Plot

In Iowa, a girl in foster care discovers her talent for butter carving and finds herself pitted against an ambitious local woman in their town's annual contest.

In Iowa, laid-back Bob has won the state fair's butter-carving contest 15 years running; his tightly-wound and hard-charging wife Laura sees Bob becoming governor, so when the contest organizers ask him to step aside so others can win, she's incensed, and when Bob won't protest, she decides to enter herself. In the county contest, she's up against African-American foster child Destiny and Brooke, a prostitute Bob hasn't paid. When things don't go Laura's way, she enlists the help of old boyfriend Boyd. Also involved as things heat up at the state fair are Laura's stepdaughter and Destiny's foster parents. are in the mix as things heat up at the state fair.—<jhailey@hotmail.com>

Generally-humble Bob Pickler has found his niche in life as a butter sculptor, handily winning the Iowa state Mastery in Butter carving championship 15 years running. His ambitious current second wife, Laura Pickler, parlays Bob's local fame to further her own egotistical aspirations to be known as a person doing social good, her eye on the Iowa state governor's seat, and perhaps even the White House. When Bob agrees to a request by event organizers to take himself out of further competitions to allow others to have their moment of butter fame, Laura believes that her aspirations are shattered, as the centerpiece of what gave them renown has been taken away. She decides to enter the competition herself to continue the Pickler legacy, expecting to intimidate any newcomers. What she doesn't expect is the entry of Destiny, a 10-year-old black foster child who doesn't even know her last name, as her parentage is uncertain. She's been in countless foster homes, never finding the right place and parents for her, so not finding her own place in life; one foster parent has even told her that she has no talent. Her latest foster parents are Ethan and Jill; she considers them extremely "white," but they really want to do anything they can, above and beyond, to make her feel welcome in their home. But after what she's been through already, she is on her guard. When she sees Bob's 15th winning butter sculpture, a life-sized rendering of the Last Supper. As Destiny carves and sculpts from the heart, Laura will do anything required to beat Destiny, even cheat. Meanwhile, bike-riding stripper/hooker Brooke has her own vendetta against the Picklers, especially Laura.—Huggo

A tale of competition at its most cut-throat, BUTTER surveys the raw ambition of Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner), the wife of Bob Pickler (Ty Burrell), Iowa's long-reigning champion butter carver. For 15 years, Laura has relished her high-profile role as the beautiful, loyal helpmate to her affable, artistically gifted husband. But when Bob is pressured to retire and allow someone else a chance at glory, an indignant Laura decides to enter the competition herself. She is first in line on sign-up day, only to see her odds of victory fall below 100% with the arrival of an unlikely yet formidable contender: 10-year-old Destiny (Yara Shahidi), the African-American foster child of local couple Julie and Ethan (Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry). And that's not all. Bob's would-be mistress, bad-girl stripper Brooke (Olivia Wilde) also declares her candidacy, as does his #1 fan, Carol-Ann (Kristen Schaal). Facing three opponents, mocked by her stepdaughter Kaitlen (Ashley Greene) and furious with her husband, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to win. And if that means resorting to sabotage - and recruiting her dim-witted former boyfriend Boyd (Hugh Jackman) as a co-conspirator - then so be it.