3.5/5
Bert and Bertie’s Troop Zero is a surprisingly moving and unexpectedly sweet film tinged with loss, grief, and the desire for community and connection. It’s always a delight to see a family film that challenges the stereotypical norms of gender, class, and race and encourages children toward greater empathy and tolerance of those don’t fit into society’s rigid boxes of conformity. While the film has your standard quirky, indie-comedy visual vocabulary, there are some lovely and unexpected narrative beats that keep it continually engaging. The performers are all genuinely charming, and you can’t really go wrong with Viola Davis. It’s a film that especially feels resonant during this time of distancing and tech-mediated connection, as we all proclaim “I’m here!” to one another along with the film’s lovable troop of misfits and outcasts.
