Synopsis: Engaged in a mysterious relationship with a wise-cracking (and dead) best friend from the army, a female Afghanistan veteran reluctantly reunites with her estranged Vietnam vet grandfather at the family’s ancestral lake house.
Director: Kyle Haussmann-Stokes
Stars: Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Gloria Reuben, Utkarsh Ambudkar
Every now and then, a movie comes along that is a pleasant surprise. My Dead Friend Zoe is one of those films. It is many things—many great things—and it checks all the right boxes.
The film stars Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead, Star Trek Discovery) as Merit, a vet who, for reasons unknown to the audience, is no longer serving. She is dealing with something profound, but we don’t know what.
Merit speaks a lot to her friend Zoe (Natalie Morales), and the film effectively uses flashbacks to capture glimpses of what their life was like when they served together in the same platoon.
Zoe is a projection in Merit’s mind, and she constantly feels her presence as she navigates through life. Merit has been instructed by the courts to seek counselling. She reluctantly attends group sessions headed by ‘God’ himself — Morgan Freeman as Dr. Cole. Dr. Cole is calm and relaxed but insistent that Merit participate in these classes and allow herself to talk and be vulnerable. Something that doesn’t come easy for her.
Meanwhile, Merit’s ageing grandfather, Dale (Ed Harris), is getting to the point where the family, primarily Merti’s mother (Gloria Reuben), worries about him being alone, so Merit is off to look after him at his lake house. Granddaughter and grandfather have a unique relationship depending on how he is feeling on any particular day.
This film marks the feature debut for filmmaker Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, and he knocks it out of the park in several ways—starting with a stellar cast that includes Hollywood legends Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman, both veterans in their own right. Natalie Morales, who showcased her talent behind the camera in Language Lessons, proves just as impressive in front of it here. Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect) brings the comedic moments. He has some great scenes as Merit’s potential love interest.
My Dead Friend Zoe rests heavily on the shoulders of Sonequa Martin-Green, who delivers her best work yet. Though she’s been part of major projects before, this film gives her a true opportunity to shine—and she absolutely does. She effortlessly owns scenes and pays homage to the people in uniform.
As a former member of the U.S. Army, one expects Hausmann-Stokes to be able to speak to the trials and tribulations of those who have served. What I didn’t expect—but I was thrilled to see—is how well he can construct a film.
My Dead Friend Zoe serves as a love letter to those who have served and speaks to those experiencing grief and how to deal with it.
In another filmmaker’s hands, this project could have come off as insincere, but not here. You feel every emotion, whether or not you’ve had the honour of wearing a uniform.
My Dead Friend Zoe won the Narrative Spotlight Award at the SXSW film festival in 2024, a festival that knows something about great films, like the 2023 Best Picture Winner, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
My Dead Friend Zoe is a dark comedy with a lot of heart and is a reminder that the best movies don’t always have the biggest budgets.
Grade: B+
Watch Keith’s interview with the director Kyle Haussmann-Stokes:
Watch the movie trailer:
