While MY DEAD FRIEND ZOE is touted as a dark comedy drama, at times, the film holds itself to being more on the dramatic side, infused with moments of humor, to remind us that life in all its unpredictability can be flooded with multiple emotions at once. But, what I also like to think is that it highlights that, more often than not, we find ourselves laughing at the challenges we face in our individual and collective experiences, in part, to keep from crying. No doubt, both theories can be true, and the film’s walk through pain and loss proves it.
Inspired by true events, the film is the directorial debut of Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, a former U.S. Army infantry paratrooper and Iraqi War Bronze Star veteran.
My Dead Friend Zoe, scheduled for its theatrical release on February 28, follows the story of Merit, played by The Walking Dead alum, Sonequa Martin-Green, as a U.S. Army war-time veteran who is haunted by the presence of Zoe (Natalie Morales), her dead best friend from the Army, with whom she served alongside in Afghanistan. Despite the persistence of her VA group counselor, played the venerable Morgan Freeman, the tough love of her mother (Gloria Reuben) and the levity of an unexpected love interest, Merit's ride or die-dysfunctional friendship with Zoe keeps the duo seemingly insulated from the world and its nagging bitter truths. That is until Merit's estranged grandfather (Ed Harris) -- living out his days at the family's Oregon lake house -- begins to lose his way and needs the one thing he refuses...help. Merit steps into provide unexpected assistance to her childhood hero, only to be confronted by her own needs to heal. At its core, My Dead Friend Zoe can be viewed as the proverbial buddy film about a complicated friendship, a family divided on the way to move forward, and the complex ways in which we all process grief.
However, at times, the film pushes itself to be so much more. Though slow paced at the start, with its often reflective, contemplative scenes and thoughtful dialogue, set in a mix of flashback-present day sequences, when you are hit with the message in the back half of the film, the message hits hard. The jolt of which got to me, in part, because I have a father who also served his country in war; and while he lived to return to tell the tale from four tours in Vietnam, watching this film play out, I came to truly appreciate the struggle to watch the ensuing aftermath of that experience and how it manifests itself in the lives that remain.
Underneath the quiet drama that unfolds in similar fashion to films like On Golden Pond (1981), A River Runs Through It (1992), and Legends of the Fall (1994), lies a power story trying to make sense of what its means to exist within a family and a friendship, and our responsibility to each.
The film features beautiful sweeping shots of nature, particularly those of the Pacific northwest landscape, and a narrative delivered in a deliberate manner to strip away any misread nuance. The cinematography’s emphasis on the beauty of the natural world creates a serene and poignant atmosphere, and offers viewers a beautiful canvas on which to explore themes of family, love, survivor’s guilt, and the passage of time.
Martin-Green’s portrayal of Merit showcases the depth of a friendship forged against the backdrop of military conflict and the complexity of an estranged family trying to ignore the inevitable in their own lives. Coupled with Harris’ depth and emotional resonance as Merit’s grandfather battling Alzheimer’s, the two characters navigate their differing war experiences with a subtle humor that is key to the film’s emotional impact. And, while their experiences on the battlefield are separated by age, years, and gender, there is a uniquely shared understanding of past events that shape their approach to the pain of the present. In the end, we, civilians, may never come to fully comprehend. If you know, you know.
For her performance, Morales’ Zoe cuts through the heaviness of each scene with the quick thinking, playful banter, and clever one-liners. She portrays that quintessential sure-to-get-you-in-trouble, but-will-have-epic-stories-to-tell best friend. You know the one. Every friend group has that one life of the party standout, whose presence desperately lingers long after they have left the building. Though brief, Zoe’s time on canvas provides that subtle contrast to Merit’s more focused, by-the-book demeanor. The character delivers humorous quips in tense situations often to lighten the mood and showcase her emotional intelligence to see what others cannot, or perhaps will not, allow themselves to see in the wake of loss — that it is, in fact, okay
to not be okay.
A creative take on the post-war experience and a tribute to veterans of all generations, My Dead Friend Zoe should leave you, if you allow it, to descend into your own quiet reflection long after the credits stop rolling. At the very least, knowing that the therapy group scenes featuring real-life vets sharing pieces of their stories will give you pause to consider that art truly is the inevitable imitation of life.
Co-written by Hausmann-Stokes and A.J. Bermudez, MY Dead Friend Zoe first premiered in March 2024 at the SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
Find out if you agree when the film drops later this month. Though, I would suggest having a box of Kleenex handy, just in case, when you do. The effects of Love and War are never for the faint-hearted.
Will you be going to see My Dead Friend Zoe?
Yes
No
Maybe
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