Movie Review: My Dead Friend Zoe

Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Zoe (Natalie Morales) became friends while serving in Afghanistan, but something happened that left Zoe dead and Merit so guilt-ridden that it has affected her ability to function in society. That she constantly sees and communicates with a manifestation of her friend certainly doesn’t help in that regard.

After causing an accident at work that could have seriously injured or even killed one of her coworkers, she is court mandated to attend a Veterans’ support group led by Dr. Cole (Morgan Freeman). She remains closed off however, refusing to actively participate, and therefore not convincing Cole to sign off on her completing the program. Escape arrives when she receives a call from her mother (Gloria Reuben) asking that she travel to her grandfather Dale’s (Ed Harris) lakefront cabin to check in on him after he was found wandering along a nearby highway.

While Merit and Dale were close when she was a young girl, they have since grown apart and he is initially gruff and cold in their interactions. Having been inspired to enlist because of his service, Merit still holds a lot of affection for him and doesn’t give up on trying to help. Realizing that he is showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, her mother has made arrangements for him to move to a nearby assisted living facility which Merit must finalize in person, and she unexpectedly finds herself striking up a friendship (and possibly more) with owner Alex (Utkarsh Ambudkar).

It’s a lot for anyone to be dealing with all at once, and Martin-Green portrays Merit’s struggles beautifully. This is a star-making performance that will likely go down as one the year’s best as she makes Merit come alive before our eyes and gets us to care deeply for her well-being. There are no weak links in the cast though, with Morales delivering spiky one-liners, Harris gradually revealing the softie hiding beneath the tough exterior, Ambudkar absolutely charming as the potential love interest, and Freeman sagely providing wisdom.

Inspired by his time serving in Iraq, director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes proves to be a natural filmmaker. His script, cowritten with A.J. Bermudez and based on a story he cowrote with Cherish Chen, rings true as it handles several heavy themes through a perfect blend of seriousness and dark humor. Flashbacks bring us closer to the truth of what happened with Zoe in parallel with Merit’s attempts to finally come to terms with it, leading to an emotional gut-punch of a reveal that will stick with viewers. My Dead Friend Zoe is a film filled with sadness, but also one full of heart and hope that will resonate deeply with many. Buoyed by strong performances, it’s one of the best films of the year so far. ★★★★½