Housewife of the Year

The resulting movie is fascinating precisely because we’re hearing their voices. More important, there’s a kind of dignity afforded the subjects through this approach.

A snapshot of a time that has uncomfortable echoes and is often an uneasy watch, even as it entertains.

Ultimately, Housewife of the Year succeeds as an act of historical reclamation.

It might seem obvious to skewer the titular pageant as sexist and patronizing. Yet this documentary finds depth and perspective through the stories of its former competitors.