Film Review: MY DEAD FRIEND ZOE (2024): A Deeply Moving Look at the Effects of Loss, Loneliness, Aging and War

My Dead Friend Zoe Review

My Dead Friend Zoe (2024) Film Review, a movie directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, written by Cherish Chen, A.J. Bermudez and Kyle Hausmann-Stokes and starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Gloria Reuben, Utkarsh Ambudkar, James Bane, Assia Lau’ren, Thom Tran, Alicia Borja, Zeke Alton, Richard Milanesi, Rich Paul, John-Peter Cruz, Del Lewis and Drew Rausch.

Director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes has crafted a deeply moving film with the emotionally charged “war at home” drama, My Dead Friend Zoe. This film has a very powerful dramatic hook with the story of an imaginary person (who was once real) interacting with the star of the movie. It’s a decision that makes the material accessible to the mainstream viewer who can understand the characters more thanks to the way the story is structured. There are three great performances in this movie. Sonequa Martin-Green, the lead, carries much of the film but she is properly supported by insightful and diligent performances from her co-stars, the lively Natalie Morales and the always versatile Ed Harris.

Martin-Green is featured as Merit, an Army vet who was stationed in Afghanistan. Her grandfather, Dale (Harris), is a Vietnam vet who is tough and has become difficult to care for in his older age. Merit’s mom (Gloria Reuben) wants to put Dale in a retirement home as she cannot take care of him to the extent that is required. Dale is wildly unpredictable and goes off on Merit about mixing garbage with recycling in a scene early on in the movie.

Now, for the title character, Zoe (Morales). She’s dead but she clearly engages in imagined conversations with Merit. That’s because Merit takes her advice and company wherever she goes. There’s clearly a certain level of guilt regarding Merit’s feelings about what happened with Zoe but we don’t know what, exactly, happened until later in the movie.

Morgan Freeman serves as Dr. Cole who runs a support group that Merit attends but cannot take seriously because she keeps imagining Zoe’s commentary about the proceedings which may just be what Zoe would really have said if she were alive. Merit doesn’t speak at the support group but Cole would like her to. She’s just distanced herself from the reality of the situation and is coping with it in an unusual way.

There is a great rapport between Morales and Martin-Green as we see flashbacks to when they were together during their time stationed in the war. In a terrific and amusing scene, Zoe and Merit sing to Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and try to finish the song when interference threatens to end it early. These two characters are like peas and carrots and are there for each other no matter what. If only Zoe weren’t dead, things would be so much better now.

There’s a potential love interest for Merit named Alex, played quite well by Utkarsh Ambudkar. Alex works as a manager at the retirement home where Merit’s mom wants to put Dale. As Alex and Merit form a bond, things get progressively more complicated as the story line moves forward.

Zoe inspires Merit to take Dale on a boat when Zoe tells Merit a story of how she once got a stingy family member to buy her ice cream by placing a stolen copy of Reader’s Digest in the mail. In that magazine, there was a perfect story to help in that matter. Merit needs to get Dale away from the house as the realtor comes to visit their home and Zoe helps. There’s also a scene where Merit pays $40 for a decorative item at a market for Dale even though she has monetary problems of her own. Merit and Dale ultimately form a strong bond as the film progresses and Merit starts to realize that she must let go of Zoe and the past in order to proceed with living a normal life.

Natalie Morales is the film’s revelation. As Zoe, she’s fierce, unpredictable and a live-wire. Her scenes with Martin-Green come to life vividly on-screen presenting a friendship that is both complex and moving on the surface as Zoe continues to inspire Merit long after Zoe’s death.

Ed Harris is excellent in the film’s most difficult role. He makes his character real without being either too kind or too mean. Dale is only human and the film portrays him as flawed, believable and kind underneath his hard exterior. Dale doesn’t want to go into a retirement home and difficult decisions must be made by the end of the picture.

This film’s portrayal of the effects of war and the way vets return to the “real” world where they can suffer PTSD and depression because of the difficulties that they faced in the past rings completely true and the movie is emotionally devastating at a point, yet it still triumphs in its central message which rings loud and clear. There is a war fought outside in the “real world” that nobody can comprehend without giving the proper love and support that vets need to cope with the effects of what has been thrust upon them in the past. In order to move forward, being there for family and friends is key. It’s impossible to understand PTSD if one is not a survivor of it. But, the effort must be made. This movie is certain to leave a tear in your eye by the time the end credits roll.

My Dead Friend Zoe will make you feel a lot of emotions during the course of the picture’s running time. Morgan Freeman is also outstanding in his brief role, adding humanity to a part that could have potentially been insignificant in a lesser film. This movie will make you reevaluate the way you see friendship and the everlasting impact it could make on the human spirit and the film is, quite simply, a must-see.

Rating: 8.5/10

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