Butter
An Iowa butter-carving rivalry becomes a gleefully strange battleground for political ambition, family tension, and small-town status.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- irreverent
- witty
- upbeat
- lazy sunday
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics found the premise and cast intermittently funny, especially Jennifer Garner's performance, but broadly agreed that the political satire was obvious, unfocused, and undermined by uneven humor.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Laura treats a butter-carving title as a route to political prestige, while the county contest exposes competing ambitions and insecurities.
The county and state butter-carving contests bring Laura, Destiny, Brooke, Bob, and their families into escalating conflict.
The Iowa county fair, butter sculpture tradition, and caricatured local personalities provide the film's central comic environment.
Critics specifically noted the film's vivid, upbeat world despite its twisted humor and biting satire.
Films like Butter, and why
Best in Show
shared offbeat ensemble comedy, small-town satire, and eccentric competition
Election
shared biting political satire, Midwestern setting, and broad comic characterizations
A Mighty Wind
shared Christopher Guest-style ensemble sensibility, social absurdity, and competition-driven humor
Movie Details
- Director
- Jim Field Smith
- Release Date
- 2012-10-05
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (434)
Cast
- Jennifer Garner
- Yara Shahidi
- Hugh Jackman
- Ty Burrell
- Olivia Wilde
- Alicia Silverstone
- Rob Corddry
- Ashley Greene
- Pruitt Taylor Vince
- Kristen Schaal
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Starz Apple TV channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Butter about?
- An Iowa butter-carving rivalry becomes a gleefully strange battleground for political ambition, family tension, and small-town status.
- What is Butter like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Butter as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Butter violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Butter.
- What did critics think of Butter?
- Critics found the premise and cast intermittently funny, especially Jennifer Garner's performance, but broadly agreed that the political satire was obvious, unfocused, and undermined by uneven humor.
- Which films are like Butter?
- Films with a similar feel include Best in Show, Election, and A Mighty Wind.
- How long is Butter?
- Butter runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Butter?
- In United States, Butter streams on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Starz Apple TV channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
