Dear Zoe Review : A Tear Jerker
Over the past five years, Sadie Sink has proven that she is a force to be reckoned with. The young actress has proven that there are no boundaries to where her abilities may take her, from her debut as Max Mayfield on Netflix's Stranger Things to her most recent and critically lauded performance in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale. In her most breathtaking performance to date, Sadie displays the intense emotional toll that comes with losing a loved one. Based on the same-named 2005 American novel, Dear Zoe offers a sincere look into bereavement at a time when the outside world is dealing with its own issues. Gren Wells, the director, creates a touching yet unevenly paced movie that highlights Sadie Sink's ability.
Tess DeNunzio (Sink), a year after her family experiences an unfathomable tragedy, battles with her intense grief. She writes a touching letter to her deceased little sister Zoe since she is unable to recover as her family seems to be. Tess considers what she has lost and her resistance to healing in it. She turns to her estranged father Nick DeNunzio (Theo Rossi) when nothing else seems to be working and stays with him for a while. Tess discovers compassion and support in unexpected places there, giving her hope for a newly discovered journey of emotional healing.
A 15-year-old girl who is still figuring out how to live in a busy world can find some little understanding of sadness and remorse in Dear Zoe. It's interesting that the movie is set a year after the september 11 events, which exposed many different facets of humanity. Although the movie takes place in the years 2001–2002, only a few reference videos to the catastrophe really serve to define the historical period. However, that element allowed screenwriters Melissa Martin and Marc Lhormer an edge to centre Tess and her emotional journey. Even though there are major world events happening, Tess finds that they are less significant when she has a personal catastrophe.
Gren Wells' most recent film exudes sincerity, and she devotes herself to a story whose strengths rest in the bonds between its protagonists. Although there is potential squandered when it comes to providing deep information about loss and guilt, Sink and Rossi are able to fully manage the project's emotional tone thanks to Lhormer and Martin's script. They give heartfelt performances that are able to evoke tears throughout the entire movie from the audience members who have faced loss and found comfort in reuniting with family. Despite its flaws, it's a sincere attempt that's well worth watching.