My Dead Friend Zoe is a 2024 American drama comedy film directed by Kyle Houseman-Stokes from a screenplay by Kyle Houseman-Stokes, Cherish Chen, and A. J. Bermudez. The film is set to be released in the United States on February 28, 2025.
The film skillfully combines themes of war, loss and trauma with dark humor and human warmth. The film is an intimate portrait of life after war, of family wounds and of how friendship can be a savior or a ghost that prevents one from moving forward.
The main character, Merritt (Sonika Martin-Green), is an Afghanistan war veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After serving, she is confronted with the presence of her dead best friend, Zoe (Natalie Morales), who appears only to her—as a ghost, as a memory, as an inner voice. Meanwhile, she must deal with the alienation within her family, especially with their estranged grandfather (Ed Harris), a Vietnam veteran suffering from early symptoms of Alzheimer's. Merritt attends therapy groups, tries to find a romantic relationship, while dealing with guilt, pain, and the desire to move on.
My Dead Friend Zoe is a powerful film that manages to find light amidst the shadows of loss, anxiety, and family wounds. It's a story that will especially touch those who carry trauma on their shoulders — and suggest that moving on can be the greatest courage. It's not without its flaws, but it's a film that stays with you — with tears, with smiles, with thoughts.
