Mayor Cupcake

Mayor Cupcake stars Lea Thompson as a baker who through an electoral default ends up as the mayor a small mid-west town and sets about putting it to rights.

The film is enjoyable at face value, but the parallels to contemporary national politics are a little too blatant, so rather than an allegory it becomes a parable.

If you can just enjoy the film for what it is then it is fun and cute and has good performances.

A pretty film and one that works well if the small town values ring true with you - we find it a little off-balance to be deeply enjoyable, but all in all, a nice film.

I was looking for a feel-good, light comedy with family and community values. This was perfect. I might have given it a 6 or 7 because it's not the greatest movie in existence that must be watched by one and all. However, I have a huge soft spot for cupcakes. Honestly. Such a cute word and one of my favorite desserts. That brought it up a star. Then when I saw that it took place in (and was filmed in) my home state, well state pride boosted it up to 9 stars. Punkin' Chunkin'--yeah baby!! I am so glad that made it into the movie. And my biggest laugh was at the end with one of Bart's signs. Only Delawareans will get just how hilarious that is--thank you for including it!

By the way, a previous review mentioned typical mid-west town. I could see that, but knowing this is my home I do have to speak out and say it's an east coast town. Right next to the Shore (as the sign by town hall saying "Beaches" would indicate).

I live in Lewes, Delaware not too far from Bridgeville. This is a wholesome family fun movie. Very enjoyable fun loving characters plus your typical knuckleheads in this movie. Great movie to watch to pick you up from a lousy day. Both of Lea's daughters in real life are super actors in this movie with bright futures.

Cute, satisfying little movie: a pleasant snack.

Several people in these reviews referenced Palin echoes, one angrily convinced that this was propaganda supporting her.

Bullfeathers. Sure, they both went from mayor to governor & got pregnant out of wedlock.

But this movie was made years after Palin's campaign for vice president, in her has-been, occasionally annoying era. The character was inspired by the writer/director's mother.

And Sarah Palin was no cupcake: didn't work without a salary; didn't clean up corruption & course-correct. She was a corruption queen and ruthless towards those she'd a personal grudge against, blithely abusing power to do so.

Really, has basically NOTHING in common with Mayor Cupcake.

Mayor Cupcake is the tale of a baker who, through a series of unexpected and unwelcome events, becomes mayor of a small town.

The film has a couple of surprises. Leah Thompson is in the title role and works wonderfully as the quintessential girl next door, but that's no surprise, she's always been the all-American girl. One of the surprises is that both of her own real-life daughters are in this film as her own daughters. Another surprise is that Judd Nelson (Suddenly Susan, Breakfast Club) plays her policeman husband. The twist in this surprise is that one of their daughters is in a band that, at one part of the movie is playing and updated version of "Don't you forget about Me" (from the Breakfast Club!)

From a story telling perspective, as another reviewer suggests the movie works as a rather loose parable for contemporary politics; specifically in regards to Sarah Palin (who as a small town mayor and then as governor proved adept at taking on corrupt politicians and good ol' boy networks) and her Fox News pal Greta Van Susterin who make a cameo (as herself) in this movie. There are a couple of other minor surprise but I won't spoil those.

The movie was enjoyable as Leah Thompson is always fun to watch (and quite honestly would be a great choice to play Sarah Palin in a bio-pic) and the movie serves as an inspiration and a warning to fight the good fight but beware of the (personal) costs. That said, just sit back and enjoy!