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Miss Firecracker

1989, Movie, PG, 102 mins

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The town of Yazoo City, Mississippi, is agog over the annual Fourth of July Miss Firecracker Contest, and no one is more obsessed with winning this honor than Carnelle Scott (Holly Hunter). But Carnelle has more than a few obstacles to overcome if she is to win the title. Adding to the hubbub are the simultaneous arrivals of her cousins, Elain Rutledge (Mary Steenburgen) and Delmount Williams (Tim Robbins). A former contest winner, Elain has always been Carnelle's idol. Delmount, a poetic wildman, has had a less easy time of it: a recent stay at an insane asylum and a stint as a highway maintenance worker have not tamed his manic exuberance. But Carnelle pursues her dream with relentless fervor. Playwright-scriptwriter Beth Henley specializes in this type of cloying Southern Gothic whimsy. But what might once have seemed refreshingly quirky and a good actors' workout on the stage has become a desperate struggle for melodramatic laughs. Moreover, director Thomas Schlamme's unsure handling of scenes and indiscriminate use of unappealing close-ups of actors emoting at full steam only emphasize the material's weakness. leave a comment
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Miss Firecracker
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Miss Firecracker
Buy Miss Firecracker from Amazon.com
From First Look Pictures (DVD)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $9.98

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