Suze

by Brandon Thomas

Susan (Michaela Watkins of Heart Eyes) doesn’t have a lot going on in her life. Her marriage is over due to her ex’s humiliating bit of infidelity, her daughter treats her more like an annoyance than a parent, and her job – while something she’s successful at – isn’t filling her with much joy. When her daughter surprises her with the news that she’s selected a college several hundred miles away, Susan is not only stuck with the loneliness of an empty house, but also dealing with Gage (Charlie Gillespie of Totally Killer), her daughter’s despondent ex-boyfriend. When Gage suffers an accident and his inattentive father doesn’t show much interest, Susan (or Suze, as Gage likes to call her) takes the young man into her home.

Suze isn’t the kind of film that’s looking to take the audience on a ride of twists and turns. For better or worse, you know what you’re in for with a movie like this one. The beats are similar to a hundred different dramedies you’ve seen over the years, yet Suze manages to pull off something a little fresher and that’s thanks to a better-than-normal cast. 

As the titular character, Michaela Watkins carries the film on her shoulders. In virtually every scene, Watkins is tasked with walking a tightrope that asks the audience to laugh at – and with – Suze, pity her, and cheer her on all within a scant 93 minutes. Watkins’s comedic chops are on full display, but it’s the quieter character moments that give Suze that extra bite. I mean, it’s not Shakespeare in the Park, but Watkins is a pro and she hits every beat to create a character that’s interesting and compelling. 

Gillespie might have a more difficult job as Gage. A hodge-podge of burnout and Canadian surfer dude (that’s a thing, right?), Gage skirts the line between obnoxious and vulnerable. Gillespie does a notable job of showing how Gage’s heartbreak over his own mother fuels his need for Suze’s approval and constant attention. The script isn’t subtle about it, but Gillespie’s performance adds a few extra shades of gray.

Suze might not scratch that itch if you’re looking for something wholly original, but if you’re in the mood for a pleasant, well-acted Canadian dramedy, it will hit the spot.