It is difficult to put yourself into the shoes of an army soldier or veteran, to truly understand what they experience and feel during and after war. The soldiers will only ever be the ones who know. But telling their story and telling the world how important their need for help is, that’s where the real work begins. Cinema is just one place where the world can watch and listen to a story inspired by real-life trauma and grief from army veterans.
In his directorial debut, Kyle Hausmann-Stokes reflects on his own experiences in the Army and creates My Dead Friend Zoe. The film conveys this powerful message on how conflict truly impacts soldiers and how they are treated by society. Infusing this meaningful film with warmth and humour, Hausmann-Stokes’ film does a brilliant job of sharing one veteran’s story on the big screen.
Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green) is an Army veteran who is struggling with civilian life after a terrible accident on the job caused by her post-enlistment PTSD. What makes life even more difficult for her is her reliance on her best friend Zoe (Natalie Morales) – constantly showing up in any situation no matter what, despite being dead. On top of dealing with her own struggles she must now confront the isolation she has developed from her relatives, starting with her ailing grandfather (Ed Harris) – also an Army veteran. As she does what her mother (Gloria Reuben) wants and begins the old age home process with her grandfather, her counsellor (Morgan Freeman) becomes concerned with her lack of development in therapy. Merit must re-learn what it means to have a family and deal with the struggles of her past for a true change to commence in her life post-Army.
Audiences are slowly introduced to Merit and her past struggles through the use of quick flashes back in time. It is as though the viewer gets to experience Merit’s lapses in real time as she feels them. We are brought into these flashes and are made to feel the anxiety and stress this causes her when it interrupts her daily life. This further portrays how the emotions and guilt PTSD can manifest in an Army veteran. Even though a regular person can never understand, Hausmann-Stokes’ uses specific techniques to help show at least something allowing the viewers to empathize with Merit.
Not only does My Dead Friend Zoe deal with the effects of PTSD on Army veterans, but it also taps into the family troubles that can commence. Merit’s grandfather was not only an Army veteran, when audiences meet him in the film he is developing Alzheimer’s, making life more difficult for him as a widow, and Merit as an estranged granddaughter. Harris comes in with anger and confusion as the role of the Army veteran grandfather and makes it difficult for Merit to connect with him again.
Reflecting on his own experiences with two friends during his time in the Army, Hausmann-Stokes reminds audiences that everything may not be as it seems. Traumas that veterans experience might be post-Army, not during. The importance of the rates of suicide among Army veterans is brought to light in My Dead Friend Zoe, showcased by the connections that Merit and Zoe have in flashbacks. Audiences can see how much Zoe meant to Merit even before her death and how lighthearted and free-spirited she was.
Pulling on viewers’ heartstrings and still conveying an important story, Hausmann-Stokes’ directorial debut is beautifully moving. Dedicating the film to Army veterans everywhere, My Dead Friend Zoe is a dear message from the heart.
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