Cult Classics of Summer - Troop Beverly Hills (1989) - Reviewed

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