The New Trolls Movie Addresses Absent Dads and Sibling Abuse

No, I’m not Trolling

As a grown-up kid with kids of my own, I’m always excited to see the new cartoon movies.

So much so that we didn’t even wait for the movie to be officially released; we went to the pre-screening.

The Troll Movie franchise is one of my faves! It has everything: cute little trolls, bright, vibrant colors, corny kid jokes mixed with hidden references for adults, lots of singing, a healthy side of nostalgia, and Justin Timberlake. What’s not to love?!

To be honest, the Trolls movie has tackled lots of serious topics such as bullying, racism, and countless others. But honestly, when it comes to the subject matters broached in this film, I was not prepared.

*Spoiler Alert*

Delving into Sibling Abuse

Trolls Band Together is really an excellent movie for the entire family. For the first time in the history of the franchise, Branch (played by Justin Timberlake) takes centerstage while Poppy (played by Anna Kendrick) is thrust into the background.

It turns out that Branch was a part of a boy band with his brothers. He has animosity towards his brothers because after the boy band disbanded, he, the youngest, was left to take care of his grandmother, who was eventually eaten by a Bergen.

Not only that, but Branch also complained that they have consistently undermined his autonomy and opinions simply because he was the youngest sibling. At one point, there is an entire monologue about not allowing people to mistreat you, whether they’re related or not.

Additionally, another example of sibling abuse occurred between Velvet and Veneer, played by Amy Schumer and Andrew Rannell. These fraudulent pop stars were basically stealing their mojo from trolls.

Although Veneer actually didn’t want to abuse the trolls, nor did he really care about being famous, he went along with the plan because his sister coerced and verbally abused him. In the end, Veneer also had to learn to assert himself in order to free the trolls and get out of the spotlight.

A Word about Absent Dads

On the other hand, we also discover the fact that Poppy has a long-lost sister. Although the two joke about the fact that the father never even mentioned her sister, Viva, it’s clear that she had been kept secret and likely spent a considerable amount of time without her father.

Unfortunately, this seems to have triggered some mental health issues as Viva attempts to hold Poppy captive to prevent her from leaving her ever again.

At any rate, the fact that they laughed and agreed that having a secret daughter was “so like Dad,” it seems that their father has some known character flaws.

The Hidden Epidemics

According to Psychology Today, sibling abuse is a hidden epidemic. In fact, experts assert that up to 80% of the youth experience some form of mistreatment at the hands of their siblings.

Although we have written this off as simply a part of life, the fact of the matter is it’s so common that we have normalized it. Nevertheless, no one should be subjected to abuse ever, least of all by the ones who are supposed to be closest to them.

Unfortunately, we have created a society in which unhealthy family dynamics are far more common than they should be. This is partially because we value materialism above all else. Therefore, both parents are often missing from the home for extended periods of time, leaving the kids to fend for themselves.

At any rate, as we saw in the movie, even one bad experience can lead to a lifetime full of pain.

Additionally, although half-siblings are a common occurrence, they can also cause the following issues in America, in particular — a land where traditional, nuclear families are upheld over all other family dynamics. Therefore, those who align with this way of thinking may feel justified in neglecting the children/siblings living outside of the home.

Back to Trolls

Trolls: Band Together is a cute movie with a lot of great messages. Above all, it teaches children to stand up for themselves in all situations and be aware that even parents and siblings are not excused from accountability when they mistreat us.

As someone who has dealt with all of the above, I am here for this message. The only way forward is by raising awareness and teaching children that they don’t have to accept abuse and that if all else fails, it’s OK to remove yourself from the equation altogether.

How do you feel about the topic explored in the Trolls movie?

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