This post does not contain spoilers.
So Trolls became available to view on Netflix this week. Out of boredom I decided to watch it in the background of doing some other stuff. I expected it to be a dumb and thoughtless movie made for the sole purpose of selling plastic toys. The Troll movie was something I expected to hate.
But I loved the troll movie. I loved the fudge out of it.
The first item on my list of things that make me love Trolls, is the message. Trolls teaches that happiness isn’t something that comes from outside of you, happiness is something already inside you. And when someone isn’t happy, sometimes they need help from other people to find the happiness within them. In a culture currently coming to terms with the importance of mental health, this is a rock star of a message for children. It’s something a lot of adults even have trouble with. Aside from this, Trolls also has tons of positive and useful messages about perseverance, hope, and friendship. A more subtle facet of the message that I found particularly great is the idea of being wary of people trying to sell you happiness. Additionally, that being happy, and being a good person are two very different things. Someone can be a happy person, but be a complete and utter buttock. Someone else can be unhappy, but be a good, thoughtful, and brave person.
The next thing I love about Trolls is that it doesn’t take itself seriously. At all. There is a character that farts glitter. Everything is over the top and exaggerated. Many of the main plot points are so clichéd that they come off as dumb, but because the movie doesn’t take itself seriously, it really doesn’t matter. The message shines through regardless.
The third thing I love about Trolls, is the fricken soundtrack. Every song is uplifting, and fun, but still totally true to the mood of the story. There are tons of classics too, put into new context for this movie, and they work so so very well. I am someone who loves to sing when I am happy. I would sing all the time if I could. This movie spoke to me on that level, it understood me. Everything can be a song.
All in all, I know what the Troll movie looks like, it looks like a terrible movie. But I love it. I love it so much I will buy it. Even if you think Trolls looks dumb, I urge you to take a chance and watch this movie. It is really really cute. And you may be surprised, like me, to find that you love Trolls.
P.S. I have already made fan art. This is my awesome cousin Peyton as a troll with Branch.