troop zero movie review

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If Wes Anderson were to mesh “ Bad News Bears ” with a live-action “ Monsters University ,” the result would look and feel something like “Troop Zero,” a whimsical, if not generic kiddie adventure more suited for young ones than grown-ups. Led by Mckenna Grace —the remarkable young actor of “ I, Tonya ” and “ Gifted ” and directed by a female duo named Bert & Bertie, it’s a syrupy escapade of misfits set in a quaint Georgia town in 1977. Pleasant enough but never quite as emotionally gripping as a coming-of-age story about acceptance can be, “Troop Zero” scores a handful of memorable moments when it lets its freak flag fly; exactly the kind of attitude it encourages in its central children (or among young audience members) who struggle to fit in.

Chief of those kids here is the fancifully named, disarmingly sweet nine-year-old Christmas Flint (Grace), a starry-eyed, messy-haired girl obsessed with the outer space and bullied by cooler packs that cruelly call her a bed-wetter. An avid reader of astronomy books she borrows from the local library, Christmas clutches on to her flashlight (her most valuable possession she’s inherited from her deceased mother) nightly and signals to the sky, hoping to communicate with extraterrestrial life some day. (Sure, “the recluse kid vs. aliens she’d like to befriend” is a touch “E.T.,” or a touch on-the-nose as a metaphor, but go along with it.) With her neighbor and closest (or perhaps, only) friend Joseph ( Charlie Shotwell ), another outcast frequently picked on by the meanies who ridicule his showy mannerisms, Christmas spends her days looking up to her down-on-his-luck lawyer dad’s work associate Rayleen ( Viola Davis , infusing the film with a level of maturity) almost as a motherly figure, dreaming of a future where she’ll get to connect with creatures from afar.

Opportunity comes knocking one day with NASA’s Voyager Golden Records initiative, phonographs launched into the space in ’77 with sound and imagery contributions from a diverse group of regular earth-bound folk. With a spring in her step, Christmas decides to enter a contest to become one of the voices on it. The only trouble is: she is not a part of the Birdie Scouts, where the space program would hand-pick candidates from. So she does what every determined person her age would do and starts her own scouting crew. The members she manages to gather around prove to be very much like her and Joseph; outsiders who unite around a common purpose, with Rayleen unwittingly piloting the tribe to earn the necessary merit badges and claim legitimacy.

“ Beasts of the Southern Wild ” writer Lucy Alibar ’s script moves along rather predictably, with seasoned scouts on the other side of the aisle putting our little dreamers through hell and each group engaging in vibrant tasks, facing one another off through a series of lively montages. (One nod to “ Reservoir Dogs ” especially earns our giggles despite being overused in cinema.) Meanwhile Rayleen seems to have her own bone to pick with the opponent team’s haughty leader Miss Massey ( Allison Janney )—it’s an entertaining rivalry that begs to be further developed.

In the end though, this is the kids' show and they do put one on, however exceedingly quirky it might be. And you can’t help but root for them, even when you well know the lessons they’ll be taught by the end (e.g. what counts is team spirit and friendship, not winning) and the tidy bow that will eventually be tied around this cutesy (and elaborately-costumed) film. But don’t be surprised if the “ Little Miss Sunshine ”-esque finale of “Troop Zero” gets you unexpectedly choked up with the most appropriate David Bowie needle-drop imaginable (take a wild guess), as the kids accidentally form a sense of solidarity in real time, their earthly oddities be damned.

Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly is a freelance film writer and critic based in New York. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), she regularly contributes to  RogerEbert.com , Variety and Time Out New York, with bylines in Filmmaker Magazine, Film Journal International, Vulture, The Playlist and The Wrap, among other outlets.

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Film credits.

Troop Zero (2020)

Rated PG for thematic elements, language, and smoking throughout.

Viola Davis as Miss Rayleen

Mckenna Grace as Christmas Flint

Allison Janney as Miss Massey

Milan Ray as Hell-No

Jim Gaffigan as Ramsey

Mike Epps as Dwayne Boudraux

Ashley Brooke as Piper Keller

Johanna Colón as Smash

Charlie Shotwell as Joseph

• Lucy Alibar

Cinematographer

• James Whitaker
• Catherine Haight

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Heartwarming, funny underdog story has cursing, potty humor.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Strongly promotes standing up for oneself and one'

Recognizes and finds value in a wide canvas of peo

Some pushing and shoving, falls, a food fight. Mea

Occasional swearing ("ass," "damn," "s--t," a char

Beer drinking; a character sneaks alcohol into an

Parents need to know that Troop Zero is an unconventional comedy in which a familiar underdog story turns out fresh and original. Set in 1977 Georgia, it follows young Christmas Flint (McKenna Grace), a quirky, space-loving girl who's coping with the death of her mom just as the United States is preparing to…

Positive Messages

Strongly promotes standing up for oneself and one's beliefs, individuality, teamwork, independence, and good sportsmanship.

Positive Role Models

Recognizes and finds value in a wide canvas of people, both adults and kids, who get the job done despite obstacles. Heroine is resourceful, compassionate, courageous, determined, honest, and loyal; she affects others in a positive way. Comically hateful villain is seen as misguided rather than cruel; she learns a lesson. Stereotypical mean girls get their comeuppance, but probably don't change. Ethnic diversity. Some Southern stereotypes.

Violence & Scariness

Some pushing and shoving, falls, a food fight. Mean girls intimidate heroes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Occasional swearing ("ass," "damn," "s--t," a character's name is "Hell-No"). Bullying and insults ("half-ass," "pee-girl," "freak," "girl-boy"). Bed-wetting and peeing are important to the story. Peeing on camera. Vomiting and farting.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Beer drinking; a character sneaks alcohol into an iced drink. Smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Troop Zero is an unconventional comedy in which a familiar underdog story turns out fresh and original. Set in 1977 Georgia, it follows young Christmas Flint ( McKenna Grace ), a quirky, space-loving girl who's coping with the death of her mom just as the United States is preparing to launch two Voyager spacecraft carrying records of sounds of life on Earth. Her efforts to become part of the project -- assisted by a ragtag gang of other kids she enlists, including a gender-nonconforming boy -- are both funny and affecting. Expect occasional swearing ("ass," "damn," "hell," "s--t") and bullying insults ("half-ass," "freak," "girl-boy," "bed-wetter"). A character vomits; there's also unintentional pants-wetting and a fart. Some tussling occurs: pushing, a punch, a fall, a food fight, and mean girls' intimidation. A scout leader smokes and adults drink beer but doesn't get drunk. Some mean-girl and Southern exaggerations/stereotypes. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Based on 46 parent reviews

Cursing was unnecessary

Some good messages but not pg, what's the story.

Christmas Flint ( McKenna Grace ) is enamored with the cosmos as TROOP ZERO launches. It's 1977 -- the spacecraft Voyagers I and II have announced that they'll be recording voices and sounds of Earth for a "Golden Record" to be taken on their next exploration. The spectacular news for Christmas is that at the next Birdie Scout Jamboree, a winning troop will be selected for inclusion on that record. How amazing would it be if her recently-deceased mom, whom she believes is out among the stars, could hear her voice and connect with her? Of course, Christmas, an outsider among her peers, isn't a Birdie Scout. The troop in her economically-eclectic neighborhood, headed by the prim and proper Miss Massey ( Allison Janney ), turns her down, but the determined girl refuses to give up. She enlists a team of other outsiders -- a spunky girl and her physically-dominating sidekick; a devout Christian with one eye; and a boy whose gender is evolving -- and creates a troop of her own. Christmas coerces her lawyer dad's assistant, the uncompromising Miss Rayleen ( Viola Davis ), to be their "scout mother," and the troop is established -- and derisively named Troop Zero by the Birdie Scout establishment. All the kids have to do now is earn the necessary badges, wow the judges at the jamboree, and win!

Is It Any Good?

An endearingly-gifted young leading lady, sparkling supporting performances, and a devilishly irreverent take on the underdog story make this period movie funny, surprising, and notably current. McKenna Grace's Christmas Flint is an unforgettable character, and she's surrounded by a group of young actors who seem remarkably at ease as they inhabit their eccentric roles. Jim Gaffigan is wonderful as Christmas's beleaguered widowed dad, and Viola Davis and Allison Janney make terrific sparring partners. Co-directors Bert & Bertie, working from a script by Lucy Alibar, have succeeded in making a family movie with just enough grit -- it's mostly wholesome but it has its moments -- to make it special. Troop Zero first appeared in the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how often a dead parent is part of the storyline in films made for kids and families. How does that element immediately help identify the emotional place in which we find a character? How does it help set up the relationship with the character's surviving parent? How did Christmas' hopes to connect with her recently departed mom drive the story in Troop Zero ?

How did the filmmakers make the movie, set in the '70s, very contemporary? What issues did they explore? What was the tone of the movie?

Why do you think the filmmakers chose David Bowie's music for this movie? How did the songs contribute to both the story and energy of the film?

Find out more about the space program's "Golden Record" project. Did you enjoy seeing the actual footage during the end credits of the movie? Did it make the story more real and relevant?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : January 17, 2020
• Cast : McKenna Grace , Viola Davis , Jim Gaffigan , Allison Janney
• Director : Bert & Bertie
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Black actors
• Studio : Amazon
• Genre : Comedy
• Topics : Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 94 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : thematic elements, language and smoking throughout
• Last updated : February 3, 2024

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‘Troop Zero’ Review: It’s the Snobs Versus the Slobs, Girl Scout-Style

By David Fear

It’s 1977 in Wiggly, Georgia, and Christmas Flint (moppet extraordinaire Mckenna Grace) is pining for a purpose. The nine-year-old lives with her widower dad ( Jim Gaffigan ), who everyone calls “Boss Man,” in something like a rural, commune-like trailer park. She has a reputation around school as a weak-bladdered “Wetsy Betsy,” which doesn’t make her the most popular kid there. And like a lot of her fellow misfits — the Bowie–obsessed boy next door (Charlie Shotwell), the born-again Christian with an eyepatch (Bell Higginbotham), the bully (Milan Ray) who really has a heart of gold, and her thuggish muscle (Johanna Colón) — Christmas catches a lot of shit from the hoity-toity kids in town.

Then the girl hears about this project from a visiting NASA administrator. One lucky group of “Birdies” — think the Girl Scouts, but more twee — will win the chance to have their recorded voices beamed into the cosmos alongside Chuck Berry songs, for the benefit of any intelligent life listening out there. Christmas is ecstatic at the idea of talking to aliens. There’s just one catch: The local troop, led by the elitist Miss Massey (Allison Janney), won’t have a working-class bed-wetter in their ranks. What nerve! So Christmas starts her own gang of Birdies, stocked with other freaks and geeks and led by her dad’s employee, the tough yet tender Miss Rayleen (Viola Davis). They get dubbed “Troop Zero,” because there are no other numbers left. It’s supposed to be an insult. Our plucky, spunky heroine thinks it’s a badge of pride.

What we have here is a classic snobs-vs.-slobs type of standoff, an underdog tale slathered in Seventies Southern Gothic quirk from British directors Amber Finlayson and Katie Ellwood, who go by the joint nom de cineaste Bert & Bertie . If you’re already cringing over the duo’s handle, this movie is not for you. If you’re allergic to stories about kids running around the backwoods and who have names like Christmas, Hell-No and Smash, this movie is not for you (the playwright-screenwriter Lucy Alibar was also a co-writer on Beasts of the Southern Wild, which helps explain a few things). If you have an issue with any project that feels cobbled together from bits of Meatballs, Son of Rambow, Troop Beverly Hills, Little Miss Sunshine, and various Wes Anderson joints — and that feels it’s still acceptable to make a slo-mo Reservoir Dogs joke in the year of our lord 2020 — this movie is definitely not for you.

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So, pray tell, who is Troop Zero for? Well, if you’re the kind of person who knows that pairing Allison Janney’s brittle, chilly authoritarian act with Viola Davis’ take-no-shit righteousness will produce something worth watching regardless, you should check it out. (They make a great screen team, and someone needs to find them a Thelma and Louise -style outlaw flick, or a gender-flipped Sherlock Holmes-and-Watson reboot stat. Anything but a sequel to The Help. ) If you’re a fan of Edi Patterson, who shows up as the competition’s judge and easily walks away with the film’s second half, you should check it out — just go straight to the point where she solemnly says, “Knock-knock. Who’s there? The holy spirit. ” And if you’re susceptible to a certain type of feel-good uplift, the kind that borders on pandering but still gets the job done, you should check it out. A person sits in a theater and thrills to a bunch of tweens pulling off a WTF musical number set to “Space Oddity,” and the critic must be honesst enough to admit that they are that person.

Or rather, a person sitting on their couch. Amazon Studios premiered Troop Zero at Sundance in 2019 and is now releasing it straight to its site, sans a theatrical run. This decision is less a display of lacking faith in the movie’s quality then it is a triumph of practicality. It is exactly the kind of movie that you might stumble across while browsing Amazon’s new-releases video list and go, “Oh, Viola Davis has a new movie out? Cool, I love her.” Click. And lo, an overly familiar, rather generic story of finding the moxie-fueled winner in all of us, etc., etc., washes over you and you do not even have to leave your living room. It is an innocuous, pleasant enough way to kill a few hours. That’s the worst thing you can say about it. It’s also, alas, the best thing you can say about it as well.

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‘troop zero’: film review | sundance 2019.

Viola Davis plays the unlikely chaperone to a group of misfit scouts in 'Troop Zero,' a family comedy by Bert & Bertie.

By THR Staff

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A kid-centric underdog tale set in drawly 1977 Georgia, Troop Zero wouldn’t be much more sticky-sweet if you poured a can of Coca-Cola on it. The film, directed by a pair of women who call themselves Bert & Bertie, centers on a child played by Mckenna Grace but is made whole by Viola Davis , whose gruff embodiment of a kid-wary adult is an essential counterweight to the cuteness surrounding her. Likely to divide auds on the festival circuit, it should be more warmly welcomed in family-oriented settings.

Grace plays the wince-inducingly named Christmas Flint, a spunky 9-year-old with blonde pigtails and an obsession with outer space — where she believes, or at least hopes, her dead mother lives on. Picked on by schoolmates because she wets the bed (she doesn’t, she swears ), her only friend is neighbor Joseph (Charlie Shotwell), who is more in touch with his feminine side than was generally allowed in the real-world version of ’70s rural Georgia.

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Christmas fixates on the idea of sending messages out to whatever beings might exist in deep space. When she learns that NASA is recording everyday people for a record it will send off with the Voyager spacecraft — and that some local kids will be part of that project — she can barely contain herself. (Actually, that’s true most of the time. Grace spends much of the film’s first half jittering nervously, or bouncing on her heels as if about to launch into orbit.) But NASA will select its Georgia participants at the annual Jamboree of Birdie Scouts, and the mean-girls in her local Birdie troop want nothing to do with her.

So Christmas starts her own troop. Having checked the Birdie guide out of the library and finding no rule limiting membership to girls, she makes Joseph her first comrade; then come the most feral bullies she knows (Hell-No and the speechless Smash, played by Milan Ray and Johanna Colon); then the one-eyed Jesus freak Ann-Claire (Bella Higginbotham).

For a troop mother, she recruits Davis’ Rayleen, who, as a secretary for Christmas’ luckless defense-lawyer father Ramsey ( Jim Gaffigan ), has a bit of time on her hands. “I don’t get on good with little girls,” Rayleen complains. But Ramsey reminds her he can’t afford to pay her to work, and some unexplained history Rayleen has with the other troop’s leader ( Allison Janney ‘s Miss Massey, who cloaks every mean comment behind an “I’m playin’, I’m playin'”) seems to prod her into accepting the role.

All that remains is to turn this ragtag crew into official Birdie Scouts, so they can enter the talent show and win a spot on that Golden Record. Though the film seems in opening scenes to be charting its own broadly-drawn quirky path (writer Lucy Alibar co-wrote Beasts of the Southern Wild , and we initially suspect we’re entering a whiter, more ingratiating version of that world), it now settles into a very familiar mode. Rayleen’s first meeting with what will be designated Troop Zero is a Bad News Bears -like parade of misfits, who learn they’ll have to prove their mettle by earning whatever merit badges Troop Five didn’t bother sewing on their sashes.

Bert & Bertie have fun with these challenges, generating some kid chemistry as the gang tries to sell cookies and sleep alone in the woods without dying of fright. Among the soundtrack’s many enjoyable needle-drops, they even manage to cast the kids as pint-sized Reservoir Dogs with a slo-mo “Little Green Bag” scene. But as challenges pile up, the filmmakers don’t trust viewers to get the movie’s message without having it hammered home. Time and again, the dialogue tells our working-class heroes that they shouldn’t expect to win, and should learn to lose graciously: “Y’all will find life gets easier if you don’t want so much.”

Christmas isn’t ready to take that advice, and neither is Rayleen, who regrets not going to law school years ago. Davis isn’t given a very satisfying backstory to work with, but when has she needed one? The actress strikes a satisfying balance between reluctance and protectiveness. Gaffigan and Janney offer just what their parts in the story need, but Davis keeps it all on the rails. In the end, of course, new friendships (cemented with a very unlikely act of solidarity) are the real prize, and being heard by anybody at all is as good as having your voice immortalized for beings in a far-off galaxy.

Production companies: Amazon Studios, Big Indie Pictures, Escape Artists Distributor: Amazon Studios Cast: Viola Davis, Mckenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps, Charlie Shotwell, Allison Janney Directors: Bert & Bertie Screenwriter: Lucy Alibar Producers: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Alex Siskin, Viola Davis Executive producers: David Bloomfield, Lucy Alibar, Jenny Hinkey Director of photography: James Whitaker Production designer: Laura Fox Costume designer: Caroline Eselin Schaefer Editor: Catherine Haight Composer: Rob Lord Casting directors: Lindsay Graham, Mary Vernieu Venue: Sundance Film Festival (Premieres)

Rated PG, 97 minutes

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‘Troop Zero’ Review: A New Generation of Underdogs

This film about a makeshift scouting troop hits familiar beats, but is elevated by its cast.

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By Lovia Gyarkye

What “Troop Zero” lacks in complexity, it makes up for in heart. This straightforward dramedy, which is Amazon’s first foray into the streaming-only movie space, follows Christmas Flint (Mckenna Grace), an eccentric girl growing up in rural Georgia. It’s 1977, Jimmy Carter is president and Christmas is determined to make contact with aliens by recording a message on NASA’s Golden Record, a time-capsule of sounds and images launched into space and intended for extraterrestrial life.

All Christmas has to do is win the statewide Birdie Scout talent competition. But after the local troop rejects her for being a social outcast, she recruits the town’s other misfits and starts her own group. There’s Joseph (Charlie Shotwell), her best friend whose interest in fashion and disinterest in athletics gets him the moniker “boy-girl”; Hell-No Price (Milan Ray), her former bully; Smash (Johanna Colón), a relatively mute child who communicates by destroying objects; and Anne-Claire (Bella Higginbotham), a shy evangelical. Christmas also recruits Miss Rayleen (Viola Davis), the woman who works at her father’s unsuccessful law firm, to be the troop mother.

Directed by the female duo Bert & Bertie, “Troop Zero” possesses all the elements of a traditional film about underdogs, retrofitted for a new generation. Yes, members of the established troop taunt the band of determined children as they struggle to earn their badges, and few of the adults seem to believe in their abilities. “Life isn’t about winning, I mean it is for some, for those who win. But for the rest of y’all, the trick is to endure,” Christmas’s father, Ramsey (Jim Gaffigan), says as the troops prepare to complete an obstacle course.

But gender norms are also challenged, albeit sometimes in ways uncharacteristic for the era: Joseph’s participation is rarely questioned and the position of troop mother isn’t always filled by a woman. While the film’s lessons are relatively uncomplicated, they unravel in sweet moments, often assisted by Rob Lord’s considerate and nostalgic score. The cast should also be credited for enlivening a sometimes flat script. The troop chemistry is tender and Davis shines in her compassionate, albeit familiar, role as a maternal figure and rational voice. “Troop Zero” may not radically subvert expectations, or ruffle too many feathers, but it’s nonetheless a pleasant viewing experience.

Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 34 minutes.

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Troop Zero Reviews

Jim Gaffigan is revelatory here as Christmas's father, who clearly never imagined himself as a single dad yet whose love for his daughter is never questioned

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Aug 30, 2020

consistently funny, engaging, and emotionally resonant

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 28, 2020

Bert & Bertie's new comedy is such a disarmingly sweet film, you might need a few insulin shots to recover from it.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 23, 2020

It has a message of self-acceptance and how to overcome obstacles that can resonate with a wide variety of people, if you don't mind sitting through the retro vibe and familiarity of it all.

Full Review | Jul 15, 2020

Troop Zero (2020) is so sugary sweet that it should come with a health warning.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jul 8, 2020

This is a touching film about inclusivity, children's need for adult supervision and interaction, forgiveness, and kindness.

Full Review | Apr 1, 2020

It's obvious the writer of the film had the ending first and awkwardly filled in the beginning. The first hour feels like three hours and what happened could have been condensed in ten minutes and still got the point across.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 26, 2020

Troop Zero a great premise, but the results are underwhelming

Full Review | Mar 13, 2020

Funny, truthful and touching but never saccharine, this brilliantly cast family movie written by Lucy Alibar (Beasts of the Southern Wild) is one of the most delightful things streaming anywhere.

Full Review | Mar 11, 2020

If you can excuse a bit of cinematic aimlessness at the beginning, you'll enjoy the story of star-struck Christmas Flint and her band of space explorers.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Feb 25, 2020

Put this movie in front of any girl, hell, any kid period, that's been demeaned about their differences or forced to conform to supposed societal standards.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 22, 2020

It's one of those wistful, peppy flicks about scrappy young outsiders who bond to show the world their worth. Nothing wrong with that, but its story...is too broad.

Full Review | Feb 10, 2020

Although Troop Zero has moments of whimsy and charm, its characters are sketched so thinly that it might be difficult for audiences to connect.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 30, 2020

Turning in one of the best child performances in recent years, [McKenna] Grace can light up the screen with a smile. Even if the movie is a little surface and obvious, her bubbling energy is contagious.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jan 22, 2020

While calling out its narrative as predictable would be an understatement, Troop Zero unfortunately suffers not only from superficiality but also a blissful cultural ignorance.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 21, 2020

Troop Zero may be cloying, but it has an earnest heart.

Full Review | Jan 21, 2020

Hard to fault such a sweet and well-meaning approach to misfit kids finding their people, but "Troop Zero" ultimately feels a little too self-aware for its own good.

Some films simply burst with a lovable energy. "Troop Zero" is one of those movies.

[A]n over-commitment to quirkiness can make Troop Zero feel like a song played out of tune.

A discount . . . Little Miss Sunshine -- a story barreling toward child pageantry, so satisfied with its own quirkiness that it never comes across as anything but obligatory.

‘Troop Zero’: Film Review

Bert & Bertie’s family crowdpleaser neither reinvents the wheel nor even attempts to redesign it all that much, but at least it gets where it wants to go.

By Andrew Barker

Andrew Barker

Senior Features Writer

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You’ve probably seen a version of “ Troop Zero ” before. Whether that version was called “Troop Beverly Hills,” “The Mighty Ducks,” or an edited-for-TV showing of “The Bad News Bears,” it’s unlikely that anything here will be particularly fresh to anyone but the youngest of viewers. But novelty does not appear to have been high on the filmmakers’ priorities. An aggressively whimsical, ‘70s-set family comedy about a misfit group of off-brand Girl Scouts, directing duo Bert & Bertie’s crowdpleaser neither reinvents the wheel nor even attempts to redesign it all that much, but at least it gets where it wants to go, thanks in no small part to the work of Allison Janney , Viola Davis , and young actor Mckenna Grace .

Say this much for “Troop Zero,” which premiered at Sundance in 2019 and hits Amazon streaming this weekend: in spite of its relentless insistence on steering the plot exactly where you think it’s going, it does manage to craft a distinctive heroine. On first glance, to be sure, nine-year-old Christmas Flint (Grace) seems to have sprung fully formed from a Sundance lab. Relentlessly perky in spite of (or perhaps in response to) her mother’s recent death, she’s the oddest of oddballs in her rural Georgia town, eternally clad in ill-fitting red rain boots, prone to bed-wetting incidents, and obsessed with extraterrestrials. She scampers through the calamitous home office of her bedraggled lawyer father (Jim Gaffigan), tries to ingratiate herself with her dad’s lone employee — the dyspeptic, chain-smoking Rayleen (Davis) — and mostly hangs around with her David Bowie-obsessed, aspiring hairdresser guy pal Joseph (Charlie Shotwell).

Christmas finds herself a new mission in life when she overhears a visiting representative of NASA, in town to inform the local Birdie Scout troop that the winners of that year’s Jamboree talent show will have their voices featured on the “golden record” to be sent into deep space aboard Voyager 1. Given the cold shoulder by the one troop in town — and little sympathy from its leader, a walking “bless her heart” named Miss Massey (Janney) — Christmas starts rounding up the rest of the town’s outcasts to form her own group, including Joseph (as the Birdie Scouts’ bylaws never specify any gender requirements), a secretly good-hearted bully named Hell-No (Milan Ray), her hulking henchgirl Smash (Johanna Colon), and a meek evangelical Christian (Bella Higginbotham). Rayleen is unwillingly recruited as den mother.

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Portrayed with great spark and endearing awkwardness by Grace — who never sands down the edges of her character’s oddness, nor plays her underlying grief for cheap pathos — Christmas quickly emerges as a genuinely unique character, and her obsession with the Voyager mission is just specific enough to be believable. It’s in these little details that one most clearly sees the hand of screenwriter Lucy Alibar — here making her first feature since breaking out with “Beasts of the Southern Wild” — and while Christmas hardly seems likely to make as big a splash as Quvenzhané Wallis’ Hushpuppy, Grace is a comparably magnetic young performer.

It’s a good thing that she is, as the film’s weaker middle section sees the troop tasked with earning enough merit badges to qualify for the Jamboree, and here it lurches from uninspired moments of self-actualization (as the scouts bond and each experience some minor triumph, hastily sketched) to style-heavy interludes (a slow-motion food fight, an out-of-nowhere “Reservoir Dogs” homage) that never quite jibe with the tone of the surrounding film. The shadow of Wes Anderson hangs heavy over this stretch, as the directors often push the film’s ramshackle quirk and enforced good cheer well past the breaking point. For example, Gaffigan’s slovenly, extravagantly-toupeed, beer-can-chicken-roasting lawyer has been given more than enough stray idiosyncrasies without also inexplicably requiring him to be chewing on an old toothbrush in half of his scenes, and nearly all the supporting characters are wearing at least one piece of flair too many.

There are pleasures to be found, however, in the tête-à-têtes between Davis and Janney, whose characters slowly reveal a shared history, as well as the not-quite-naturalistic but still refreshingly rusted and dirty touches that production designer Laura Fox gives to the fictional small town. By the time the film arrives at its talent show climax, it openly cribs from both “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Billy Madison,” but its message hits home nonetheless: a fitting end for a movie that’s content to make do with whatever spare parts are lying around, and eventually does so more successfully than one might expect.

Reviewed at TCL Chinese Theaters, Los Angeles, Nov. 19, 2019. (In Sundance, AFI Fes film festivals.) Running time: 98 MIN.

• Production: An Amazon Studios presentation of an Escape Artists, Zhiv, Juvee production. Producers: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Alex Siskin, Viola Davis. Executive producers: David Bloomfield, Jenny Hinkey, Lucy Alibar.
• Crew: Directed by Bert & Bernie. Screenplay: Lucy Alibar. Camera (color): James Whitaker. Editor: Catherine Haight. Music: Rob Lord.
• With: Mckenna Grace, Viola Davis, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, Charlie Shotwell, Milan Ray, Johanna Colon, Bella Higginbotham, Mike Epps.

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• DVD & Streaming
• Comedy , Drama

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In Theaters

• January 17, 2020
• Mckenna Grace as Christmas Flint; Viola Davis as Miss Rayleen; Jim Gaffigan as Ramsey Flint; Allison Janney as Miss Massey; Charlie Shotwell as Joseph; Milan Ray as H--- No Price; Johanna Colón as Smash; Bella Higginbotham as Anne-Claire; Mike Epps as Dwayne Champaign; Ashley Brooke as Piper Keller; Ash Thapliyal as Persad; Kai N. Ture as Ginger; Kenneth Wayne Bradley as Joseph’s Dad

Home Release Date

• Katie Ellwood

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• Amazon Studios

Movie Review

In 1977, NASA prepared to launch a phonographic album aboard the Voyager spacecraft known as the Golden Record. The purpose? To capture sounds and music from life on Earth and send them into space for any and all extraterrestrial life forms who might one day encounter them.

Now, that idea might have seemed silly to many folks. But it means everything to Christmas Flint.

A young, blond-haired misfit, Christmas constantly dreams about the potential for life elsewhere in space. During every free moment, her head is buried in a book, learning all she can about the universe. All she wants is to connect with whatever is outside of her small Georgia town. And connection with anyone has certainly been limited because of her mom’s death, her dad’s emotional distance and her lack of friends.

But things are about to change.

One day, a representative from NASA makes his way to Christmas’ hometown with the offer of a lifetime: a chance to be one of the voices sent to space on the Voyager’s Golden Record. The only problem is that this offer is only for the town’s local Girl Scout group, the Birdie Scouts.

The Birdie Scouts are everything that Christmas is not: “normal,” put-together and brimming with talent. But Christmas is determined, and technicalities will not stand in her way.

So, Christmas does the only thing she can; she finds a band of misfits like herself and forms a new kind of Birdie Scout troop so that they can all have a shot at getting on the Golden Record.

Positive Elements

No matter how many times Christmas is ridiculed, bullied and made to feel as if she’s strange, she always responds with kindness and love. The young girl works hard to make others feel included and fights for her dreams, as well as the dreams of those around her. She is intelligent, kind and forgiving.

Joseph, a fellow Birdie Scout, is a loyal, kind friend who believes in Christmas and stands up for her, as well as the entire Birdie Scout troop. Similarly, a character named H— No Price and the other scouts stick up for one another when they’re ridiculed for their differences. Eventually, the kids learn to appreciate what makes them unique and to speak out against injustice and bullying. This happens in many forms. But once it happens when Christmas’ accidentally wets herself in public, which prompts the rest of the scouts to also wet themselves to help Christmas feel less awkward and embarrassed.

Even though they don’t always show it, the Birdie Scouts are taught many lessons along the way by Miss Rayleen and other scout leaders. They learn to lead with “grace and virtue,” to become “women of substance,” to live life with endurance, to be kind to one another, to pursue inner beauty and to find the areas in which they excel.

Miss Rayleen, although cynical and jaded at first, likewise learns to believe in herself and to believe in her scouts. Through the kids, Miss Rayleen learns to have hope and to pursue her dreams. Gradually, she remembers what it’s like to have passion and to work hard no matter what those around you might say or think.

Christmas tells her dad that she thinks he’s the best dad around: “solid gold.”

Spiritual Elements

Christmas believes that life exists in space. She doesn’t always refer to that life source as “aliens,” but aliens are often mentioned. In a bigger sense, Christmas (along with her friends and family) learns to believe in something outside of herself. She and her friends also learn that there is power in unity.

Christmas also believes in something that she refers to (once) as “The Giant Caterpillar,” a being she believes has the power to send “peacemakers” to Earth. As Christmas studies the stars, she often asks them for “a sign” to ensure her that everything will work out in the end.

When her mom passed, Christmas was told by some that she turned into a star, while others said that her mother was in heaven. At one point, Christmas asks the “life force” in space to protect and take good care of her mom.

Anne-Claire, a young girl, is known for her belief in Jesus. She prays to God before she makes big decisions. When she’s afraid, she prays the 23rd Psalm. A woman tells a joke in which the Holy Spirit is the punchline. A group of religious Birdie Scouts perform a worship-like dance.

Miss Rayleen says “Jesus wept” aloud when Christmas and her friends get upset. She also tells the troops that they’re better off doing “Bible school” than competing.

In a moment of relief after being gripped by fear, Joseph exclaims earnestly, “My dear and holy God.” Miss Massey is called a “devil woman.” A man jokingly prays to God for protection for himself and the kids around him.

Sexual Content

Christmas’ friend and neighbor, Joseph, is a flamboyant boy who feels he doesn’t fit in with those around him. Although his dad wants him to be athletic, Joseph prefers to be an amateur hairdresser and to hang out with Christmas. Girls in the town derogatorily refer to Joseph as “sparkly boy” and “girl/boy.” Elsewhere, Joseph is ridiculed as female even though he makes it clear, when asked, that he is “not a girl.”

Violent Content

H— No Price and her friend, Smash, are known as the town bullies: They hit other kids, push them down and steal their lunch boxes. A few neighborhood kids believe that Smash “ate her parents.”

Miss Rayleen tells her group of girls that although the law says she can’t hit them, she isn’t afraid to if they get out of line. A rude young woman smashes an egg into H— No Price’s face, and the kids break out into a fight.

We learn that Christmas’ mom died when she was young.

Crude or Profane Language

The phrase “motherf—” is heard but cut short. The s-word is used three times. “H—” is heard about 20 times. A number of those uses refer to the young girl who goes by the name of H— No Price. Other profanities include multiple utterances of “d–n,” “d–mit,” “crap” and “a–.”

A girl is called a “fool” and a “piece of trash” twice and is told to “shut [yo] face up.” A rude young woman is called a “snake from hell.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Christmas’ father drinks a few beers, as do his friends. One friend is called out for being drunk. A principal pours liquor into her beverage multiple times. Adults smoke cigarettes.

Other Negative Elements

If we learn anything during this film, it’s that kids and adults can be mean and vindictive.

Christmas is often made fun of and called a “bed-wetter.” Although she does indeed wet herself (in public), it’s an involuntary response to embarrassment and sadness. Similarly, Joseph is ridiculed for his ambiguous sexuality. H— No Price and Smash are both ridiculed because they’re different from other girls and don’t fit the “proper” mold. H— No Price initially believes that “good and beautiful things” aren’t for her. Each of these children believe that they’re not good enough at some point throughout the film.

Adults such as Miss Rayleen and Miss Massey share some rude comments, and Miss Massey attempts to make Miss Rayleen feel as if she’s “less than” because of her past choices.

Miss Rayleen shares that her heart was broken as a young girl by a boy who promised to take her out but went out with another girl instead. In a fit of rage, we learn that she vandalized the boy’s car and personal belongings. Miss Rayleen also admits that this denial, at such a young age, negatively shaped her self-image.

Christmas’ father, Ramsey Flint, doesn’t provide structure for his daughter; often his words of guidance are misleading or too mature. This is chalked up to the fact that he struggles with depression and purpose since losing his wife.

A young girl vomits when nervous, and another girl passes gas in public. A man steals a bunch of trophies.

At its core, Troop Zero (now streaming on Amazon Prime) is a story of hope and friendship that asks some deep questions about the meaning of life and the purpose of unity. It urges children and adults to believe in themselves, even when the world labels you an outcast. The film also emphasizes upbeat themes of self-love, kindness, respect and hard work.

But right alongside this dramedy’s inspirational moments are a lot of problematic issues.

We hear a surprising amount of harsh language. Joseph’s ambiguous sexuality is discussed quite a bit and could easily be a sticking point for families. Then there’s light drinking along with some unruly, rude kiddos that act in ways you won’t want your children emulating.

For a PG-rated flick about empowering children, this Amazon Prime original felt far more mature than its previews let on.

Kristin Smith

Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).

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Review:  An ode to the weird, ‘Troop Zero’ invokes the spirit of David Bowie

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Though we’ve yet to be graced with a David Bowie biopic set to the late artist’s music, “Troop Zero” overtly invokes the spirit of the patron saint of weirdos — all while licensing a handful of his songs. This charming family comedy rocks out to “Rebel Rebel,” “Space Oddity” and more, but its usage of the classic hits never feels forced in its tale of lovable oddballs and their dreams of the stars.

Raised by her father (Jim Gaffigan) after the death of her mother, Christmas Flint ( Mckenna Grace ) is no average 9-year-old. What she is, however, is an outer-space-obsessed, sci-fi-loving nerd who surely has a future in STEM. But this is Wiggly, Ga., in 1977, before the initiative for women in science and technology was a thing, and Christmas’ classmates just see her as a weirdo. When she learns of an opportunity to have her voice recorded and sent into space, she desperately wants to be a part of the project. The only problem is that the way to get on the recording is to be a part of the Birdie Scout troop that wins the talent show at the group’s Jamboree, and the Wiggly group led by Miss Massey (Allison Janney) won’t have her as a member.

So the ever-resilient Christmas starts her own Girl Scout-like group, full of the misfits of Wiggly: Joseph (Charlie Shotwell), who loves playing beauty shop and is bullied for being neither a boy nor a girl; Anne-Claire (Bella Higginbotham), the earnest, Jesus-loving sweetheart with only one eye; Hell-No (Milan Ray), a feisty firecracker who wants no part of Christmas; and Smash (Johanna Colón), a gassy bruiser who snarls more than she speaks. Led by their troop mother, Miss Rayleen (Viola Davis), the group works to earn their badges so they’ll have a place on the stage at the Jamboree.

Adapted by Lucy Alibar from her own play “Christmas and Jubilee Behold the Meteor Shower,” “Troop Zero” is more grounded than the screenwriter’s Oscar-nominated co-writing debut “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” However, there are still hints at the magical realism that made that film so imaginative, particularly whenever the movie tilts its gaze heavenward. What’s perhaps most fantastical here is the utter lack of racism in this small town in Georgia in the ‘70s, with the bullying and isolation among the diverse group of kids focusing mostly on those who are different in ways other than their skin color. Beyond that blind spot, “Troop Zero” shares a message of kindness and acceptance, embracing what makes each child special.

This comedy from directing duo Bert & Bertie feels as unique — and sometimes as flawed — as each of its characters, particularly in its slow-starting opening act where it’s tough to look past Grace’s truly awful wig. But “Troop Zero” is bursting with personality and stylistic flourishes; it might be too twee for some, but it’s better to let yourself be won over by its sincerity and sweetness, tempered by just enough sadness and quirk.

‘Troop Zero’

Rated: PG, for thematic elements, language, and smoking throughout Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes Playing: Available Jan. 17 on Amazon Prime Video

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Troop Zero (2019)

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'Troop Zero' Review: Viola Davis And Allison Janney Headline This Charming Comedy, But It Belongs To The Kids [Sundance]

From its opening shot that travels from the Big Dipper all the way down to the small town of Wiggly, Georgia in 1977, Troop Zero , a Southern-fried comedy from female co-directors Bert & Bertie , seems to constantly walk the line of being too precocious and cute for its own good. But even though its jokes don't always land, the film is still a pleasant, largely charming diversion and further proof that Viola Davis can elevate any movie she's in.

The absurdly-named Christmas Flint ( Mckenna Grace ) is a nine-year-old obsessed with making contact with alien life. When we first meet her, she's shining flashlights into the sky in an attempt to tell the universe she exists – and also to potentially speak to her dead mother, whom Christmas believes may now reside among the stars. She lives with her dad ( Jim Gaffigan ), a hapless, well-liked defense lawyer who's perpetually behind on collecting payment from his clients, and looks up to Rayleen (Davis), her dad's all-purpose secretary who regrets never having gone to law school decades before.

Christmas, clearly an outsider, is occasionally bullied by the mean girls in the local Birdie Scout troop for wetting the bed (something she swears she doesn't actually do), but she seems mostly content checking books out of the library and daydreaming about sending messages into space. But wouldn't you know it: one day Christmas overhears a visiting NASA scientist explain that the winner of that year's Birdie Scout Jamboree will get that exact opportunity: NASA's preparing to launch the Voyager spacecraft, and they're looking to record a group of kids' greetings for the Golden Record that will be sent off with it. Eager to win that prize but denied access to the current Birdie troop, Christmas starts her own troop with a bunch of ragtag kids from the neighborhood and recruits Rayleen to be their troop mother, a position the put-upon secretary refuses at first, but eventually accepts because it will put her head to head with the mean girls' troop mother, Miss Massey ( Allison Janey , dripping with fake sweetness).

The story follows a classic sports movie formula as our young heroes form an unruly team, complete a series of challenges to qualify for the competition, fight with the other troop, and head toward a final confrontation at the Jamboree. Think School of Rock meets Little Miss Sunshine with 100% more Southern accents, and you're in the ballpark. It all feels remarkably old-fashioned, including the fact that everyone learns valuable lessons about their friends and themselves along the way. There are fart jokes, dance numbers to David Bowie songs, and a Reservoir Dogs homage, but also genuinely touching moments that lean on the heart-felt emotions of the characters and their hopes and dreams.

It can all seem like a bit much at times, but I found myself falling for its charms more often than not, largely thanks to the cast – especially Davis, who isn't given much to do, but acquits herself well regardless. Mckenna Grace, who also played a precocious youngster in Gifted opposite Chris Evans, is fine as the wide-eyed protagonist, and the relationships she forms with her young pals take precedence over any major bickering between Janey and Davis's characters. The film's big conclusion works in spite of itself, aided by a stirring score and a series of earnest moments from the whole gang. This movie isn't going to rock anyone's world, but it's a sweet little movie with a wholesome message and a good-natured attitude that will almost certainly bring a few smiles to your face. Sometimes, that's good enough.

Amazon Studios will release Troop Zero sometime in 2019 .

/Film Rating: 6 out of 10

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Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Movie Review – Troop Zero (2020)

January 13, 2020 by Robert Kojder

Troop Zero , 2020.

Directed by Bert & Bertie. Starring Viola Davis, Mckenna Grace, Allison Janney, Milan Ray, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps, Ashley Brooke, Johanna Colón, Bella Higginbotham, Charlie Shotwell, and Edi Patterson.

In a tiny Georgia town in 1977, a motherless girl dreams of life beyond the confines of her trailer-park home in Troop Zero. When her quest for connection leads her to reach for the stars in a competition to be included on NASA’s landmark Golden Record, it becomes clear she will have to depend on some new friends to take her the last mile.

In plenty of ways, Troop Zero is a more resonant David Bowie-inspired movie than some that actually claim to be inspired by the legendary artist. Starring Mckenna Grace (who once again shines for her age, turning in a performance that is equal parts inspirational and demanding given the thick southern accents on display), Christmas Flint is attention-grabbing as a young girl obsessed with the stars and everything beyond. Unfortunately, her fascinations also render her a misfit rumored to still wet the bed. Life is made harder having already lost her mother, but thankfully she does have a struggling and hard-working father played by Jim Gaffigan, whose assistant Rayleen (Viola Davis, taking this family-friendly material seriously layering her character with desires and dreams of her own) now serves as the mother figure.

It’s not long before the Birdie Scouts are offered an opportunity to have a recording of themselves sent into space for a NASA project, which expectedly nudges Christmas into exploring her options regarding putting together a team to win the dance competition where the prize is the aforementioned honors. Naturally, she puts together a group of similar outcasts (a one-eyed girl, for example) that might not all be interested in space such as her, but could all use some friendship and escape from loneliness.

Directed by Bert & Bertie and written by Lucy Alibar, Troop Zero is about as straightforward as you can get for an oddball comedy, but this PG-rated flick also has some grit and honesty to it allowing for certain elements to come across more impactful. The opposing Troop Five (which consists of some nasty popular kids encouraged to be that way by a somewhat comically over-the-top evil Allison Janney as their leader) don’t understand why these rejects are signing up and especially why they have a boy with them or an African-American girl (a nice touch considering the location in 1970s setting). As such, insults are dished out that come not from the modern-day, but even a family-friendly movie from the here and now; some of the remarks are vulgar and quite hurtful. That’s not to say there’s a lot of strong language, but there is certainly more than I have ever heard in a long time for a PG movie.

Anyway, as the bullying commences, the newly founded troops search the remaining badges for simple tasks that each individual can accomplish. This ranges from selling Girl Scout cookies to baking (there is also a hilarious food fight that just simply fits the vibe and tone) and more, including a group session where the girls look after one another camping out in the woods. It’s also worth pointing out that the stark yellow colors make for a palette that both feels retro and Georgian. Nevertheless, these sequences eat up some of the running time while earning a brief laugh here and there. What’s surprising is that talk of outer space and the stars take a backseat to the friendship (understandably so I suppose), which is sometimes frustrating as it’s always charming watching Christmas light up (pun intended) stargazing on her roof.

Meanwhile, Jim Gaffigan and Viola Davis play characters in transition; one realizes that its time to move on chasing her own career goals while dad begins to understand that he needs to be more of an active participant in the life of his daughter. Let’s just say it leads to more breaking down barriers when it comes to shaking up Girl Scout traditions, with all of it sending a good message. Allison Janney may play a cartoon character, but there are certainly some deranged people out there that believe scouts should be some exclusive club reserved for certain people and demographics.

Still, there’s nothing really truly outstanding in Troop Zero , as for the most part, it is a kids movie that’s not afraid to be so with occasional rough dialogue and a few adult themes. However, what pushes this one from passively average to actually decent is the creative decision to take these misfits and Christmas’ fixation on outer space to go all-in with some David Bowie tie-ins and music. I don’t want to completely spoil the dance routine they come up with, but it’s the definable factor that wins the audience over. The solidarity they share for being weird while embracing David Bowie, a weird individual himself, slaps a smile on the face and is deserving of a badge itself.

Flickering Myth Rating  – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check  here  for new reviews, friend me on Facebook, follow my  Twitter  or  Letterboxd , check out my personal non-Flickering Myth affiliated  Patreon , or email me at [email protected]

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TROOP ZERO: A Love Letter To The Misfits

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Some tales of childhood feel so familiar that you might as well have lived them yourself. All of us can look back on our gangly and awkward formative years and remember the times where we felt alone or misunderstood. In this way,  Troop Zero feels like a warm hug and a healing touch to all the bumps and bruises we may recall from growing up.

Troop Zero is a quirky little piece, brimming over with sincerity. Watching it feels like letting out a sigh of relief. Better yet, the cheerful tone and sunny disposition of the film make it a tonic for old souls and a spark of optimism for the young.

Bert & Bertie join screenwriter  Lucy Alibar ( Beasts of the Southern Wild ) in this romping adaptation of  Alibar ‘s script for the play  Christmas and Jubilee Behold the Meteor Shower . The film stars  Viola Davis ,  Jim Gaffigan , Allison Janney , and the young powerhouse that is  Mckenna Grace .  Troop Zero ‘s world premiere was held at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

In  Troop Zero , Christmas Flint ( Mckenna Grace ) is a girl with her head in the stars. Every night, she dreams of making contact with aliens in the starry sky. When an opportunity to be included in NASA’s Golden Record project comes along, Christmas realizes she can get there with a little help from her friends. After being subbed by the local Birdie Scout troop, Christmas assembles a scrappy crew of misfits and outcasts to start their own chapter and compete for the chance for their voice to be heard.

The Universe Through a Child’s Eyes

In the opening of the film, young Christmas Flint is staring up at the night sky and speaking to her departed mother as well as any extraterrestrials that may be listening. The shots show her face, full of wide-eyed wonder, and huge infinite shots of the stars above. This poignant moment in the film grounds us to our thematic foundation: The universe is so very vast when seen through the eyes of a child.

When you’re young things like death and social standing and prejudice and contests and the stars above seem so huge and so adult. A child can understand that these things exist but they all seem to belong to the realm of adults.  Troop Zero stays firmly planted in this notion of the child’s point of view and it makes for an incredibly warm and poignant film.

Troop Zero stays very close to the world of children, focusing on how a child would respond to things instead of expanding the scope to the feelings of the adults in the film. By doing this the film maintains a childlike charm and innocence that allows the very simplistic plot to feel much more like play.  The film isn’t over-complicated and is content to just have fun.

“I’m Here!”

In the film and culture sphere, we do a lot of blustering about representation in film. The discourse goes back and forth over whether or not there is enough diversity, the right diversity, representation that makes a difference, and representation that doesn’t pass muster. Never did I expect for  Troop Zero  to deliver such a solid commentary on the subject.

On its face, the film seems to center on the theme of embracing our differences and fighting prejudice. The film tackles representation of race, LGBTQ+ people, socioeconomic class, and challenges to what constitutes “girlhood” (honestly, some of the “unladylike” female characters offer some of the best moments in the film). All sorts and kinds are present, accounted for, and utterly lovable.

Mild spoilers ahead. One would think that in a film with a contest at the climax, the message would be that if you embrace your differences and find friendship that you will win the day. Not so in  Troop Zero . Our crew of misfits does not win, they do not conquer the ideal that their rivals represent and that matters. This acknowledgment of privilege and the struggles of those who do not fall into the privileged group makes the greater point of the film that much more sincere.

In the final scene of the film, crestfallen from losing the contest our titular troop looks up the stars and calls out “I’m here!” Together, they shout their truth to the universe. They demand to be heard and their call is not, “I won and therefore I’m worthy.” It is simply “I’m here!” It is a testament to the inherent worth of each and every unique person. That is the sort of positive message that is truly valuable and speaks much more truthfully than your garden variety narrative.

Troop Zero : Filmmaking at Its Sweetest

Troop Zero is taken to greater heights by the strength of its cast.  Viola Davis is a standout and is absolutely arresting.  Allison Janney channels a little bit of that sweet tea sass we know from her performance in  The Hel p  to create the perfect foil.

Jim Gaffigan ‘s role, while small, is subtly and perfectly executed as the gentle father who will do what it takes for his little girl. Speaking of the littles, good things come in small packages with this great ensemble of young actors. Well done.

In a word,  Troop Zero is sweet. The story is simple and no fuss, that’s part of its charm. It is a feel-good film in every sense of the word and it is the hope of this critic that people find and cherish this film.

What is your favorite film starring Viola Davis? Let us know in the comments!

Troop Zero will be available on Amazon Prime Video on January 17. 

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Caitlin's lifelong love of films began with being shown "Rosemary's Baby" at way too young an age. She has been an online content creator since 2014, across a wide array of outlets and subjects. Described as "amazingly and beautifully ruthless," Caitlin resides in Austin, TX and her love of writing on film is only matched by her appreciation for good bourbon and the works of John Carpenter.

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‘Troop Zero’ Review: Struggling to Reach Schmaltzy Mediocrity | Sundance 2019

Bert & Bertie’s movie seems afraid of genuine emotions so it piles on the quirk and cloying moments rather than going for anything honest or difficult.

Troop Zero is the kind of movie that a major studio would have made in the 90s. It’s inoffensive, mild, and a story about a bunch of outcast kids who band together and form an unlikely group of friends while the adults around them also learn valuable lessons. Today it’s an indie because major studios won’t make a movie with a low budget, but the mechanics are still the same. There’s nothing particularly wrong with that, but it feels reheated and stale in the hands of directors Bert & Bertie . There’s not much imagination or daring to the relationships, and most of the characters feel like cartoons instead of real people. Despite some strong performances from Viola Davis , Allison Janney , and young lead McKenna Grace , Troop Zero is the kind of safe indie that ultimately feels pointless.

Set in Wiggly, Georgia in 1977, the story follows young Christmas Flint (Grace) who recently lost her mother and spends her nights looking up at the stars. When the Birdie Troops (think Girl Scouts) are offered the chance to be a part of the Voyager gold album that’s being sent into space, Christmas sees it as a chance to connect with the memory of her mother. Christmas assembles a ragtag group including her friend Joseph ( Charlie Shotwell ), the religious Anne-Claire ( Bella Higginbotham ), local bully Hell-No ( Milan Ray ), and Hell-No’s taciturn muscle, Smash ( Johanna Colón ). The troop is led by her father’s ( Jim Gaffigan ) reluctant paralegal (Davis), who butts heads with a rival troop’s leader, the prim and proper Miss Massey (Janney).

The film swings wildly between caricatures getting into mischief and an attempt to look at real people who struggle with real issues. In one scene, you’ll have the religious, one-eyed Anne-Claire, whose character can be summed up as “religious” and “has one eye” vomiting when trying to just sell cookies door to door, and in the next you have Davis’ character wrestling with her life decisions and whether or not she should go to law school. No matter where the tone goes, it’s always confined to the safe structure of the underdog story where the next needledrop or heartwarming moment is never too far away.

What’s frustrating is that Troop Zero seems terrified of just being honest with its audience and treating its characters like real people. Instead, it tries to echo that mold set so long ago by movies like Little Miss Sunshine where you have to be hip enough for the cynics but schmaltzy enough for those who want a feel-good story. That’s a tough middle-ground to hit, and rather than just tell a good story with interesting characters, Bert & Bertie seem adrift with what kind of film they want Troop Zero to be. You’ll have a scene where Hell-No and Christmas let down their defenses and become closer friends, and then you’ll also have a scene meant to parody the opening credits of Reservoir Dogs .

There are moments where Troop Zero connects, but those are few and far between. The film is at its best when Davis and Janney’s characters are allowed to just be people or the film sits with Christmas in her grief. Somewhere lurking in Troop Zero , there’s a movie that’s not afraid to let its characters have difficult, complicated emotions and avoid contrived circumstances we’ve seen countless times before. Unfortunately, the movie seems more comfortable when it can throw on another David Bowie song or have a kid earn a merit badge in a fun way.

I don’t have a problem with nice indies. They have their place, and while they may not be memorable, they can be a welcome reprieve and offer some light escapism. The problem with Troop Zero is that it never finds the right tone to become that nice movie. It’s a got a comforting, albeit familiar, message and some interesting characters played by talented actors, but it never comes alive because the film leans so heavily on saccharine moments that feel like a brute force way to your heart rather than earning an emotional reaction. It’s hard to see Troop Zero as “nice” when it comes off as so desperate for the audience’s affection.

Troop Zero will be released by Amazon Studios, but does not currently have a release date.

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THE MOVIE CULTURE

Troop Zero Movie Review And Film Summary

Troop Zero is a 2019 American comedy-drama film, directed by British female duo Bert & Bertie, from a screenplay by Beasts of the Southern Wild co-writer Lucy Alibar and inspired by Alibar’s 2010 play Christmas and Jubilee Behold The Meteor Shower.

The film stars Viola Davis, Mckenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps, Charlie Shotwell, and Allison Janney.

Troop Zero Movie Cast

• Mckenna Grace as Christmas Flint
• Viola Davis as Miss Rayleen
• Jim Gaffigan as Ramsey Flint
• Allison Janney as Miss Massey
• Charlie Shotwell as Joseph
• Johanna Colón as Smash
• Milan Ray as Hell-No Price
• Bella Higginbotham as Anne-Claire
• Mike Epps as Dwayne Champaign
• Ashley Brooke as Piper Keller
• Kai Ture’ as Ginger
• Edi Patterson as Miss Aimee
• Gwendolyn Mulamba as Miss Penny
• Jecobi Swain as Ray-Ray

Troop Zero Movie Plot

In rural Wiggly, Georgia in 1977, a group of elementary-school misfits band together to form their own troop of Birdie Scouts.

Troop Zero Movie Review

Troop Zero is a heart-warming film. The kid cast has a strong acting and we loved to see it. One would think this is gonna be one of those boring kiddy films but no, the way we look at it, it’s actually really inspiring and the kids just make it so much fun to watch. 

This story is about a little girl from Wiggly, Georgia who is fascinated by outer space, she thinks there is life out there and that they are somehow connected to her mother who has passed away. She makes a troop which is given the name Troop Zero and they all infiltrate the Birdie Scout youth group in order to win a talent show.

The winning Birdies will earn the right to have their voices included on the Voyager Golden Record, which Christmas believes will be heard by life in outer space, a connection her deceased mother. 

Too participate in this , they all have to earn at least one badge and as they hangout with each other they learn about each other and become good friends.

After they get the badges and are prepared to perform, which is a dance on David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ Christmas gets nervous and wets her pants during the performance and everyone starts laughing but her friends tag along and wet their pants too, to not let her feel like she’s alone in this. They continue the performing and finish it even though people laughed. But unfortunately they don’t win the competition.

At the end when they are celebrating, there’s a meteor shower the representative of NASA joins them to record their voices that are going to be transmitted in space as well. And that’s the end of it , it’s a good film. 

Troop Zero Movie Critical Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds a 67% approval rating based on 64 reviews, with an average rating of 6.38/10, with the consensus “Thanks to a charming cast and infectious energy, Troop Zero is more than the sum of its instantly familiar parts.”

The Movie Culture Synopsis

This is a good film to watch , it’s inspiring and melts your heart at a point. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on February 1, 2019. 

This was the first feature film from Amazon Studios to be released as streaming-only, on the Amazon Prime Video service, on January 17, 2020.

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What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Narcissism and some bullying.

More Detail:

In TROOP ZERO, a young girl named Christmas must gather a group of misfit kids to compete in the Birdie Scouts competition for the chance to be on NASA’s Golden Record. TROOP ZERO is entertaining and fresh with an outstanding cast and lots of comedy and some positive Christian and moral elements, but there’s lots of mostly light foul language, some potty humor and some light politically correct elements regarding “gender politics,” such as a boy who has a badge for hairstyling.

Set in the 1970s in Georgia, TROOP ZERO opens as Christmas tries to talk to life in space because she’s fascinated by space and science. Christmas often escapes into her own little world because her mother died recently, and she has a small number of friends. Christmas often gets bullied at school and is made fun of for being a “bed wetter.”

One day at school, Christmas overhears a NASA employee detail the Golden Record, a chance to talk to interact with life in space. Christmas tries to join the Birdie Scouts with the hopes of winning the prize. The snobby Birdie Scouts reject Christmas. To her surprise, they even shove her into a locker.

Despite the Birdie Scouts’ meanness, Christmas joins four other students who can form a new troop. The only thing they need left to make their troop official is a troop leader. Christmas asks Miss Rayleen, who works with her father, to be the leader of their troop, and they get the name “Troop Zero” since it’s the only remaining number left.

In order to qualify for the Birdie Scouts competition, each troop member must earn at least one badge on their own. After trial and error discovering what each troop member’s specialty is, the troop earns all the badges needed to attend NASA’s Golden Record competition. They leave for the competition in hopes of winning the grand prize and defeating the local troop.

TROOP ZERO is entertaining, with a fresh, original storyline. The movie has a great cast that includes Viola Davis, Allison Janney and Jim Gaffigan. They fit their characters to the letter. The movie has music that helps capture the time period of the 1970s. Fans of that music will enjoy this nostalgic trip down memory lane.

TROOP ZERO has a strong moral worldview with some overt outright Christian elements. It promotes friendship, sacrifice, treating others with respect, and the need for adult guidance in a child’s life. Also, a character prays and asks God for guidance as well as carries balloons saying, “Jesus saves.” However, TROOP ZERO also contains some objectionable or borderline content. For instance, there’s some slapstick violence, lots of light foul language, some potty humor, and brief politically correct moments concerning gender stereotypes. For example, one of the boys in the troop gets a hairstylist badge and is called “Sparkles.” Consequently, MOVIEGUIDE® advises strong caution.

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