Review by David Baldwin
Suze (Michaela Watkins) has lost her purpose in life. Her daughter Brooke (Sara Waisglass) has just left home to go to school in Montreal, her ex-husband is having a child with his new wife, and all she has to look forward to is menopause. That is, until she is asked to care for Brooke’s injured ex-boyfriend Gage (Charlie Gillespie) who just attempted suicide and cannot be left alone.
Did I mention Suze cannot stand him?
It is not the most uplifting of pitches and it certainly is not shot in any unique way (though I will never not smile when I watch movies shot in Hamilton), but Suze is actually quite the wonderful little Canadian dramedy that is equally as funny as it is moving. I watched it late at night, assuming I would turn it off after 20-minutes and ended up watching right through until the end. It has a way of sucking you in and staying with you, even in its most cringiest of moments.
While we could chock this up to the breezy writing by Co-Directors Linsey Stewart and Dane Clark, it is much likelier because they have the spectacular chemistry between Watkins and Gillespie speaking their words into existence. The pair are initially the very definition of the classic odd couple trope – Suze is uptight and regimented, Gage is sloppy and free-spirited. They act and react in the comically ridiculous ways you imagine. But Stewart and Clark are more interested in the more dramatic aspects of how these two individuals are coping with the loss of their daughter and girlfriend, and how it changes their lives in unexpected ways. Gage’s suicide attempt is a mere catalyst to learning about his less than thrilling life at home, and Suze’s sudden empty nest means more time for introspection and figuring out what comes next. Stewart and Clark do not drill down too deep into the bleak depths of those characterizations, yet what they have concocted here is a very earnest and human story that will easily resonate.
As mentioned, Watkins and Gillespie are great in their roles, each getting plenty of comedic and dramatic crowd-pleasing moments to shine together and on their own. Watkins has always been a great supporting player, so seeing her as the titular lead here was a refreshing change of pace. She is precise in her movements and control of the narrative, knowing exactly when to go big and when to lean back. I know it is a Canadian indie, but I genuinely hope it gets the audience it deserves so she can get an even greater leading role. Which is funny to say because Gillespie nearly overshadows her with his star-making performance as Gage. The humour and vulnerability he brings to the character is very lived in, endearing you to the character right from the start. I hung on every moment, no matter how silly, because of how committed Gillespie is at all times. After watching him here, it should be rather obvious how he landed a Canadian Screen Awards nomination for Performance in a Supporting Role, Comedy. Much like Watkins, I can only hope Gillespie’s work here leads to even bigger things.
Suze is now available on Digital VOD and On-Demand Services.