I grew up watching 'Troop Beverly Hills', and even though I wasn't in the Girl Scouts or even a teenage girl, I still fell in love with story and characters in this extremely charming movie. Generally, the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts of America try and teach kids of all ages to make new friends, build relationships, and achieve new skills that will help them have a better and easier time in life. It's not all about the fundraising and parties, which is why 'Troop Beverly Hills' still holds up today and has a lot of heart.
This 1989 film showed us that a group of very privileged and wealthy young girls who have never had to work a day in their lives and who spend most of their time shopping for the newest outfit at the mall, come together and learn the true values and ethics of life, like loyalty, friendship, and helping others. In fact, 'Troop Beverly Hills' was based on a true story. I bet you didn't know that.
Producer and co-writer Ava Ostern Fries had led a Girl Scout troop in Beverly Hills and was the inspiration for this film, which had a gold-digging, unappreciative wife named Phyllis Nefler (Shelley Long), who took up being a Wilderness Girl Scout leader for a troop in Beverly Hills, where she too had to overcome roughing it in the wilderness and help shape these young minds, while dealing with a hard-nosed, angry, and bitter co-leader. With this 'fish-out-of-water' storyline, the laughs and charm come in full.
Phyllis Nefler (Long) is on the verge of divorce from her wealthy and successful husband Freddy (Craig T. Nelson) and their daughter Hannah (Jenny Lewis) is caught in the middle of it. Phyllis can only do one thing, which is shop with her husband's money, but she flips the table and proves that she can lead a troop of young teenage girls to learn and enjoy the more normal things in life, such as things without caviar and a $10,000 price tag. From selling cookies, planning local events, camping, and attending to annual wilderness hike, there is nothing that Phyllis and her Beverly Hills troop can't do.
Director Jeff Kanew ('Revenge of the Nerds') doesn't change the game as far as new comedic stylings or adventure, but he does take a genuine approach with each character, giving every girl their own unique moment to shine. Shelley Long is perfect in this role as the money-grubbing wife who learns to be a better person to herself and to her daughter, while keeping things light-hearted and very humorous. And Betty Thomas as the evil Velda delivers each jab and put down with such comedic ferocity, that you can't help but laugh and hate her all at the same time.
Even though 'Troop Beverly Hills' might be a tiny bit outdated with all the new technology that is out today, but with it's timeless charm, amazing characters, and great life-lessons, this film is surely to stick around for another thirty years.
This 1989 film showed us that a group of very privileged and wealthy young girls who have never had to work a day in their lives and who spend most of their time shopping for the newest outfit at the mall, come together and learn the true values and ethics of life, like loyalty, friendship, and helping others. In fact, 'Troop Beverly Hills' was based on a true story. I bet you didn't know that.
Producer and co-writer Ava Ostern Fries had led a Girl Scout troop in Beverly Hills and was the inspiration for this film, which had a gold-digging, unappreciative wife named Phyllis Nefler (Shelley Long), who took up being a Wilderness Girl Scout leader for a troop in Beverly Hills, where she too had to overcome roughing it in the wilderness and help shape these young minds, while dealing with a hard-nosed, angry, and bitter co-leader. With this 'fish-out-of-water' storyline, the laughs and charm come in full.
Phyllis Nefler (Long) is on the verge of divorce from her wealthy and successful husband Freddy (Craig T. Nelson) and their daughter Hannah (Jenny Lewis) is caught in the middle of it. Phyllis can only do one thing, which is shop with her husband's money, but she flips the table and proves that she can lead a troop of young teenage girls to learn and enjoy the more normal things in life, such as things without caviar and a $10,000 price tag. From selling cookies, planning local events, camping, and attending to annual wilderness hike, there is nothing that Phyllis and her Beverly Hills troop can't do.
Director Jeff Kanew ('Revenge of the Nerds') doesn't change the game as far as new comedic stylings or adventure, but he does take a genuine approach with each character, giving every girl their own unique moment to shine. Shelley Long is perfect in this role as the money-grubbing wife who learns to be a better person to herself and to her daughter, while keeping things light-hearted and very humorous. And Betty Thomas as the evil Velda delivers each jab and put down with such comedic ferocity, that you can't help but laugh and hate her all at the same time.
Even though 'Troop Beverly Hills' might be a tiny bit outdated with all the new technology that is out today, but with it's timeless charm, amazing characters, and great life-lessons, this film is surely to stick around for another thirty years.