Review of Butter (2012) by Nathan M — 17 Jan 2014

Jennifer Garner's performance is one of the few memorable components of this allegorical satire of the 2008 U.S. Presidential primaries.

The story itself is a bit loosely composed and thinly veiled in terms of the actual message, but it manages to be a mildly enjoyable comedy most of the time. Garner, who leads this first product of her production company Vandalia Films, is entertaining as the super ambitious wife of a local hero. As a rare unsympathetic character, she channels both Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin in this story, complete with calculation, repressed desire, and accents. I could even sense a little of her own real-life angst, as I've read some interviews where she isn't too keen on living the rest of her life in the shadow of her more famous husband.

While it represents a few steps closer to the edge for Jennifer Garner, who usually performs in more family friendly fare, "Butter" is a minor piece for all artists involved and just a small footnote in the period is seeks to address. (7 January 2014).