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 com
