My Dead Friend Zoe - A Movie Review

Finding help mends the pieces.

My Dead Friend Zoe is a 2024 film. Merit is a military veteran struggling with the loss of her army friend. She envisions her ghostly friend distracting Merit from living her life. While avoiding grief counseling, Merit must take care of her aging Vietnam grandfather who resides at the family’s ancestral lake house.

Movies are the best therapy. They’re why we tell stories. My Dead Friend Zoe is for anyone struggling with PTSD and loss. This film encourages people to find help, instead of being weighed down by anger and fear. While the film endorses a healing message, its story execution is underdeveloped.

Merit is a tough shell to crack. Sonequa Martin-Green does a fantastic job with this character, shedding vulnerability and challenging emotions. She learns how freeing unleashing her feelings is, but not without running away first. Martin-Green was so emotionally driven in her scenes. She does a tremendous job in the final scene.

Playing a ghost is an interesting venture, especially for Natalie Morales as Zoe. Zoe is Merit’s supportive (and sarcastic) angel. She is also an enemy. As we slowly find out the layers of her character, we understand Zoe more. Zoe is creatively inserted in each scene, adding her own commentary or making jokes. The one about the graveyard made the theater laugh.

Merit and Zoe’s friendship is essential to the story. Martin-Green and Morales immediately hit it off before filming started. They made a believable friendship. The friends constantly joke around, but they have suppressed fears.

Acting legends Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman play supporting roles. Freeman plays Merit’s grief counselor. It’s Freeman’s usual trademark role as a supportive figure. He is a spectacular actor, but I want to see him branch out more. As for Harris, he plays Merit’s gruff grandfather. Harris is commendable in the role.

Kyle Housemann-Stokes made this film in honor of his soldier friends who lost their battles with depression. This was his first time writing and directing a film. I like how he doesn’t make the film autobiographical, changing the gender of the character. He wanted it to reflect everybody’s story.

The film has the right message but the pacing is uneven. It loses focus in some sequences. This movie is viewed through the eyes of Merit, so why does a scene show a counseling scene without her? The film doesn’t balance supporting roles enough, like with Merit’s mother (Gloria Reuben) and Alex (Utkarsh Ambudkar).

One of the most striking aspects of the film is its inventive editing, particularly in moments where Merit is triggered by her trauma. The cinematography was very well done, achieving the film’s tone. To make you feel Merit’s sudden fear, the scenes edit manic jumps, fast motions, and lighting changes.

My Dead Friend Zoe is a poignant and necessary film for army veterans. However, what stands out the most is how the film resonates with its audience. Veterans, in particular, may find solace in its portrayal of internal battles and the importance of seeking help rather than succumbing to despair.

Mental health is a serious matter. We don’t know the battles veterans face post-war, but the suicide rates are evident.

The film’s subject matter is heavy dealing with loss and suicide. It presents an honest depiction of loss. The actors mentioned how challenging and cathartic the film was. Scenes were challenging to film but they found methods to help them. This film was made to help audiences feel seen.

Though heartwrenching, My Dead Friend Zoe is reflective and moving. It was a remarkable theater experience.