It is tough to serve our country overseas. You see and do a lot of things that can leave a lasting impact. But the trauma from that experience doesn’t end when you return home. That’s been the case for thousands of our troops in recent years. Often, the adjustment away from the battlefield is the hurdle they can’t overcome.

A new film, My Dead Friend Zoe, understands that deeply and personally. As becomes clear, that’s because director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes based it on his experiences and on his friends who served. He worked on the screen story and the script, and you can feel that deeply emotional connection in the way this story comes to life on the screen.

The film focuses on Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Zoe (Natalie Morales), who are best friends and soldiers at the front. We are introduced to them in Afghanistan in 2016 and then quickly spin to the present, where they are at a support group for soldiers with PTSD. Except they aren’t both there. Only Merit is there, but she still sees and interacts with Zoe, and it’s crippling her.

Merit is forced into therapy because of an incident at work. But she remains closed off, much to the dismay of her leader, Dr. Cole (Morgan Freeman). He refuses to sign off on her court papers until she does the work. But Merit is trapped by the past and the literal manifestation of Zoe, who seems to be holding her back.

That’s not her only issue. Her mother (Gloria Reuben) is also on Merit to help with her grandfather (Ed Harris), an Army veteran with memory issues who increasingly can’t live alone. Merit loves her grandfather—who was her early hero—and can’t take the idea of sending him to a facility and selling the family cabin. But her mother is set on that plan, forcing Merit to take sides.

All the while, she’s plagued by memories of the past and the regret surrounding Zoe. Can she learn to open up and move forward before it’s too late?

Sometimes I’m surprised when I dive into a movie. My Dead Friend Zoe played at festivals in 2024 but is finally getting a wide release on February 28. I didn’t know anything about it when I watched and what I found blew me away. There is a beauty and emotional depth in this film. I loved the way it was put together, and I couldn’t believe how effective the storytelling was in the film.

Martin-Green is great in the lead role. Her performances helps carry the film in a beautiful way. I enjoyed how she played off the other characters, too. Her back-and-forth with Morales is deeply affecting. Morales does a beautiful job in her role, too. And I also enjoyed Utkarsh Umbudkar, who plays a sweet supporting role.

The journey of the film is worth taking but it’s the third act which packs the biggest emotional wallop and the most reward. I was deeply moved by what I saw in a film that is my favorite of the year so far. It’s worth seeking out in theaters this weekend.

My Dead Friend Zoe opens in theaters on Friday, February 28.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.