OVERVIEW
Set in Arkansas in 2002, Mouse follows Minnie (Katherine Mallen Kupferer), a shy teenager who has always lived in the shadow of her outgoing best friend, Callie (Chloe Coleman). When Callie suddenly dies in a car accident, Minnie struggles to find her place without her, eventually growing close to Callie’s grieving mother, Helen (Sophie Okonedo), while also developing a friendship with Kat (Iman Vellani), a girl who works at a local video store who also experienced her own tragic loss. As these relationships develop, Minnie finds herself making increasingly complicated decisions while trying to figure out who she is without her best friend.
FESTIVAL REVIEW
The accident comes so early and happens so quickly that we barely have time to register its emotional impact, but what follows is a surprisingly authentic coming-of-age story. Minnie’s journey is far from generic, especially because she is allowed to be selfish, confused, and sometimes hard to sympathize with. Some moments brush up against the uncomfortable territory of Dear Evan Hansen, especially in how she becomes involved with Helen, but Mouse handles these relationships with far more maturity and sincerity. There’s a constant sense that the characters genuinely want to fill the void Callie left as best they can, even if that leads to questionable decisions. It is refreshing to have such a flawed protagonist in a film that doesn’t constantly try to justify or simplify her actions.
The performances are very good across the board, particularly those of Katherine Mallen Kupferer and Sophie Okonedo. Okonedo has some extremely powerful emotional moments, even if she occasionally pushes them a little too far for such an intimate film. Her performance is more effective in the subtle reactions, particularly when Helen struggles to participate in a grief support group meeting, than in some of her longer monologues. Iman Vellani, meanwhile, is wonderful as Kat, easily one of the film’s most interesting characters, and also extremely charismatic and funny. The film is at its best whenever she is involved, although a late monologue from a teacher is another particularly memorable moment. At two hours, Mouse drags here and there, and not all of its narrative threads fully come together, but there is enough sincerity and complexity in these characters to make their journey quite moving.
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- Where to watch
- Coming soon
- Where to watch
- Coming soon
Play trailer
- Original title
- Mouse
- Director
- Alex Thompson, Kelly O'Sullivan
- Cast
- Sophie Okonedo, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Chloe Coleman, David Hyde Pierce, Tara Mallen, Iman Vellani, Beck Nolan, Addisyn Grace Cain
- Screenwriter
- Kelly O'Sullivan
- Cinematography
- Nate Hurtsellers
- Editor
- Mike S. Smith
- Country
- Language
- English
- Budget
- $3 million