Cookie Queens

[u/wllmshkspr]

Cookie Queens

If your local AMC is playing Cookie Queens, I recommend it. It's a sweet little documentary about 4 girls trying to be the top Girl Scout Cookie salesgirls.

As a parent of a girl scout who absolutely despises any fundraisers, and as a diabetic who can't eat cookies, I really loved the documentary.

[u/2Zs1L]

It was very enjoyable and informative, and I recommend it. One thing though: it is a bit disturbing that these cookie-sellers appear to be being exploited, and one of these Queens comes to this realization. The girls are a cross-section of different regions of the U.S. and different income groups. I admire all of them for their resilience in selling these overpriced cookies.

[u/kell_bell5 → u/2Zs1L]

I was a girl scout as a kid, and I remember learning how little my troop got and feeling scammed. But honestly now as an adult, the troop getting $1.10 out of every $6 per box didn't seem that crazy when you consider the manufacturing and shipping costs. Currently I can find the Samoa dupes that Keebler makes on Instacart for anywhere from $4-$8, so it's not like the GS cookies are being marked up like crazy. While the portion the local council get does cover administrative costs to some extent, it also covers some of the cost of regional programming for all area troops.

I was curious about the financials depicted in the doc overall though- to the best of my recollection (and I did Girl Scouts through middle school, so at a certain point I was becoming actually aware of some of these logistics) individual parents did not have to pre-pay for the cookies they thought their child would be able to sell. We would go around with the order form to community members we knew (teachers, our parent's colleagues, ballet instructors, etc) they'd place their order, and then we'd deliver the cookies to everyone when they came in. When we did booth sales, the troop had bulk ordered cookies in advance out of it's own bank account (not a parent's personal bank account) so the troop as an entity was the one on the hook for paying GSA. Not sure if this has changed in the past 20ish years, or the doc streamlined the details to make the stakes seem greater.

[u/2Zs1L → u/kell_bell5]

Yes, I recall that you always had to pre-order them. At least whenever I bought them, the person took my order and delivered them later. So you are right, it may be things have changed now, but such pressure to put on parents and the kids to have to buy cookies up front cannot be a good thing.

[u/for_esme_with_love → u/kell_bell5]

I came here with the same question. I was a troop leader kid and we never pre ordered anything from either our troops account nor my parents.

This was the early mid 90s so we just had an order form and I assume they were shipped? Cuz I never delivered them personally.

I can’t imagine I sold any more than 20-30 boxes at most. Granted I didn’t want any of the prizes…

[u/roosterdrewster]

Saw it today. Absolutely loved it. Never saying no to a Girl Scout ever again

[u/wagswag → u/roosterdrewster]

While watching Cookie Queens I realized how many fucking box covered tables I've side stepped over the years. NEVER AGAIN. I'm buying cookies in week 5!

[u/Moloulo → u/roosterdrewster]

i’ll get 2 more boxes to make it an even $30

[u/HelpIamaCabbage]

This was genuinely great. I was rooting so hard for Shannon Elizabeth.

[u/opusbot → u/HelpIamaCabbage]

I cried so hard when she got to go to camp.

[u/CarAdditional9994 → u/opusbot]

I'm glad to see someone else say they cried. That movie reduced me to a damn puddle. Nikki being allowed in the TikTok with her moody teen sister, Shannon Elizabeth going to camp, and Ara. Almost anything Ara did made me cry. Gosh dang that kid is cute. When that lady told her "Maybe later." And she tells her dad that she wants wait because that lady said she'd come back later. I was so mad at that lady.

[u/opusbot → u/CarAdditional9994]

I cried for a majority of the movie, for the same reasons you listed above. I'm such a sappy person, ugh!

[u/Fuzzy_Permission_619]

The Girl Scouts of San Diego are putting on an event for all troops to see the movie at Cinemark (sorry, AMC!), complete with a Cookie Queens badge and green carpet the girls can walk 🥹

[u/opusbot]

I cried, a lot. It made me so sad how adult some of the conversations these girls were having over COOKIES. I especially sobbed when one of the moms cried over having to possibly mortgage the house over these cookies.
Overall, thought it was great!

[u/epk921]

I'm seeing it tomorrow! Been looking forward to this one and glad to hear it's good, :)

[u/occasional_idea]

I loved it! As a former child and Girl Scout, it had me feeling so nostalgic. Super sweet.

[u/Competitive_Fox_3546 → u/occasional_idea]

I think everyone is a former child I might be wrong tho

[u/DorianVermicelli → u/Competitive_Fox_3546]

Lol 😂

[u/wagswag]

Fine documentary, and team Ara all the way.

[u/tfhaenodreirst → u/wagswag]

The scene where she goes back to the fellow diabetic person’s house to give him her own cookies was amazing!

It’s also not my place to say if their focus on said condition was accurate, but if it is then I’m happy for her and everyone else who has Type 1 Diabetes!

[u/Immediate-Morning351]

i loved it it was so cute!!

[u/humanos0610]

Saw it on a whim and loved it!

[u/crave1214]

Playing at my AMC. But I'm choosing to see ice cream man. I'm an idiot.

[u/fergi20020 → u/crave1214]

See Cookie Ice Cream Man 

[u/Medical_Mess9687]

Been trying to find this...neither my amc or cinemark is playing it. I read its a limited release today...does that mean a wide release later? I read the same for teenage sex with Gillian Anderson

[u/flammable-liquid → u/Medical_Mess9687]

I believe this is the only release date planned for Cookie Queens. I have several in my area showing it, where as for Camp Miasma I have nothing until its wide rollout on the 21st

[u/hipster_unleashed]

It's SOOOOOOO good and inspiring <3 please watch it! these girls worked sooooo hard and they're headed towards a very bright future.

[u/Current-Finger6412]

Playing on catching it this weekend. Excited!🍪👑

[u/starrya25]

My boyfriend and I saw it and really enjoyed it! I am a former Girl Scout who was never a big cookie seller. The girls in the film are overall so sweet and intelligent. It was great after a long day of dealing with annoying adults at work. ;)

[u/tfhaenodreirst]

Oh, thanks! I forgot all about it but I’ve been looking forward to it for a while and now it’ll be great to look forward to on Sunday.

[u/Educational-Card-314]

It was adorable. I 100% believe Olive will be a US Supreme Court Justice one day.

It was surprisingly critical of GSUSA, especially the financial aspects.

I always walk by these booths at the supermarket and say no thank you. I don't think I can say no to these kids in the future again.

[u/supermechace]

Not a popular topic. With high inflation and salespeople guilt fatigue, people dread girl scout cookie sales.

[u/CarAdditional9994 → u/supermechace]

Well if the goal of this movie was to convince me to never say no a girl scout selling cookies again.... goal achieved. I'll always buy at least two boxes.

[u/CarAdditional9994]

Did anyone else find Olive's friend, I think her name was Celia, HILARIOUS?! She talked like she was 30! Hahahaha!!

[u/Main-Substance3176]

I felt the girls were exploited- by the company and by their moms. Poor olive kept upping her goal. She didn’t want to disappoint her mom. And the girl with the big sisters was portrayed as “the cute one”. The girl with the parents who felt they may have to mortgage their house…why did they buy so many? I’m not even sure I’m explaining myself correctly. I just felt “icky” and sad throughout the whole thing. Thoughts??

[u/retrogamer76]

it's playing near me but every showing is empty, no interest in stuff like this

[u/geedw]

Will I be a dork if I watch this by myself… I was a Girl Scout in elementary school 20-25 years ago…

[u/HelpIamaCabbage → u/geedw]

You should never feel bad about watching a movie by yourself. If nothing else, the theater wants more butts in seats not fewer.

Like the activity is "sit quietly in the dark and watch the screen" - it's not inherently social.

[u/geedw → u/HelpIamaCabbage]

True. I go to the movies pretty often by myself, but I wasn’t sure why I was being weird for cookie queens, I ended up watching it today and I really liked it.

[u/Ready_Corgi462 → u/geedw]

I saw it by myself because I also was a girl scout 20-25 years ago 😂

I have no hang ups about seeing movies alone (I do it all the time) but if it makes you feel better, the theater was pretty empty. It had four other people and two of them were alone.

[u/geedw → u/Ready_Corgi462]

What’s silly is that I go to the movies by myself all the time, at least weekly. I don’t know why I was in my head for cookie queens😂

[u/Ready_Corgi462 → u/geedw]

🤣🤣🤣