Review: 'Cookie Queens' Turns Girl Scout Cookie Sales into a Reality-Show Contest
The documentary 'Cookie Queens' follows four pre-teen Girl Scout sellers, focusing on their competitive sales goals while neglecting the history of the cookies.
Alysa Nahmias' documentary 'Cookie Queens' centers on four girls—12-year-old Olive of Charlotte, 5-year-old Ara, 8-year-old Shannon Elizabeth from El Paso, and 9-year-old Nikki of Chino—each striving to hit lofty sales numbers in the six-week Girl Scout cookie season. Produced by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the film frames their efforts as a competition, complete with a jaunty score and parental coaching, while omitting any historical overview of the cookies' origins in World War I. Viewers see the girls' strategies, from influencer-style pitches to on-the-spot jingles, and hear comments about profit splits and the pressure to sell thousands of boxes.
The review argues that the documentary resembles a reality-show more than an informative piece, missing an opportunity to explore the cultural significance of the iconic treat. Overall, the movie is praised for its lively presentation but faulted for its singular focus on salesmanship.
Why it matters
It shows how a beloved American tradition is being recast as a competitive, profit-driven activity for children.
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