US army veteran Kyle Hausmann-Stokes makes his feature-length directorial debut with My Dead Friend Zoe, an admirable dramedy that features one of the best interpretations of PTSD.

While serving in Afghanistan, Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green of TV’s The Walking Dead and Star Trek: Discovery) and Zoe (Natalie Morales of Netflix’s Dead to Me) naturally become friends. As roommates, they find themselves adjusting to a new lifestyle; especially since – as the title states – Zoe is dead and Merit is the only one who can communicate with her, which has its ups and downs. On one hand, Zoe is always there to lighten up Merit’s mood. On the other hand, Zoe can be judgemental and she knows how to cut to the centre of Merit’s confidence. Acting as distractions from Merit’s trauma, though only slightly, are new relationships: an attempt to rekindle a fractured connection with her Vietnam vet grandfather Dale (Academy Award nominee Ed Harris) who has been diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s, and an empathetic charmer named Alex (Utkarsh Ambudkar of Netflix’s Special) who Merit meets when researching retirement homes for Dale.

My Dead Friend Zoe is more folksier than expected which isn’t necessarily a bad trait but makes the movie unexpectedly quirky; especially during cute exchanges between Merit and Alex or when Zoe is acknowledging awkward moments. Though Hausmann-Stokes does think of some amusing ways to utilize Morales when Zoe needs to linger around her pal. These softer edges, however, act as good relief in contrast to the pain Merit experiences when she daydreams through her trauma or is triggered by related questions from others. Hausmann-Stokes collides an interesting style with a terrific use of flashbacks that efficiently blends Merit’s past with the present; leading to respectful representations of PTSD and a revealing, heartbreaking twist to the dynamic between the friendly former soldiers.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie