TROOP ZERO: A Love Letter To The Misfits
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 Help 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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