My Zoe
By Kat Halstead,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Intense drama has difficult adult themes, some language.
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My Zoe
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What's the Story?
In MY ZOE, divorced couple Isabelle (Julie Delpy) and James (Richard Armitage) are devoted parents to their daughter Zoe (Sophie Ally), but constantly argue over custody arrangements. When Zoe falls unconscious overnight and ends up in a coma, they are forced together as they await news at the hospital, causing tempers to flare and emotions to run riot. As the prognosis looks increasingly bad, Isabelle takes matters into her own hands and approaches controversial scientist Thomas Fischer (Daniel Bruhl) and his wife Laura (Gemma Arterton) in an ethically murky and medically complex attempt to get her daughter back at any cost.
Is It Any Good?
Julie Delpy's seventh feature is a shift from her more romcom focused hits 2 Days in Paris and 2 Days in New York, taking a much darker dramatic tone that is both determined and a touch unrelenting. My Zoe centers on a mother's grief -- Delpy not only writes and directs, but also stars as Isabelle -- with the film providing a showcase for Delpy's sensitive and realistic portrayal of the extreme and not entirely rational lengths a parent will go to in order to save their child. Armitage is powerful as the grieving father, whose pain and anger about their divorce is permanently bubbling beneath the surface.
Scenes in the hospital seem never-ending at times, but Delpy doesn't shy away from the subject matter to put entertainment first. A shift in tone toward the end ventures into sci-fi territory in terms of plot, yet the style remains the same -- almost brutal in its visual realism, complete lack of score, and refusal to ease up on the issues. An intense drama, convincingly acted and directed with a confident restraint, My Zoe is an intriguing film that marks Delpy as a bold and accomplished filmmaker.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how My Zoe portrays the aftermath or divorce. Did it seem like a realistic portrayal? How did it compare to other movies about divorce you have seen?
Discuss the mother-daughter relationship at the center of the movie. What are the positive and negative sides to Isabelle's dedication to Zoe?
Talk about the language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
How does the movie deal with loss and grief? How to talk to kids about difficult subjects.
Discuss the ethics and practicalities behind reproductive rights and the issue of cloning.
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 26, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: May 25, 2021
- Cast: Julie Delpy , Richard Armitage , Daniel Bruhl
- Director: Julie Delpy
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Female actors
- Studio: Blue Fox Entertainment
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: STEM
- Run time: 100 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: brief language/sexual reference
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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