Editor’s Observe: This assessment was initially revealed through the 2024 SXSW Movie & TV Pageant. Briarcliff Leisure releases “My Useless Good friend Zoe” in theaters Friday, February 28, 2025.
Grief is a humorous factor — typically actually. A lot of one of the best movie and TV on the topic has been instructed via the lens of comedy; from “It’s a Fantastic Life” to “Fleabag” and every part in between, there’s a secret society among the many grieving, who know the facility of laughing at or via the ache.
In equity, that’s not the one lens via which debut characteristic director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes frames “My Useless Good friend Zoe,” the story of a shattered veteran (Sonequa Martin-Inexperienced) haunted by the continuing presence of her deceased platoon mate (Natalie Morales). Hausmann-Stokes, who co-wrote the movie with AJ Bermudez, has been vocal in regards to the private nature of this story — together with within the movie’s post-credits — however even when he hadn’t, “My Useless Good friend Zoe” is possessed of a realism that has to come back from heartbreaking firsthand expertise.
The movie opens on Advantage (Martin-Inexperienced) and Zoe (Morales) throughout their tour, belting Rihanna’s “Umbrella” whereas they wait in a truck — a well-recognized, ominous arrange for any moviegoer, however which doesn’t devolve into flames and gunfire, which most Hollywood administrators could be tempted to make use of as a crutch. Chances are high that Hausmann-Stokes — and the staff of fellow vets behind-the-scenes or in entrance of the digicam — has seen sufficient bloodshed, and is astute sufficient to know that his movie’s viewers doesn’t want extra of that imagery both.
Within the current day, Advantage and Zoe navigate civilian life — besides that Zoe is not with us, only a projection of Advantage’s thoughts. Advantage’s grandfather (Ed Harris) is displaying early indicators of Alzheimer’s, so she spends a while with the person who impressed her to enter the armed forces, all whereas operating (typically actually) from the specter of Zoe and the prospect of speaking about her in group remedy (led by a stoic and calming Morgan Freeman).
Advantage’s day-to-day and intertwining troubles present a comforting indie-film blanket for the viewers, paying homage to any coming-of-age story the place the hero endures minor mishaps whereas escaping the insufferable. Towards that backdrop, a intentionally erratic build-up of Advantage and Zoe’s time within the service and the way she died, composer Hausmann-Stokes and cinematographer Matt Sakatani Roe mirror the jarring really feel of PTSD.
All of that is held collectively masterfully by Martin-Inexperienced, who you can not look away from. Advantage is sharp of thoughts and wit, cares deeply about her family and friends, however she’s additionally continuously teetering between holding it collectively and uncooked, uncontrollable anguish — typically instigated by the apparition of Zoe. As a crystallized reminiscence, Morales’ function is by design much less dynamic, however her efficiency hits each needed observe of charming, susceptible, snarky, and at instances manipulative (even with extraordinarily restricted materials in the best way of backstory and motivation). Ed Harris is nothing wanting a power as Advantage’s retired Lieutenant-Colonel grandfather, commanding his handful of scenes and pairing mesmerizingly with Martin-Inexperienced.
And although “My Useless Good friend Zoe” isn’t totally resistant to filmmaking cliches of the style (a rushed decision feels handy, extra like somebody off display mouthed “Wrap it up!” than Advantage incomes some extent of self-reflection), it’s a visceral have a look at the veteran expertise and the sorts of loss we are able to’t simply describe or course of, and the isolation that comes with that. That message — telegraphed clearly for and about Hausmann-Stokes’ personal platoon mates — comes via loud and clear.
Grade: B
“My Useless Good friend Zoe” premiered at SXSW 2024. Briarcliff Leisure releases the movie in theaters Friday, February 28, 2025.