The character of Carnelle Scott (a very understated Holly Hunter) may not be everybody's choice as a beauty queen, but she enters the Miss Firecracker contest simply to give it a shot. Not extraordinary in any way, she's still going to try, risking the embarrassment of true beauty former winning queen cousin Mary Steenburgen who stands by her regardless, as does dorky pal Alfre Woodard, nearly walking away with the film with her heartfelt performance that is a combination of laughter and pathos.
I was delighted with Hunter in this film, a performance that is unlike the intense unhappy women she's played in most of her other films, and completely relaxed seems to be having a fun time for once, especially when she goes through her tap dancing routine to "The Star Spangled Banner". The beauty contest itself comes off amateurish and purposely over the top (featuring a fun Ann Wedgeworth), but it successfully parodies the meat market aspect of such competitions. Delightfully light-hearted and easy to watch, with a bittersweet ending that is pretty much what the audience expected, and Hunter does indeed come out a winner.
I was delighted with Hunter in this film, a performance that is unlike the intense unhappy women she's played in most of her other films, and completely relaxed seems to be having a fun time for once, especially when she goes through her tap dancing routine to "The Star Spangled Banner". The beauty contest itself comes off amateurish and purposely over the top (featuring a fun Ann Wedgeworth), but it successfully parodies the meat market aspect of such competitions. Delightfully light-hearted and easy to watch, with a bittersweet ending that is pretty much what the audience expected, and Hunter does indeed come out a winner.