Troop Zero

Last updated

Troop Zero
Troop Zero.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bert & Bertie
Screenplay by Lucy Alibar
Based onChristmas and Jubilee Behold The Meteor Shower
by Lucy Alibar
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJim Whitaker
Edited byCatherine Haight
Music by Rob Lord
Production
companies
Distributed by Amazon Studios
Release dates
  • February 1, 2019 (2019-02-01)(Sundance)
  • January 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)(United States)
Running time
94 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10-20 million [2]

Troop Zero is a 2019 American comedy-drama film directed by Bert & Bertie (Amber Templemore-Finlayson and Katie Ellwood), from a screenplay by Lucy Alibar and inspired by Alibar's 2010 play Christmas and Jubilee Behold The Meteor Shower. [3] The film stars Viola Davis, Mckenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps, Charlie Shotwell, and Allison Janney. [4]

Contents

Troop Zero had its world premiere as the closing film of Sundance Film Festival on February 1, 2019, and was released in the United States by Amazon Studios on January 17, 2020.

The film was met with mixed reviews.

Plot

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

Led by spunky outcast Christmas Flint, they 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 nurtured. When they form the troop, the only number left unassigned in the state is zero.

While the Birdie Troop leader Krystal Massey intends to assign "Troop Zero" to them as a slight, the girls, and one boy, take it as a good sign as it's the number representing infinity. Troop Zero requires a troop mother, and they find one in Christmas's father's secretary Rayleen, who also has history with Mrs. Massey.

To qualify to compete in the talent show, Troop Zero must first obtain one troop badge each. As they go about earning them, they learn more about themselves and each other. The troop enters the contest, performing an interpretive dance of David Bowie’s "Space Oddity". During the performance, Christmas gets nervous and wets herself and the rest of the kids joins her to make her feel comfortable and the crowd laughs at them, but they carry on with their performance. In the end, they lose when the judges vote for the high-and-mighty Birdie Troop Five. Christmas gracefully accepts defeat and shakes hands with an impressed Mrs. Massey, who makes up with Ms. Rayleen.

Later that night, the representative from NASA joins the Troop Zero members during a meteor shower to record their voices to be transmitted into space as well. Hopeful and confident, Christmas wishes that the aliens are happy, that they're taking care of her mom, and that they have the same kind of friends she’s gained from the experience.

Cast

Production

In February 2018, it was announced Viola Davis had joined the cast of the film, with Bert & Bertie directing from a screenplay by Lucy Alibar. Todd Black produced the film, which Amazon Studios would distribute. [5]

This is the second feature film directed by Bert & Bertie, who have been creating commercials and shorts together since they met on a project in 2005. [6]

In March 2018, Mckenna Grace joined the cast of the film. [7] In April 2018, Allison Janney and Jim Gaffigan joined the cast. [8] In May 2018, Mike Epps, Charlie Shotwell and Edi Patterson joined the cast. [9] [10] In June 2018, Johanna Colón, Ashley Brooke, Milan Ray, Bella Higginbotham, and Kai Ture' joined the cast of the film. Troop Zero marks the second film together for Janney and Grace, who co-starred in the 2017 biopic I, Tonya . [11] [12] This is also the second film featuring Allison Janney and Viola Davis, who co-starred in the 2011 film The Help .

The musical score for the film is by long time Bert & Bertie collaborator composer Rob Lord who has scored all the directors' projects to date.

Filming

Principal photography began in May 2018 at Fairview-Riverside State Park in Madisonville, Louisiana, with additional photography completed in Luling, Louisiana. [13]

Release

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on February 1, 2019. [14] This was the first feature film from Amazon Studios to be released as streaming-only, on the Amazon Prime Video service, [15] on January 17, 2020. [16]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 68% approval rating based on 65 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10, with the consensus "Thanks to a charming cast and infectious energy, Troop Zero is more than the sum of its instantly familiar parts." [17] On Metacritic it has a score of 58% based on reviews from 12 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [18]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote: "Troop Zero is so sugary you’d get a cavity if you bit into it — but it’s also a cozy, satisfying and inspirational underdog tale, featuring a wonderful performance by Mckenna Grace." [19] John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter praised performance of Viola Davis, "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." [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison Janney</span> American actress (born 1959)

Allison Brooks Janney is an American actress. Known for her performances across the screen and stage, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and seven Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for two Tony Awards.

<i>Widows</i> (TV series) British television crime drama series (1983–1985)

Widows is a British primetime television crime drama that was broadcast in 1983 and 1985, produced by Euston Films for Thames Television and aired on the ITV network. Two six-part series were written by crime writer Lynda La Plante. The executive producer for the series was Verity Lambert. In 1984 it was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series or Serial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holland Roden</span> American actress (born 1986)

Holland Roden is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Lydia Martin in MTV's teen drama series Teen Wolf, Zoe Woods in Syfy's horror anthology series Channel Zero: Butcher's Block, Bridget Cleary in Amazon Prime Video's horror anthology documentary series Lore and as Erin Isaacs in the horror film No Escape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caitlin Carver</span> American actress (born 1992)

Caitlin Carver is an American actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mckenna Grace</span> American actress and singer (born 2006)

Mckenna Grace is an American actress and singer. Born in Grapevine, Texas, she began acting professionally at age five and relocated to Los Angeles, California, as a child. Her earliest roles included Jasmine Bernstein in the Disney XD sitcom Crash & Bernstein (2012–2014) and Faith Newman in the soap opera The Young and the Restless (2013–2015). After several small roles, she starred as a child prodigy in Gifted (2017), a breakthrough for which she received a nomination for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.

<i>Widows</i> (2018 film) 2018 heist film directed by Steve McQueen

Widows is a 2018 neo-noir heist thriller film directed by Steve McQueen from a screenplay by Gillian Flynn and McQueen, based upon the 1983 British television series of the same name. The plot follows four Chicago women who attempt to steal $5 million from the home of a prominent local politician in order to pay back a crime boss missing money stolen by the women's husbands before they were killed in a botched getaway attempt. A British-American co-production, the film stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth Debicki in the title roles alongside Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, and Liam Neeson in an ensemble supporting cast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelvin Harrison Jr.</span> American actor (born 1994)

Kelvin Harrison Jr. is an American actor. He is the recipient of such accolades as a Screen Actors Guild Award and nominations for a British Academy Film Award, Gotham Award, an Independent Spirit Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viola Davis on screen and stage</span>

Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She received her equity card with her stage debut in 1988 with August Wilson's The Pittsburgh Cycle play Joe Turner's Come and Gone production of Trinity Repertory Company. After graduating from Juilliard School in 1993, Davis went on to perform several roles on stage in the 1990s, earning Theater World Award for her role in Seven Guitars (1996). In the same year, Davis guest-starred in the procedural drama series NYPD Blue, and made her film debut with a brief one-day role alongside Timothy Hutton in The Substance of Fire. In 1998, she appeared in Richard Benjamin's television movie The Pentagon Wars, and Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight, before returning to the stage with an Obie Award winning titular performance in Off-Broadway Everybody's Ruby (1999).

<i>Eli</i> (2019 film) 2019 American film by Ciarán Foy

Eli is a 2019 American horror film directed by Ciarán Foy from a screenplay by David Chirchirillo, Ian Goldberg, and Richard Naing, based on a story by Chirchirillo. It stars Kelly Reilly, Sadie Sink, Lili Taylor, Max Martini, and Charlie Shotwell. The film follows a boy with a rare autoimmune disease who is taken by his parents to a private medical facility to be cured.

<i>The Glorias</i> 2020 American biopic by Julie Taymor

The Glorias is a 2020 American biographical-drama film directed and produced by Julie Taymor, from a screenplay by Taymor and Sarah Ruhl. The film is based upon My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem who is represented by four actresses in the movie who portray her life in different ages. It stars Julianne Moore as Steinem, with Alicia Vikander portraying a younger Steinem, from ages 20 to 40, Lulu Wilson portraying a teenage Steinem, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Steinem when she was a child. The cast also includes Lorraine Toussaint, Janelle Monáe, and Bette Midler.

<i>Them That Follow</i> 2019 American film

Them That Follow is a 2019 American thriller film, written and directed by Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage. It stars Olivia Colman, Kaitlyn Dever, Alice Englert, Jim Gaffigan, Walton Goggins, Thomas Mann and Lewis Pullman.

<i>Sylvies Love</i> 2020 American film

Sylvie's Love is a 2020 American romantic drama film, written, directed and produced by Eugene Ashe. The film stars Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Regé-Jean Page, Aja Naomi King, and Eva Longoria.

Charlie Shotwell is an American actor. He started acting professionally at the age of six. His first notable role being the young Nai Cash in the 2016 comedy-drama film Captain Fantastic for which he received nominations for SAG Awards and Young Artist Awards. He was lead of the Netflix horror film Eli and the coming-of-age psychological thriller John and the Hole, and appeared in the comedy film Troop Zero.

<i>Lazy Susan</i> (film) 2020 American comedy film

Lazy Susan is a 2020 American comedy film directed by Nick Peet and starring Sean Hayes.

<i>Giving Voice</i> 2020 documentary film

Giving Voice is a 2020 American documentary film, directed and produced by James D. Stern and Fernando Villena. The film follows the 2018 edition of the annual August Wilson Monologue Competition entered by thousands of high school students for the opportunity to perform on Broadway. Viola Davis, John Legend, Constanza Romero and Nicholas Caprio serve as executive producers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bert and Bertie</span> British film and television directors

Amber Templemore-Finlayson and Katie Ellwood, collectively known as Bert and Bertie, respectively, are British film and television directors. They are best known for directing the film Troop Zero. They also directed a block of episodes for the Disney+ series Hawkeye and Our Flag Means Death. Elwood is also known individually as the co-creator of The Getaway franchise, the basis for the crime drama series Gangs of London.

<i>Summer Days, Summer Nights</i> 2018 American film

Summer Days, Summer Nights is a 2018 American comedy-drama film, written, directed, and produced by Edward Burns. It stars Pico Alexander, Burns, Zoe Levin, Susan Misner, Lindsey Morgan, Anthony Ramos, Jon Rudnitsky, Amadeus Serafini, Caitlin Stasey and Rita Volk.

Violet Elizabeth McGraw is an American child actress. She began acting at the age of five, with her debut credited role being a recurring role in the 2016 television series Love as Nina, and her first feature film being in 2018's Ready Player One. In 2019 she was nominated for an OFTA Television Award for Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Limited Series for The Haunting of Hill House. She is also known for her role as Cady in the 2022 horror film M3GAN.

Khris Davis is an American film, stage and television actor. He is best known for his roles as Steel in the drama film Judas and the Black Messiah and Malik in Space Jam: A New Legacy.

References

  1. ↑ "Troope Zero". Sundance Film Festival . Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  2. ↑ "MGM to Help Amazon Build on Its Success With Bigger Movies". Variety . May 27, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  3. ↑ Cox, Gordon (July 14, 2012). "'Beasts' author has stage roots". Variety. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  4. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr (May 19, 2012). "'Beasts Of The Southern Wild' Co-Writer Lucy Alibar Sets Next Gig At Escape Artists". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  5. ↑ Kroll, Justin (February 20, 2018). "Viola Davis to Star in Amazon Film 'Troupe Zero' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  6. ↑ Morfoot, Addie (January 4, 2019). "10 Directors to Watch: Bert and Bertie Combine Forces on Underdog Comedy 'Troop Zero'". Variety . Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (March 29, 2018). "'I, Tonya's Mckenna Grace Joins Viola Davis In 'Troupe Zero'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  8. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (April 24, 2018). "Allison Janney & Jim Gaffigan To Co-Star In Amazon's 'Troupe Zero'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  9. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (May 23, 2018). "Mike Epps Cast In 'Troupe Zero' Movie From Amazon Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  10. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (May 24, 2018). "'All the Money in the World' Actor Charlie Shotwell, Edi Patterson Added To Amazon's 'Troupe Zero'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  11. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (June 1, 2018). "'Troupe Zero' Casts Ashley Brooke & Milan Ray; Tommy Ragen Joins Sean McNamara's 'Chasing' Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (June 19, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Actor Major Dodson To Star In 'Tyson's Run'; 'Troupe Zero' Casts Bella Higginbotham". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  13. ↑ "'Troupe Zero' Starring Viola Davis New Orleans Open Casting Call". Project Casting. May 7, 2018. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  14. ↑ Debruge, Peter (November 28, 2018). "Sundance Film Festival Unveils 2019 Features Lineup". Variety . Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  15. ↑ Gyarkye, Lovia (January 16, 2020). "'Troop Zero' Review: A New Generation of Underdogs" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  16. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 11, 2019). "Amazon Viola Davis-Allison Janney Sundance Kid Pic 'Troop Zero' Heading To Prime Streaming Service". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Troop Zero". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Troop Zero". Metacritic . Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  19. ↑ Roeper, Richard (January 16, 2020). "'Troop Zero': Sugary as it is, underdog story also cozy and inspiring — scout's honor!". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  20. ↑ "'Troop Zero': Film Review | Sundance 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. January 25, 2019. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.