Dear Zoe | Film Review

 

I've wanted to see this film for months - I first heard about it through watching Theo Rossi's filmography back in September/October, and I immediately fell in love with the premise. 

A 15-year-old girl (Sadie Sink) struggling with grief seeks support from her biological father (Theo Rossi).

Unfortunately, this film ended up being quite disappointing. I loved the premise, and the trailer, but the end result ultimately fell flat.

But to start with, what a cast! Other than Sink and Rossi, the film stars Jessica Capshaw, Justin Bartha, Vivien Lyra Blair and Kweku Collins, and they were all cast really well.

The trauma of the story came too quickly - it didn't give me enough time to be invested in these characters, their world, or their grief.

There were weird pacing issues with the film. Things were moving too quickly at the start - it felt like it needed space to breathe. But then it slowed down so much that nothing was happening for a really long time.

Some of the performances felt a bit heavy-handed in places, like the actors were told to make it emotional, rather than just allowing the audience to feel it.

It wasn't as impactful as I wanted it to be, or as it wanted itself to be.

It also wasn't particularly well-written, which might be its ultimate downfall.

Overall, while the film's premise is heart-breaking and sweet, the reality of it is underwhelming and a bit bland.

4/10