to her straight-laced character Laura that makes her a lead that you can bear to watch. All the cast pull their weight, and special credit has to be given to show-stealer, Olivia Wilde, who brings a free-spirited intelligence to her ridiculous character Brooke, as only Wilde can, and is probably the movie's funniest character.The one complaint I had with the otherwise great movie, is that the direction seems to jump back and forth between being an edgy, witty comedy for adults and a warmhearted feel-good for the family. While I can see they were trying to be funny, and at the same time, touching - I felt the mixing could have been smoother.But that aside, Butter takes the overdone, unoriginal underdog-in-a-competition plot line, and manages to turn it into a pretty decent film by injecting with quirky subject matter and diverse, great characters. Easily recommended.