My Dead Friend Zoe

"Grief can be a funny thing."

2024 1h 43m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 102

ComedyWarDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Merit, a U.S. Army veteran suffering from PTSD, is repeatedly tortured by visions of her deceased friend and company buddy Zoe. After her Afghanistan service in 2016, she attends group therapy until Dale, her grandfather and former Lieutenant Colonel, is recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Merit steps up to his aide, and discovers more about herself and her family, while also gaining the courage to put her metaphorical demons to rest.

“Grief can be a funny thing.”

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Cast

Sonequa Martin-Green
Merit
Natalie Morales
Zoe
Ed Harris
Dale
Morgan Freeman
Dr. Cole
Utkarsh Ambudkar
Alex
Gloria Reuben
Kris
Rich Paul
Lewis
Drew Rausch
Dr. Stokes

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kyle Hausmann-Stokes
Writers: Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, A.J. Bermudez
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, shot by Matt Sakatani Roe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Dan Romer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ali Greer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Sonequa Martin-Green and Natalie Morales and Ed Harris carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Grief can be a funny thing.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt22022784 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kyle Hausmann-Stokes directs. Matt Sakatani Roe behind the camera. Dan Romer scores. Ali Greer cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 2 years ago.
2Directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, shot by Matt Sakatani Roe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Dan Romer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Ali Greer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Sonequa Martin-Green and Natalie Morales and Ed Harris carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Grief can be a funny thing.".
7IMDB entry: tt22022784 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 18 themes, including "army", "post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)", "support group", "date".

The technical file

Cinematography: Matt Sakatani Roe
Original score: Dan Romer
Editing: Ali Greer
Production design: Whit Vogel
Costume design: Dionne Barens
Makeup / hair: Mélé Egbe
Sound: Austin Chase
Runtime: 103 min · 1h 43m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $1,174,384
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: My Dead Friend Zoe (2024)

Also by

Kyle Hausmann-Stokes

Merit x Zoe
2022

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2025-04-05
★ 7/10
My Dead Friend Zoe dives deep into the wounds left by war, grief, and unspoken regrets, incorporating a narrative that, while following a familiar structure, never feels emotionally hollow. It's the kind of film where the strength lies not in groundbreaking plot mechanics, but in the sheer honesty of its characters and the delicate care with which their pain is portrayed. Sonequa Martin-Green delivers a magnetic performance - quietly powerful, effortlessly vulnerable, and deeply human. The screenplay leans into genre conventions, but it does so with sincerity, making the emotional beats hit all the harder. The third act is where everything clicks into place. It's raw, unflinching, and devastating in the most beautiful way - a culmination of internal battles finally reaching catharsis. Director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes doesn't try to overplay his hand, letting the characters carry the weight, allowing moments of silence and memory to speak volumes. Yes, it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it rolls with such truth and heart that you won't soon forget it. A compelling tale about healing, memory, and the ones we carry with us. Rating: B

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