With a resilient spirit, Cookie Queens moves between adorable, sweet, and fun, tapping into the youthful exuberance of its four Girl Scouts.
Cookie Queens has that cheerful, uphill-battle optimism that’s in short supply right now. Centering four Girl Scouts in different areas as they strive to achieve their cookie-selling goal, the film is one of the more charming documentaries. It’s easy to feel the energetic pull of youth as these kids maintain a don’t-quit attitude to get their numbers. With a resilient spirit, Cookie Queens moves between adorable, sweet, and fun, tapping into the youthful exuberance of its four Girl Scouts.
Alysa Nahmias writes and directs this documentary that follows four girls as they set their goals for the upcoming cookie season. It’s impossible to dislike this film that features so much bubbly joy and hope in these young girls. As the film explains, cookie season sees girls across the country selling $800 million worth of Girl Scout cookies.
Then it sets its lens on four girls. There is Nikki, a young Black girl from California; Shannon Elisabeth, a Latina and Native girl (it’s unclear) from Texas; Ara, a mixed girl and the youngest of the four, also in California; and Olive, a young white girl from North Carolina, with one of the highest sales records of over 8000, who asserts she wants to take it easy—which doesn’t last.
Cookie Queens Shows That Each Girl Has a Different Life and Goal
The film allows audiences to see the diversity within the Girl Scouts community. Each of the girls grows up in a different community with different resources and differing goals they are determined to meet. Nikki’s goal is to win the trophy her teenage sisters won in previous years by selling the most cookies in her area. Plus, her parents will send the three on a trip to Europe. But the sales pay for the trip. If they don’t hit their numbers, they don’t go.
Ara’s goal is 55, and she does not have a main goal as she’s the youngest of the four at five years old. But she ensures she stands tall, showing an unforgettable presence as she does Pilates to build her strength to drag the wagon with the boxes of cookies inside. Plus, her piano playing is sensational.
Stephanie uses her martial arts talents as a guide to reach one of the prizes, which is a free trip to Girl Scout Camp, as her family cannot afford to send her. Olive initially goes easy, compared with previous years, but soon strives to beat her record and then some while questioning the labor and expectations set on her. Each girl is unique, both in their goals, demographics, and personalities, but all share that admirable determination.
Adds Criticism For the Labor and Adultification of Children
While it’s wonderful to teach children responsibility and how to set and achieve goals, there’s an exploitative aspect to the Girl Scouts’ cookie season that Cookie Queens touches on. Each box of cookies costs $6. Yet, of that, the Girl Scout who does all the work only receives around $1. That’s around 17%. So, the question becomes not only what we want young children to learn in Girl Scouts, but what lesson they may unconsciously absorb.
Also, although it touches on this in the most cursory manner, there needs to be a discussion about how race, geography, and even, sadly, appearance play a role in how much each girl sells. This is not to discount any girl’s hard work, but both can be true, and the former deserves attention. Cookie Queens touches on these but does not go too far in its criticism. But that’s not what the film’s about. It’s about these four girls and the stress and fun of the season.
Worthwhile Viewing for The Joy It Brings
As someone who hated the Girl Scout experience as a kid, I still found so much to love about this documentary. Even if it wasn’t my personal experience with this organization, it’s a joy. Cookie Queens makes you hopeful for the upcoming generation’s tenacity. Each girl, despite their differences, shares a commonality in their organization and grit. The social and political currents might not exist full throttle in the movie, but they are present because of the girls.
It keeps the story fun and interesting as the documentary moves back and forth between the different girls, enabling viewers to cheer them on to victory. Plus, it doesn’t avoid some of the harder questions surrounding the pressures and exploitative nature of cookie selling. Although it touches on them with a shallow brush. Cookie Queens is a joyful, energetic look at a frenzied season of cookie selling through the girls with all its ups and downs and spiritedness on overload. It may not be a must-see film, but it’s one you won’t regret watching if the subject matter interests you.
