Set in the summer of 2002, “Mouse” is a tender, bittersweet coming-of-age story about grief, friendship, and the uncomfortable process of figuring out who you are when the person you’ve always defined yourself against is suddenly gone.
Minnie (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) has spent most of her life in the shadow of her charismatic best friend Callie (Chloe Coleman), a popular drama student whose confidence makes Minnie perfectly content to stay behind the scenes. Their friendship is suddenly upended just before senior year, leaving Minnie struggling to find her footing. She begins spending more time with Callie’s elegant, attentive mother Helen (Sophie Okonedo), whose comfortable home offers a welcome escape from her own chaotic family life. Meanwhile, a budding romance with Kat (Iman Vellani) opens another door as Minnie slowly begins to discover herself.
What I particularly liked is how co-directors Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson approach grief without turning it into an overly sentimental exercise. Loss doesn’t follow a neat timeline, and the film understands that sadness, awkwardness, humor, and even moments of excitement can all exist at once. The evolving relationship between Minnie and Helen is especially compelling. Both are trying to navigate life without someone who played an enormous role in defining them, and they find an unexpected kind of comfort in each other. There’s also a lovely warmth to Minnie’s connection with Kat, which gives the story some welcome levity.
Kupferer is terrific, quietly capturing Minnie’s uncertainty and gradual willingness to step outside her comfort zone. Okonedo is equally wonderful, bringing layers of affection and vulnerability to Helen. Their relationship is the film’s emotional center, and neither performance ever feels forced.
“Mouse” is a thoughtful and refreshingly honest drama that understands growing up isn’t always about finding yourself so much as learning to live with the things that change you. It’s a small, intimate story, but there’s a lot of feeling beneath its modest surface.
By: Louisa Moore
