Dear Zoe 2022 Movie Review Trailer Cast Crew
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Dear Zoe is the story of healing, of moving on when getting out of bed or doing mundane tasks feels too overwhelming to try. It's the "before and after" story: the dividing line between life before a traumatic event and after an unimaginable loss shakes your world. The Zoe referred to in the title is a lovable girl who is showered with love by her mother, her father, and her two sisters. Zoe means "life" in Greek, but the girl's tragic death is what marks the "before and after" in the shattered lives of the family she leaves behind.
Sadie Sink, coming off a great stint on Stranger Things, plays Zoe's older sister, Tess. Tess had a relatively happy life before the tragedy. She didn't feel warm or confused with her stepfather, but otherwise she had a normal home life.
At 16, Tess was dealing with the normal issues of adolescence and then 9/11 hit. As the world watched in horror as terrorists attacked the United States, Tess and her family were forced to deal with a horror that hit closer to home. Zoe was ripped from her life as a result of a horrible accident right outside her house.
Director: Gren Wells
Writers: Philip Beard, Marc Lhormer, Melissa Martin
Stars: Sadie Sink, Theo Rossi, Jessica Capshaw
Zoe's death leaves her family devastated and reeling. Grief is incredibly personal, and each member of the family deals with the “after” in their own way while sharing a sense that nothing will ever be the same.
For Tess, her instinct is to run away to her father's house rather than remain among the undead who replaced her mother, Elly (Jessica Capshaw), and her stepfather, David (Justin Bartha). She regrets leaving behind her younger half-sister, Emily (Vivien Lyra Blair), and realizes the little girl needs her now more than ever. But Tess also needs to take care of herself, and that means an unplanned and unannounced stay at her real father's house.
Nick (Theo Rossi) lives in a lower-class neighborhood and doesn't have a job. But he has a warm heart and a ready room waiting whenever Tess shows up. He also has a litter of puppies to distract Tess and is willing to let her grieving daughter have her own space. There is no pressure on her father's place and Tess slowly emerges from under the dark cloud of pain.
Sadie Sink does a phenomenal job as Tess, a teenager forced to deal with the sudden loss of someone she loved dearly and who comes out of the experience stronger. Tess is flawed and relatable; she doesn't always make the right decisions. Sink's performance allows us to live each of the heartbreaks with Tess, and also celebrate the moments when Tess only allows herself to breathe.
Most of the lighter, quieter moments in Tess's life in the year after Zoe's death are due to the cute boy who lives next door to her father's house. Kweku Collins plays Jimmy, a guy Tess's dad warns her to stay away from, but who draws Tess like a moth to a flame. The feeling is mutual, and their relationship is surprisingly sweet and completely necessary to Tess's healing process. Collins and Sink have great chemistry and their scenes are among the best in the movie.
Theo Rossi, Justin Bartha, Vivien Lyra Blair, and Jessica Capshaw are great, and the fragmented family dynamic feels genuine and not forced. His reactions to the tragedy ring true and nothing is overdone or feels melodramatic, which could easily have been the case.
Directed by Gren Wells and based on the best-selling young adult novel by Philip Beard, Dear Zoe walks us through the stages of grief without any sugar coating. As seen from Tess's perspective, finding a way to the other side is a struggle that can ultimately lead to healing. The process is not easy, but seeking help is essential to move forward.
Dear Zoe weaves incredibly complex themes including grief, guilt, and healing into a compelling coming-of-age story. The film does an impressive job of taking us on Tess's journey to reach the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
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