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Miss Firecracker

Play trailer Poster for Miss Firecracker PG Released Apr 28, 1989 1h 42m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 52% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Carnelle Scott (Holly Hunter) is a restless Mississippi girl looking for a life change. She decides to enter a beauty pageant, which her cousin Elain (Mary Steenburgen) had won years before. Despite a lack of support from those close to her, including conniving cousin Delmount (Tim Robbins), Carnelle remains determined. She enlists the help of a seamstress (Alfre Woodard) to outfit her for the competition, while rebuffing the advances of predatory men, as she aims to bring home the crown.
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Miss Firecracker

Critics Reviews

View All (11) Critics Reviews
Dolores Barclay Associated Press Ultimately, Miss Firecracker is a sweet celebration of humanity, of just plain folks trying to get by. Oct 25, 2018 Full Review Nell Minow Movie Mom A neglected gem with sensational performances by everyone, especially Steenburgen and Woodard. Rated: 4/5 Apr 3, 2003 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times What finally makes Miss Firecracker special is that it is not about who wins the contest, but about how all beauty contests are about the need to be loved and about how silly a beauty contest can seem if somebody really loves you. Rated: 3.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews A gentle, off-beat satire that characterizes a bunch of Southern oddballs striving for acceptance. Rated: B+ Aug 21, 2017 Full Review Richard Freedman Newhouse News Service Miss Firecracker is a huge cotton candy of a movie -- there's not really much there; but it's gaudy to look at, and sweet going down the gullet. Jun 27, 2015 Full Review Chuck O'Leary FulvueDrive-in.com Rated: 2/5 May 7, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Blobbo X Thoughtful and earnest independent production made from a play which also starred Holly Hunter. Ebert gave it 3&1/2 and Blobbo concur. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/29/24 Full Review Alec B Perfectly cast and I promise you that very little of this movie is exaggerated. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review Audience Member Holly Hunter, Scott Glenn, Alfre Woodard, Mary Steenburgen, and Tim Robbins Carnelle works in a fish factory in Mississippi but is unsatisfied with her current lifestyle she feels if she enters a beauty pageant like her cousin, Elaine did she can make something of herself yet it feels like everyone doesn't have faith in her entirely her cousin Delmont comes back into town to make something of himself but he's been in an institution for 2 years without any help from anyone he also wants to sell Carnelle's home to make enough money to fix everything this really is one of Holly Hunter's best performances and as Carnelle she's fully committed to proving she belongs somewhere are beauty pageants so superficial and full of fake people, everyone wants to be beautiful without accepting there are limitations, maybe winning or losing actually builds character, maybe what we really want out of life is some eternal grace Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/29/23 Full Review Steve D Cute enough thanks to a strong cast. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review robert p Not a stupendous movement on this movie but I still liked it enough to give it 3 and 1/2 stars!!! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Possibly Holly Hunter's best work. There have lots of beauty pageant films in this flavor, but Hunter brings such raw manic emotional vulnerability to this film, it's worthwhile to watch her work. The whole cast is incredible. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Miss Firecracker

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Carnelle Scott (Holly Hunter) is a restless Mississippi girl looking for a life change. She decides to enter a beauty pageant, which her cousin Elain (Mary Steenburgen) had won years before. Despite a lack of support from those close to her, including conniving cousin Delmount (Tim Robbins), Carnelle remains determined. She enlists the help of a seamstress (Alfre Woodard) to outfit her for the competition, while rebuffing the advances of predatory men, as she aims to bring home the crown.
Director
Thomas Schlamme
Producer
Fred Berner
Screenwriter
Beth Henley
Production Co
Corsair Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 28, 1989, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 17, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$646.9K
Runtime
1h 42m
Sound Mix
Surround
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