Dear Zoe

 

Dear Zoe, is a film adaptation of the novel by the same name that features Sadie Sink portraying the role of Tess DeNunzio and her life after the sudden loss of her little sister. This film shows how Tess struggles with her mental health after her sister's death, and even highlights her battle with questions of "What could I have done different?" It showcases different formations of harmful and even uncomfortable coping methods in a way that intentionally makes the watcher feel uneasy. It shows that grief isn't meant to be pretty, we see her skipping school, drinking, disobeying her parents, rebelling, and completely changing as an individual to try and cope with this loss. I think the representation of her internal battle is well-established and really gets into the uncomfortable nitty-gritty which is uncommon when it comes to shows portraying mental health battles. While I don't think the movie is perfect, it is flawed in its own way, I think the way it encapsulates her battle leaves it open-ended instead of slapping a band aid on and calling it a day on her unresolved trauma. It shows that her battle isn't easy, and it won't be simply fixed, and that it will take much more time than a movie can provide us. I think by not closing her journey with this dark battle and instead highlighting her small victories towards the end made it stick more with me personally.