SummaryEngaged in a mysterious relationship with her dead best friend from the Army, a female Afghanistan veteran comes head to head with her Vietnam vet grandfather at the family's ancestral lake house.
Directed By:Kyle Hausmann-Stokes
Written By:Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, Cherish Chen, A.J. Bermudez
My Dead Friend Zoe
Metascore
Generally Favorable
75
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
75
90% Positive
18 Reviews
18 Reviews
5% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Feb 26, 2025
100
To be able to understand these universal experiences on a deeper level because of this film is a true gift. Even if you don’t have a Zoe, just know that you’re never truly alone.
Mar 15, 2024
90
My Dead Friend Zoe opens wounds and douses them in peroxide — the immediate sensation stings, but eventually cleanses and soothes.
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
81% Positive
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
19% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Mar 1, 2025
10
This is a fantastic movie. I'm a veteran. I have struggled with C-PTSD and PTSD. This movie does an excellent job showcasing the veteran experience, PTSD, and how to help yourself. It is a must-see, powerful movie! Well done!
Mar 1, 2025
8
Very pleasantly surprised by this subtle movie. I've not been a big fan of Sonequa Martin-Green in the past. I never hated her, but I could go either way on her TV show. I've been middle of the road with her past work. Anyway, she really stepped it up for this movie. Great job Sonequa! Ed Harris was very good. Also Legion M also stepped it up. I think it is a Legion M film. I'll have to doublecheck. I haven't been a fan of their films either, but this was a great job Legion M. I'm hoping the momentum continues for both Sonequa and Legion M. The film is simple yet very well done. It's a story or stories that have been done before but everything ties together well. I was surprisingly moved a little. I wasn't expecting much. The movie hasn't been advertised much either. I wonder if this was a budget reason or something? There were only a few people in the theater, but it's definitely worth seeing. This is a subtle movie that is going under the radar, but refreshing at a time when so many filler movies are getting all the advertising. Good for adults of any ages. Pleasantly surprised.
Mar 15, 2024
80
Hausmann-Stokes’ message is simple, and his movie is a perfect place to start: Take an interest in our veterans.
Feb 26, 2025
75
The movie’s earnestness carries it through these less smooth moments. So does the cast. Any opportunity to see Freeman or Harris, still at the top of their games, is a chance to be treasured.
Mar 15, 2024
75
It’s a visceral look at the veteran experience and the kinds of loss we can’t easily describe or process, and the isolation that comes with that.
Apr 3, 2024
68
It’s a film that could easily veer into manipulative territory in lesser hands, but Hausmann Stokes transforms this personal and devastating story into something deeper, sweeter, and funnier than it may initially seem.
Feb 28, 2025
30
Mr. Hausmann-Stokes hopes to keep the movie darkly comic until pivoting to a final, emotional payoff, but the mawkish late scenes are even more inept than the supposedly funny ones, as the director stages tearful hugs accompanied by soapy attempts at emotional dialogue.
Mar 1, 2025
7
"My Dead Friend Zoe" is straightforward as filmmaking and it’s fairly obvious as therapy, but it comes from a place of deep respect and deeper love, and everyone here honors that. The movie’s earnestness carries it through these less smooth moments. So does the cast. Any opportunity to see Morgan Freeman or Ed Harris, still at the top of their games, is always chance to be treasured.
Jul 8, 2025
6
Apesar de termos exemplares como "O irlandês", parece que o tema sobre o impacto da saúde mental de ex-combatentes ainda não perdeu o gás. E aqui, o baseado em fatos reais parece só mais um apelo mesmo. O carisma da protagonista é grande, mas as situações são forçadas, há uma mão pesada na direção aqui, desde o trato com a "amiga morta" à relação com o avô e com o seu par romântico. Ao final, percebemos que é um grande comercial de alerta à saúde pública mesmo. É um tema importante, claro.
Production Company:
- Legion M
- Radiant Media Studios
- ReCre8 Entertainment
Release Date:Feb 28, 2025
Duration:1 h 38 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Grief can be a funny thing.
Awards
Woodstock Film Festival
• 5 Wins & 6 Nominations
SXSW Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Mill Valley Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
