“What next?”
It’s the question a lot of servicemembers have after spending time in the military. Some have careers lined up, some might go back to school, or some might not have anything to go back to. Worse, some never really make it back home. My Dead Friend Zoe’s story is exactly what you’d think it might be about, but there are a few wrinkles that writer/director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes adds to make it hit harder and resonate loudly. This story, based on both his own experience as a veteran and his short film Merit x Zoe, might start off as a buddy comedy, but it turns into something much more compelling and heart-rending as the film ventures on.
Like it says on the tin, Zoe’s (Natalie Morales) is dead, but she remains in the present day as Merit’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) constant companion, accompanying her wherever Merit goes – on runs, visiting her veteran grandfather Dale (Ed Harris), going on a date… or forcing Merit to crumble into silent grief in her group therapy sessions. Thanks to effective cross-cutting by editor Ali Greer, we see both the wartime definition of their friendship alongside their current friendship as Zoe haunts Merit’s waking moments, leading to the moment their lives changed irreversibly.
But to get to that, we also have to contend with Merit’s present-day battles. She’s in court-ordered group therapy because of a near-fatal workplace accident, but her survivor’s guilt has permeated every inch of her body and soul. If she doesn’t share, she doesn’t get her paperwork signed off, and the group leader, Dr. Cole (Morgan Freeman), isn’t going to let her off easy by letting her just attend and be quiet. In addition to this, she’s broke, and her grandfather is starting down the road of early-stage Alzheimer’s, leading her mother Kris (Gloria Reuben) to start the paperwork to put him in a retirement facility and sell the home he bought after his service.
The emotional weight is heavy, and much of it is left to Sonequa Martin-Green to shoulder, which she does capably and with strength. Martin-Green was one of the best actors on TV’s “The Walking Dead,” and her command of the screen has only gotten better since then. Hausmann-Stokes has put his faith in her to carry this film, and she rewards his faith with her solid portrayal of a wartime veteran suffering intense guilt from a grievous loss. This loss gets explained at film’s end, and it’s not what we expect; it also comes with a damning truth that Merit must face in order to start healing.
I’m not ashamed to say that both Martin-Green and Natalie Morales had me crying at film’s end, as both of their characters spend the film’s running time being each other’s ride-or-die. Their present-day friendship looks like a continuation of what they established in their Middle East posting – at least until Merit starts to make moves toward trying to have a normal life. Greer’s cross-cutting intrusions start to feel more sinister at these junctures, creating a disorienting feeling which causes Merit to get lost and chaotically retreat into herself rather than face her past. Hausmann-Stokes’ firm direction has this movie seating us right with Merit as she navigates each situation – including a budding relationship with retirement home worker Alex (Utkarsh Ambudkar) – as delicately as possible while fending off Zoe’s constant intrusions.
My Dead Friend Zoe is based in part on Kyle Hausmann-Stokes’ experiences as a veteran who’s lost wartime comrades to suicide. The film’s postscript and early credits photo montage reveals just how deeply personal this movie is – not just for him, but for some of those in front of and behind the camera. It never comes off as a lesson, morality tale, or finger-wagging; instead, it’s an impassioned plea for better veteran care for those asking “What next?” The battles aren’t over for those who come back from war, and Hausmann-Stokes’ film doesn’t take any easy routes to make it palatable for viewers; instead, we’re slammed right into Merit’s headspace, made to feel every bit of her confusion, aimlessness, and depression. My Dead Friend Zoe bravely steps up to speak, and it speaks with undeniable authority and clarity.
