Troop Beverly Hills (1989)

The wealthy wife of a Beverly Hills business owner, accused by her soon-to-be-ex spouse of never finishing anything she's ever started, applies to be the city-chapter's troop leader of the Wilderness Girls, a dwindling group of which her pre-teen daughter is a member. The pampered rich kids (daughters of various celebrities, an unemployed actor, and at least one dictator) are either in therapy or full of attitude...but with a dismissal order handed down by their outraged commander-in-chief, the troop must work together (in their own colorful way) to bring a good name to Beverly Hills. Unfunny family comedy, written by Pamela Norris and Margaret Grieco Oberman from a story by Ava Ostern Fries, has a fetish for designer labels and its own Theadora Van Runkle costumes. While the first-half of the picture (littered with unnecessary cameos, including Pee-wee Herman on the television) is an almost total washout, the movie does improve in its third act when the troops compete at an outdoor jamboree for trophies (sadly, there's no irony apparent here). Shelley Long dithers and cute-walks her way through the lead; Long was slowly losing her comedic niche about this time, having left her TV hit "Cheers" for the movies. Unable to find material that stretched her proved sitcom persona, Long plays right into that familiar harried-but-hopeful routine without hesitation--the sure sign of an actress desperate for approval (she gets it here on-screen whenever her suddenly-loyal teammates laugh at her 'wise' retorts). As Long's nemesis, Betty Thomas goes all-out with a one-note role--and, indeed, the drill sergeant bit is a wheeze--however, Thomas' brighter moments at least derive from characterization, not from shtick. Unsuccessful in theaters, the film picked up a fan-base from cable and home video. *1/2 from ****

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.

There are really not any words that can properly describe Troop Beverly Hills, except maybe "average", "not great" or perhaps to be more offensive "bomb". Bomb is a little unfair because the movie is really no worse than a lot of mainstream 80's movies that somehow got more popular than this one.I first saw this when it was just put out on video in Denmark and at the same time the show "Cheers" was still on the air both here and of course in the U.S. We also became aware of Shelley Long's reputation here in DK because of the increasing popularity of tabloid magazines and TV. Long was embarrassed about being typed as a mere TV actress but to leave a hit show like Cheers to do this - well, the whole event speaks for itself.But just for laughs, let's try to describe the actual movie. Long is actually pretty good but it's a shame that what she is doing was basically the same thing done by Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin, (there even was a time when I couldn't remember if they were actually one person - don't let that get out - oh, crap it's out now) that means playing a spoiled snob who transforms herself into a caring person. However, Hawn's turn was superior because of one thing, her Benjamin character was really quite unsympathetic in the beginning of "Benjamin". In Troop Beverly Hills we get a lengthy explanation of how Long got the way she is by having her and the husband (played by Craig T. Nelson) argue about it. That was a fatal mistake because Long's character is made out to be more of a victim than simply a snob right from the beginning and it makes her transformation so much more contrived for a lack of a better word. Sorry to get so upset by this. I know you are not supposed to take this so serious but it just annoys me.Like many comediennes, Long also longs (sorry again) to be taken seriously and therefore there are many sappy scenes between her and her daughter and also other characters that are supposed to be high drama but really just makes you wanna click the off-switch. In the end there isn't really much to either upset you or to get you laughing in this movie. Betty Thomas of Hill Street Blues was born to play the role of the head Wilderness Girl but she is not given a lot to work with. Her role is purely one-dimensional. Mary Gross is also here but she plays the ditz once more and therefore it's not really her day in the sun either.To say that this is the best film ever gross exaggeration and Long's film career pretty much stagnated until the name "Brady" creeped up. Thank god that she didn't try to make another buddy movie with Bette Midler because that was ten times more creepy than seeing this.

If only all girls scouts were as fun as Troop Beverly Hills! The film about a down and out divorced house wife with a passion for fashion becoming a girl's scout leader is both hilarious,exciting and thoroughly entertaining.Comedic actress Shelley Long shines as Phyllis Nefler,the woman who dares to make alterations to her daughter's scout uniform,and modify the location of their bushland camping trips to the Beverly Hills Hotel! Phyllis rejects traditional scout activities such as bush walking for manicures and pedicures,preferring her troops to live in the lap of luxury.Needless to say,the girls adore her,the leaders of the other scout groups despise her,and this is all makes the delightful,hilarious and wacky comedy that is Troop Beverly Hills!