My Dead Friend Zoe

'My Dead Friend Zoe' is a noble film, seemingly honest and open. It’s not a terribly exciting one, and it struggles to justify its modest length, but plot isn’t everything.

Morales is a stealth stunner, going the distance from comic relief to the film’s emotional crux.

"My Dead Friend Zoe" throws a plot curveball near the finale and it readjusts what we've seen before. It's perfectly pitched and makes for a sound change that further texturizers the emotional scope of this his wonderful, very human gem from a new voice.

Audiences expecting [a dark comedy drama] will likely be disappointed; it’s ultimately a sad film, if also a moving one.

“My Dead Friend Zoe” is straightforward as filmmaking and it’s fairly obvious as therapy, but it comes from a place of deep respect and deeper love, and everyone here honors that.

Forget the silly title. There’s a world of hurt behind the laughs as therapist Morgan Freemen treats a PTSD soldier (a very fine Sonequa Martin-Green), home from Afghanistan but still talking to the scrappy ghost of her army bestie (Natalie Morales).

A timely and touching movie which features an outstanding performance by Ed Harris

While the film doesn't ultimately match the strength of a lead performance from Sonequa Martin-Green, My Dead Friend Zoe is often emotionally compelling and a unique approach to the examination of PTSD.

Despite strong performances from Sonequa Martin-Green and Ed Harris, the film’s powerful reminder of how veterans are so often cast aside finds itself overshadowed by the wacky ghostly manifestation of the title and other subplots.

My Dead Friend Zoe will raise awareness among civilians about the realities of the veteran experience. But, if we're all really lucky, its representational qualities, bolstered by Green's performance, will actually save some lives.