The Reel Review
Five years after her divorce from her cheating husband, a clingy, pre-menopausal empty-nester stuck in an emotional rut finds herself taking care of her daughter Brooke’s heartbroken boyfriend after Brooke leaves for college and dumps him via text message. Michaela Watkins and Charlie Gillespie star in this sweet, don’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover dramedy.
Initially, Susan, affectionately nicknamed Suze by Gage against her wishes, sees him as a loser who isn’t good enough for her daughter. But as she gets to know him after he attempts suicide post breakup, she realizes he is profoundly lonely, incredibly kind and outgoing, and has no one in his corner. His largely absent father is an uncaring jerk, his self-absorbed mother is in prison, and Brooke treats him poorly. Underestimated or ignored by the important people in his life, Gage desperately needs a friend.
At times the story from writer/directors Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart is bit contrived, but the otherwise compassionate, quirky and refreshingly un-sappy screenplay gives Suze a great degree of relatability and heart. The empty swimming pool symbolism will connect with anyone who has suffered emotional trauma, and the heartfelt performances from Watkins (You Hurt My Feelings, The Way Back) and Gillespie (Totally Killer) make Suze a feel-good story that just might have you shedding a tear or two.
REEL FACTS
• Michaela Watkins, an alumnae of The Groundlings improv group in Los Angeles, also served as executive producer on Suze.
• At the Calgary International Film Festival, Suze won best Canadian Narrative Feature Film, with New Brunswick native Charlie Gillespie receiving a special award for his performance.
• Suze was filmed in Hamilton, Ontario.
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