Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Some films have a built-in audience by virtue of the title alone. Sometimes it's a simple case of sequelitis with a crowd-pleasing franchise (see Iron Man 2). In other cases, it's a known property making the leap to the big screen (see Sex and the City. On second thought, don't.) Most interesting are those films that tell you right up front what to expect (see Hot Tub Time Machine or Snakes on a Plane).

And then there's Butter.

One-word titles immediately provoke our curiosity. However, unlike such gems as Robocop, Psycho, and Titanic - where the subject matter is anything but a mystery - Butter requires a bit more incentive. If you're ready to pass it by, here are four words that ought to seal the deal for you: fiercely competitive butter carving. No, wait, come back!  OK, here's four more: Olivia Wilde pole dancing.  

Welcome back.

With an all-star cast including the aforementioned Wilde, Jennifer Garner, Alicia Silverstone, Ty Burrell, Rob Corddry, and Hugh Jackman, Butter churns a twisted tale about an ousted Iowa state butter carving champion (Burrell), his frosty first lady (Garner), and the hooker with a heart of mold (Wilde) who comes between them.

The Picture

Butter comes to Blu-ray from the folks at Anchor Bay, and on the whole boasts an excellent technical presentation. The film's understated color palette comes across effectively on Blu-ray, with natural-looking skin tones, rich (but not overblown) primaries, and plenty of fine image detail to create some wonderful texture. Blacks look nice and deep, with minimal crush apparent in the shadows. A welcome layer of film grain is visible throughout.


The Sound

When you're watching a film about butter carving, even one as bizarre and malicious as this is at times, you're not in it for the surround sound. That said, there is plenty of atmosphere to be heard on this effective 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. Dialogue is consistently clear and intelligible and the subwoofer even gets some work to do when the lovely "Tokyo Rose" takes the stage.


The Extras

Here's where things start to melt. On the extras front, all we get is a gag reel and a handful of deleted and extended scenes. Oh well. We do get a bonus DVD of the movie, but no dice on a Digital Copy or Ultraviolet edition.

Final Thoughts

Is Butter going to win any awards? Heck no. However, there is something to be said for a film where Rob Corddry plays it straight and Hugh Jackman is the dim-witted sex fiend. Filled with faces you're apt to recognize, this one's a guilty pleasure that's more fun than its name would imply. Equal parts nasty, humorous, and charming, Butter is - much like its namesake - unhealthy but oh so delicious.

Features and Specifications:

• Actors: Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell, Olivia Wilde, Rob Corddry, Ashley Greene, Alicia Silverstone, and Hugh Jackman
• Director: Jim Field Smith
• Audio/Languages: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of Discs: 2
• Rating: R
• Studio: Anchor Bay
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: December 4, 2012
• Run Time: 91 minutes
• List Price: $29.99
• Extras:
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Extended Scenes
  • Gag reel
  • Bonus DVD