Suze is a 2023 Canadian comedy-drama film, written and directed by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart.[1] The film stars Michaela Watkins as Suze, a woman whose feelings of empty nest syndrome after her daughter Brooke (Sara Waisglass) moves away to attend university lead her to become a doting mother figure to Brooke's ex-boyfriend Gage (Charlie Gillespie) even though she never liked him at all when he and Brooke were dating.[2]
| Suze | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Dane Clark Linsey Stewart |
| Written by | Dane Clark Linsey Stewart |
| Produced by | Matt Code Kristy Neville |
| Starring | Michaela Watkins Charlie Gillespie Sara Waisglass Aaron Ashmore |
| Cinematography | Jordan Kennington |
| Edited by | Hugh Elchuk |
Production company | Wildling Pictures |
| Distributed by | Levelfilm |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
The cast also includes Aaron Ashmore, Tricia Black, Rainbow Sun Francks, Sandy Jobin-Bevans, E. Fegan DeCordova, Catherine De Seve, Oscar Hsu, Sorika Wolf, Ordena Stephens, Neha Kohli and Ajahnis Charley in supporting roles.
The film entered production in fall 2022 in Hamilton, Ontario.[2]
The film premiered at the 2023 Atlantic International Film Festival on September 16, 2023,[3] and was screened at the 2023 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival,[4] and the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival.
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 5 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.4/10.[5]
Richard Crouse gave the film three and a half stars and wrote, "Suze is a never-judge-a-book-by-its-cover story, with a few laughs, some earned heartfelt moments and heaps of compassion."[6]
In a positive review, Sarah Gopaul of Digital Journal wrote, "The performances of Watkins and Gillespie are what make this picture sweet rather than an awkward May-December drama."[7]
For Exclaim!, Sarah Regan wrote that "Suze, much like the lesson instilled upon Susan and Gage about faulty first perceptions, should not be judged by its cover; dig deep and viewers will discover a tale of the transformative power of unlikely relationships and connection, and how a shared experience can allow one to rediscover their purpose."[8]
Awards
editAt Calgary, the film won the Air Canada Award for Best Canadian Narrative Feature, and Gillespie received a special jury citation for his performance.[9]
References
edit- ^ Angelica Babiera, "Wildling Pictures pairs with directing duo on Suze". Playback, September 19, 2022.
- ^ a b Zac Ntim, "‘The Dropout’ Star Michaela Watkins & ‘The Rest of Us’ Breakout Charlie Gillespie To Star In ‘Suze’; Production Begins In Ontario". Deadline Hollywood, September 16, 2022.
- ^ Mark Robins, "CanCon is king at this year’s Atlantic International Film Festival". Halifax Presents, September 5, 2023.
- ^ "Cinéfest unveils its ‘Date Day Pass’ for Sept. 17 showings". Sudbury.com, August 21, 2023.
- ^ "Suze". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ "SUZE: 3 ½ STARS. "great chemistry between Watkins and Gillespie."". Richard Crouse. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
- ^ "Review: 'Suze' is a sweet tale of reinvention". Digital Journal. February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
- ^ Sarah Regan, "'Suze' Reveals Surprising Depths". Exclaim!, February 28, 2024.
- ^ Aryn Toombs, "Winners of 2023 CIFF competitions unveiled". LiveWire Calgary, September 25, 2023.
External links
edit
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