Displaying items by tag: Natalie Morales

MY DEAD FRIEND ZOE

US, 2024, 103 minutes, Colour.

Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Gloria Reubin, Utkarsh Ambudjar.

Directed by Kyle Haussmann-Stokes.

The American involvement in Afghanistan has produced many significant films this one being produced after the withdrawal of America under the Biden administration.

While the focus is Afghanistan and sequences there, it is very much a film about PTSD and consequences from any war. There are action sequences, deaths. But there are also strong friendships.

The central character is Merit, who bonded with Zoe during their time in Afghanistan. When she returns home, experiencing some disturbance after her war experiences, she goes to a therapist. Various techniques, including the empty chair and Merit talking to Zoe.

However, Zoe is ever present to Merit, sharing everything, Merit’s relationship with her mother, and, especially, with her grandfather, another strong performance by Ed Harris, who lives alone, eccentric, his own war service, and the family wanting to move him to an aged care home.

But, while there is great companionship between Merit and Zoe, Zoe was killed in Afghanistan and Merit has to let her go, finding a friend at the aged care home, working with a therapist, her reactions to her mother, and the influence of her grandfather.

The film is based on the experiences of the director who served five years as a paratrooper in Afghanistan.

1. A film about war, PTSD, relationships, grief?
2. 2016, service in Afghanistan, the Afghan sequences, war action, camaraderie, friendships, deaths? The aftermath, the return home, PTSD, settling, family relationships and responsibilities, therapy?
3. The title, that Zoe was dead not immediately revealed? The focus on Merit, age and experience, the war, Afghanistan, the friendship with Zoe, not coping, her mother, her grandfather, his war experience, his home by the lake, the boat, his daughter wanting him to go a to home? His tantrums about the garbage bins? The impact on Merit, seeking help?
4. Merit and Zoe in Afghanistan, the happy times, sharing?
5. The therapy sequence, the present, commenting, Merit’s response, the empty chair?
6. Audience liking the comedy and drama and the feeling of the sequences with Merit and Zoe, in ordinary life, the visit to the cemetery, on the grandfather’s boat…? Zoe as a character, full of life? Her being an alter ego for Merit’s interior life, enabling her to accept her life?
7. The therapy sessions, the range of veterans, their issues, the possibility for voicing them, sharing, mutual help? The role of the supervisor, his empathy? Also severity, making demands on Merit?
8. The grandfather, military, service, success, old-age, dementia onset, his daughter and her concern, the home, Merit and her help?
9. Merit, the home for the aged, her encounter with Alex, his personality, his work, and together, the video games, sharing?
10. The buildup to the finale, Merit and the future, her life, letting Zoe go, standing on her own feet – and the final revelation, Zoe, in Afghanistan, the friendship, the experience of her death?
11. And the final plea and information for veterans, therapy, PTSD?