Jeff
Kanew's campy classic, Troop Beverly Hills has remained an essential
piece of '80s/'90s cult cinema since its debut in 1989. Bearing a
prescient message about female empowerment, unforgettable costumes designs, and
an all-star cast, the film continues to endear its audiences (new and old) to
this very day. Shelley Long's iconic lead performance anchors a
deceptively simple family experience that ultimately resonates as a powerful
statement on self-reliance and sisterhood.
Phyllis
Nefler is a Beverly Hills housewife in the process of a messy divorce. In
an effort to prove herself to her estranged husband, Phyllis becomes the leader
of her daughter's well to do Wilderness Girls scout troop. The ensuing
events brings Phyllis into contact with various villains while teaching her
young charges about the importance of teamwork, community, and
compassion. Shelley Long's hilarious embodiment of Phyllis is the eye of
the pastel storm that swirls through the heart of the picture. Her
Phyllis is strong and resilient, yet vulnerable and flawed, a combination that
only enhances her relatability. One of the most inspired aspects of the
film is the casting of the girl scouts. Featuring a diverse group of
young female actors, it's obvious that Kanew had an inclusive vision in mind
from the film’s inception and the result comedic bliss. The final ingredient is Theodora Van Runkle’s
unapologetically gaudy costumes. Long
becomes her living mannequin, showcasing luxurious, and often ridiculous
ensembles throughout.
The
film critically and commercially failed upon release, however in recent years
it has benefited from a critical revaluation that has focused on the strengths
of the film's subtexts, which, admittedly can be lost under the extremely artificial
surface story of glamour, financial irresponsibility, and downright mean
spirited competition. In a truly '80s fashion, there are, only
caricatures within Kanew's palm tree playground, and yet, these flaws only
enhance the message when contrasted against the absolute darkness of modern-day
American discourse. Acceptance, even heroic sacrifice is at play within
Pamela Norris and Margaret Grieco Oberman's script, a gentle reminder of the
importance of film in the developmental process of young adults.
Now
available for digital streaming, Troop Beverly Hills is a 100-minute
jolt of comedic abandon, the perfect film of one's youthful summers in a time
where there was no internet, and the most important problem one had was
predicting what would be number one on MTV's chart list that day. Balancing complex social ideas with laugh out
loud sequences, this is a genuine, heartfelt film that will continue to inspire
young people for years to come.
-- Kyle Jonathan