The Other Zoey (2023) User Reviews

It's so bad, but I couldn't stop watching it

[Inotrac · 6/10 · 20 October 2023]

It's predictable, something to watch when you don't want to think too much. I don't watch a lot of romantic comedies, but for some reason this one caught my attention and I even laughed at some scenes.

Just don't go in expecting too much. I actually think that some scenes are performed robotically on purpose, as some kind of "creative intent" or some other lie they're telling this days. But the images are generally beautiful and I liked how the movie looks.

It's so bad, but I couldn't stop watching it.

6/10 - it's not a movie anyone must watch. Go for it if there's nothing else and you want something light.

Insane plot that doesn't make sense, but the opposites attract trope was cute with a very sweet love interest

[Imme-van-Gorp · 6/10 · 3 January 2024]

Oh my gosh, Zach was absolutely ADORABLE. He's seriously one of the most endearing love interests I've seen in a romcom! However, I do wish we could have had more actual interactions between him and Zoey, cus right now their feelings felt a little bit random and pretty underdeveloped... Which is a shame cus I think their dynamic had a lot of potential, especially since I love the opposites attract trope.

P. S. The plot made zero sense. I mean, did she really just fall in love with some guy for saying he DOESN'T believe in love? And did she really think that the best way to start a relationship with him was by pretending to be his cousin's girlfriend?? Make it make sense, please.

Dreadful. But watchable.

[matt_sole-372-208203 · 5/10 · 22 October 2023]

This movie is likely the future of film if we move to scripts being generated by AI. It feels like they threw every rom-com and college movie trope into a generator and this came out the other end.

Full of implausibilities and plot holes, the story plods along and it's hard to get invested in it because every action is ridiculous. You almost start a game of guessing which stereotypical story they will dive into next.

The concerning thing is if the main roles were reversed, Zoey lost her memory and Zach lied about who he was, it would actually be a dark story about predatory behaviour. But because the girl lies, it's a bouncy rom-com.

That being said, for all the things that make it a paint-by-numbers film, it is extremely watchable. It has a Hallmark-movie-for-Taylor-Swift-fans vibe to it and it is visually enjoyable. The cast is truly great, the material they have to delivery isn't meaty, but they do so in a realistic way and each person brings their character to life well.

I'm very confused how Andie McDowell and Heather Graham got caught up in all of this.

So, stick the movie on on a Sunday afternoon - it's fun, it's well produced, but don't expect a storyline or script that will blow you away. You guess the entire arc of the film in the first 10 minutes. But it is watchable and even, for some, enjoyable.

Watchable

[tootwynn · 7/10 · 21 October 2023]

I am a total romantic comedy sucker, whilst at the same time, completely hating the relentless steretypes and tropes, and being sickened by the internalised misogynistic/ paternalistic biases usually on display. I am always on the lookout for a truly NEW romantic comedy. This movie isn't quite that, but I think it's trying to take a step in that direction.

The romantic set-up uses a ridiculous range of tropes; my MOST hated here being; a smart person making a series of stupid decisions. And kudos to the 'amnesia' trope. The choice of amnesia in particular was a clue that the writer was deliberately using obvious tropes in an attempt to subvert them. It does a good job of showing rather than explaining this, so at least it assumes the audience is smart.

Whilst it's generally inoffensive, it is never quite moving, either as comedy or drama. Still. It is trying to say something...maybe the very simple "Don't close yourself off from love". And the cast is diverse, very natural in their characterisations, and of course, very beautiful.

Though it's nothing challenging, it is enjoyable, and I think, can claim to be uncommon in its lack of implicit misogyny. Feel reassured it is watchable. Purely for entertainment.

While you were sleeping for teens

[phantom_pixie · 7/10 · 25 October 2023]

The movie draws heavy inspiration from the film While you were Sleeping, and is in part very much a copy paste work. However this movie fails to deliver the same depth to it's main character as that one. Josephine Langford does well but is hardly convincing an intelligent computer science student, that think lying to a whole family about who she is would be a great idea. Rather than just telling Zach's family the truth and have them all play along until he regains his memory she lies for the reason that she want to hook up with his cousin. Something she doesn't follow through with but instead uses Zach as a type of rebound guy out of spite.

Drew Starkey is charming and it's easy to see why anyone would fall in love with Zach, however the movie never really let him expand his talent and it feel much like a lost opportunity to have someone as talented never deliver any deeper emotions on Zach's behalf.

The other characters are just kind of there, the movie would not be any different with or without them. Casting Andy McDowell is a throwback to the 90's rom-com era but that is also all it delivers on.

The movie is it's own kind of charming and not terrible in any way, it's perfect for when you want to watch a film you know you are going to like because it's easy and obvious, but it does not live up properly to the rom-com hype it is going for.

her plan makes no sense

[SnoopyStyle · 3/10 · 24 October 2023]

Zoey Miller (Josephine Langford) doesn't believe in romantic love and is working on her version of a dating app. She has a meet-cute with Zach MacLaren (Drew Starkey) and the rom-com tropes continue. He gets hit by a car and in a semi-conscious state, he assumes Zoey to be his girlfriend. In reality, he has a new girlfriend in aggressive soccer player Zoey. Zoey Miller is about to tell his parents when his cousin Miles Maclaren (Archie Renaux) shows up.

The first part reminds me a little of While You Were Sleeping. It's got a lot of different rom-coms being mixed together. I'm willing to go with this unusual premise until the family dinner. I don't understand her initial plan. It makes no sense. She wants to sweep Miles off his feet so that he would steal his brain-injured cousin's sweet girlfriend. That's a stupid plan. Even if it works, you've got a guy willing to steal a girlfriend from his brain-injured cousin. There is an easy writing fix. Tell everybody except Zach right from the start. Nobody wants to cause him more trauma so everybody keeps it a secret from him. That would make sense. This does not.

So bad but I couldn't stop watching

[irynnairino · 6/10 · 2 November 2023]

I feel like the best way to describe this film is like "watching Wattpad." Everything they do in this film doesn't feel lifelike at all and I think that's what made it amusing.

Acting was mid, nothing crazy. If u wanna watch this movie, just manage ur expectations. Some parts are kinda cute and some kinda little random.

I feel like Zach is such a cute character, especially after the incident. Pretty predictable plot. This is one of those movies you watch when you don't feel like seeing something very extreme, where you have to pay attention to the details to understand what's going on.

I recommend watching it if you're in the mood for a basic romance movie.

It had potential, but it didn't deliver.

[Avidviewer-02847 · 4/10 · 21 October 2023]

A weak script and a bum's rush ending, it deserved to have an ending that went beyond Jam Fest. I liked the leads Langford and Starkey, but there was too much time spent on roommate Elle and her love interest Diego and too little time on Zoey's love interest Zach. Amnesia is a formulaic plot and love apps are so overused in rom-coms.

Andie MacDowell is a acting veteran, good in anything she's in. The rest of the cast was ok. Due to the strike we haven't heard from the leads or the writer and the director. Why didn't they interview cast and crew right right after the shooting, so they had something for previews and to generate interest in the movie? If Netflix was looking for filler content, this was filler.

A Captivating Psychological Mystery

[sufyaanrashid95 · 6/10 · 10 December 2023]

The Other Zoey is a compelling psychological mystery that follows the story of Zoey, a young woman who becomes increasingly unsettled when she discovers the existence of another individual who shares her name and seemingly identical life. As Zoey delves deeper into this perplexing revelation, she becomes consumed by a series of eerie coincidences and inexplicable occurrences that challenge her understanding of reality and her own identity.

The plot unfolds with a masterful blend of tension, suspense, and psychological depth, drawing viewers into Zoey's disquieting journey as she grapples with the enigma of the other Zoey. The lead actress delivers a captivating and nuanced performance, skillfully portraying the emotional turmoil and growing paranoia that accompany her character's unsettling discoveries. The narrative expertly weaves a tale of uncertainty, duality, and the profound impact of self-discovery, offering a thought-provoking exploration of the human psyche.

Visually, The Other Zoey is both haunting and mesmerizing, as the cinematography skillfully captures the atmospheric unease and the disorienting sense of parallel existence. The film's evocative soundtrack further enhances the atmospheric tension, immersing the audience in Zoey's increasingly surreal and mysterious world.

Director's adeptly navigates the film's narrative, seamlessly blending elements of mystery, suspense, and psychological drama. The storytelling unfolds at a suspenseful pace, drawing the audience deeper into Zoey's disconcerting experiences and the enigmatic connection between herself and the other Zoey.

In conclusion, The Other Zoey is a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of identity, perception, and the haunting nature of the unknown. With its compelling characters, intense psychological drama, and a plot filled with enigmatic revelations, The Other Zoey is a must-see for fans of immersive and emotionally resonant psychological mysteries.

Another failed atempt at rom-com.

[B3ansOnToast · 4/10 · 22 October 2023]

This is just another film that brings absolutely nothing new in terms of ideas. It features the usual cliché of a naive young girl who lies for far too long, embarasses herself, loses her friend for a short period of time and runs back to mommy. Eventually, she decides is time put on her big girl pants and face the world, which she does. And, lo and behold, like winning the lottery with a scratched-up ticket, she stumbles into the happy ending she most definitely doesn't deserve!

On a positive note, I do like seeing new/fresh/young actors with potential on screen, so at least it has that going for it.

Ok hear me out...

[jadegriff-35895 · 9/10 · 31 October 2023]

It's actually not perfect.. but that's why I loved it.

Story line though predictable, is actually a fresh idea!... it's modern, and funny... and Drew Starkey is beautifully versatile!! From scary in OBX to sweetly believable in this romcom, I'm very surprised by him to be honest!! I look forward to seeing what he's gonna do next!

He left me wanting more funny falling in love scenes! He and Josephine Langford have great potential as a romantic duo, I wanted this movie to go for a little bit longer, I wanted to see more of them together! I felt like it was just a bit hurried.

Hopefully at least someone agrees with me, but I think casting was great, story was fresh, and it's easy watching, I really do miss watching original romcoms that feel this natural on screen.

Worth The Watch

[Tales-ofa-Fangirl-witha-DVR · 7/10 · 26 January 2024]

I had a fun time with this one. As a fan of While You Were Sleeping (starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman), when I heard about The Other Zoey, I was like do we need another movie like this?

Apparently, yes we do.

I like the direction this one takes with the amnesia character assuming Zoey (the main character) is his girlfriend and then her being in a "love triangle" of sorts with his cousin. My main complaint is the pacing. I think it's very fast. It could be because I'm not used to a movie only being 90 minutes (when did everything get so long). I wish some of the bigger moments were slowed down a bit more.

But overall, the acting was fairly good and it held my attention. It's nice watching something new compared to something I've seen a ton.

The Romantic Post-Apocalypse is Here

[tributarystu · 3/10 · 28 November 2023]

I love romcoms. I love the cheese and the absurd. I love the soothing predictability. I love the contrived plots. Alas, even as The Other Zoey ticks all these boxes, it is one of the worst romcoms I have seen in a long time.

When a football playing college guy has an accident and suffers from amnesia, he thinks a girl who is brilliant in many ways, but not an on-paper match, is his girlfriend...and she decides to fake her way through a weekend with him while angling for his cousin.

Sounds like a set-up that could be a lot of fun, if only the movie dared to do anything with this premise and embrace it. Instead, it simply follows the path of its forebears with little charisma or aplomb.

I'll just say that the performances and casting choices are passable, so objectively you can probably find worse movies. But if you're going to just do a variation on a theme, then you better have a banging script that's in some ways irreverent or witty. Instead, TOZ is a formulaic, unfunny, reductive, box-ticking waste of heart beats.

If this is the kind of romcom that younger generations have to watch, my friends, I am sorry to say, we find ourselves in the romantic post-apocalypse. 3.

Very Basic Romance Movie

[satyamanik · 6/10 · 22 December 2023]

Cuz the plot is very basic romance and definitley predictable, a college girls who doesn't belive abaout a romantic love,and think to have a true love they need to have same common sanse and because she followed his thoughts, she was trapped in a love triangle and in the end she realized that true love must involve liking each other.

Very basic plot, but in the midst of conflict there is some plot develoment that kicking more romantic sense of audience, but some conlfict is dosen't make sanse for me, all the aspect for me is in the standart like a romantic comedy as usual recomended for just filling a free time.

Very nice.

[roxlerookie · 7/10 · 6 November 2023]

I don't usually watch rom cons. I thought this one was very nice.

Actors are pretty. The lead girl is strikingly pretty. Which doesn't make too much sense as a computer nerd, because I've been with enough pretty girls to know that hair alone needs work that doesn't really vibe with computer science. But who cares.

The whole thing is predictable, but the morale of the story is valid, and beautiful.

I don't understand all the hate in the comments. Why she chooses to lie is pretty well explained, and the timing of the interruptions that conveniently prevent her from coming clean are sensible enough. And without the lying, you didn't have the movie, so, suspend disbelief...

Still waiting for the classic romcom to return

[Sharkgirl20 · 3/10 · 20 October 2023]

Each time a new romcom comes out, I find myself expecting classic 90's or 00's quality and am consistently disappointed. This film in my opinion isn't even a RomCom.

Everything was so predictable and wasted what could have been some very interesting storylines. Instead of giving the audience some surprises, it followed every chiche in the book. The ending especially was cheesy and disappointing.

I found the casting an interesting choice as both look alike and would almost make a great sibling pairing, something I found difficult to ignore during the romantic scenes. The family dynamic was great and held alot of on screen chemistry but I didn't feel that translated to the romanic relationship.

The love triangle storyline was quite a waste of time and very anti climatic.

The best thing about the movie was Josephine Langford. She has such star quality and is extremely beautiful.

Life can't depend on statistics.

[tanujabaidya · 7/10 · 17 November 2023]

'The Other Zoey' this movie is so soft. It is a feel-good movie. The story is about a Girl named Zoey who planned everything, is practical af, and doesn't believe in a soulmate, and trying to build an app. There is a boy named Zach, a sportsperson, who believes in love and everything, who is dating a girl named Zoey. Zach had an accident and had a concussion he mistakenly thought the practical Zoey was his girlfriend. How Zoy starts to believe in Love and how Zach finds out about Zoey.

This is a cute love story but one thing I didn't like is Zoey's character when the movie started she was selfish but in the end, her character became a little tolerable. The character of Zach was sweet and he was a gentleman. Overall the movie is predictable. It was sweet, for a date night movie.

"i'm poly"

[kr004 · 2/10 · 23 October 2023]

This movie made me feel physical pain because of how hard it was to watch. The main character was probably one of the most annoying characters i've ever seen, and the acting was pretty rough. I know it was supposed to be just a fun rom-com but there was nothing fun about this. This movie made me root for no one, I was hoping all of the characters would have a sad ending. My heart ached because of how painful it was to watch, and also because people were happy at the end. Those characters did not deserve happiness. No hate, but also I was not vibing with the main actress. I think the fact that she was in the After movies ruined any possibilities of seeing her in a positive light. No hate though, all love. The cousin creeped me out as well, especially in his first scene. Also, the movie felt like it was a poorly made remake of while you were sleeping which also kind of annoyed me because I like that movie.

Giving this move a 2/10 though because the main love interest was kind of hot!

It makes little sense but its still enjoyable.

[destroyerwod · 7/10 · 3 February 2024]

Lets be honest, from the get go the premise make little sense. Even if you buy the amnesia thing and all the little coincidences like "his phone got destroy in the accident" the script remain VERY "convenient on luck".

Once you realize how many things are so unlikely to happen in real life it get very hard to suspend disbelief. Like said phone being destroyed and the dude never inquiring much about it, despite the doctor order to not "spend time in front of screens" ... We all know how are teenagers and even if he think his girlfriend is with him, no way he would be cool not having a phone all this time.

That said, despite all the obvious plot flaws.. i have to admit i had fun with it ! Its a cute romcom and i just happen to like these movies, even as a middle age guy.

Maybe its because i wish this would happen to me (not the commotion obviously...) , stuff like finding love out of nowhere... I dunno. But when i watch movies like this i have "feel goods moments" and ultimately its what matters.

Its on Amazon Prime, part of your subcribtion, its the kinda movie you will watch once, preferable with your girlfriend if you have one, unlike me lol, have a good time, and move on. But its what i expect from most movies these days. If they go beyond this its just bonus points.

A little extra on the female lead. She remind me SO MUCH of a young Amber Heard. Very similar look, super attractive, hopefully without the "toxicity" that came later for Miss Heard. I think if she play her card well she could have a solid career. She was pretty charismatic to me.

Just go watch or rewatch 'While you were sleeping'

[nicholem-49532 · 4/10 · 20 January 2024]

I don't think I had any hopes for this movie. Dont get me wrong, I'm a lover of romantic comedies even the cheesy low budget ones. I'm not 100% sure this is that but it sure feels like it.

This immediately reminded me of the movie 'while you were sleeping'. And in all fairness I think thats what drove me to watch it. Just to see the similarities and it's almost the exact same movie. But worse.

This movie is cringe worthy more than once and is watchable as background noise while you scroll on your phone. It's a copy of an older better movie (in my opinion) and ends in a cliché. Nothing about this movie stands out.

Felt like a warm hug

[meredithbrownrn-58537 · 10/10 · 26 October 2023]

Watched this with my sister, mom and grandmother and we all loved it. This is one that all generations can enjoy. Put the biggest smile on my face.

The chemistry between the two main leads, Josephine Langford and Drew Starkey was electric. Reminded me of Kate Hudson and Matthew McCougnahey's How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

The side characters were hysterical too. Especially the best friend of the female lead, Elle, portrayed by Mallori Johnson and the little sister of Zach, Avery, portrayed by Olive Abercrombie reminded me so much of Dakota Fanning in Uptown Girls. The sass was on point.

Give it a watch- you won't regret it!

Multiple movies copied and mixed into one

[Nottia · 21 October 2023]

What promised to bring back the romantic comedies of the 90s seemed to be just a mixture of countless new and old popular films in a project that didn't work out well in the end.

The best friend was a presence reduced to someone who only thinks and talks about boys, just as all the humorous scenes where the jokes were embarrassing to hear were unnecessary. The reason for all the lies that Zoey creates it's not at all convincing as acceptable and Zach amnesia where he forget absolutely everything about a person except her name is abusing the intelligence of those watching.

Reunax's character was there just to say that the film was a love triangle and try to bring some modernity to the subject of romantic relationships but at least he delivered a good acting. Starkey showed something different from his other works and it was the part that saved the time lost when watching. Langford still doesn't show emotions in a good way and all her expressions seem the same while the humorous scenes seem extremely forced, in a film full of errors her presence as the lead was the icing on the cake, a really bad choice.

Nice touch with the old and well-known actors from other romantic comedies, but it didn't save the film from the predictable plot and an even more predictable end.

I recommend it to anyone who likes those films where you can just leave the TV on and miss half of it and still understand the ending.

Not Bad For What It Is

[stevendbeard · 7/10 · 1 November 2023]

I saw The Other Zoey, starring Josephine Langford-Moxie, the After movies; Drew Starkey-Hellraiser_2022, The Hate U Give; Archie Renaux-The Greatest Beer Run Ever, Morbius and Heather Graham-the Hangover movies, The Guru.

This is a teen comedy about a romantic threesome. Not quite a rom/com but it tried-the balance was not right between the rom and the com. Josephine plays a high school student that is a computer nerd and she doesn't believe in romance. Drew is a soccer player that crosses paths with her and gets into an accident that gives him amnesia. The first person Drew sees is Josephine, who he believes is his girlfriend-both have the same name, Zoey-and circumstances make it best to keep the charade going, as to not mess up Drew's memory recovery. When Drew's family go on a ski trip, they invite Josephine on the trip, where Josephine meets Archie-Drew's cousin-and thinks that Archie is more compatible to her. Heather plays Josephine's mother. As usual, things have to erupt into chaos when everyone finds out the truth but that's how these movies go.

It's rated PG-13 for language and suggestive references and has a running time of 1 hour & 31 minutes.

It's not bad for what it is and would be alright to stream.

"Oh my God, he's my cousin!"

[daisukereds · 4/10 · 21 October 2023]

I liked most everything in it, except the core and foundation of the plot.

The locations, production, actors, interactions and such are all decent. It has a very good production and execution. But many of its parts feel hollow.. like they were included to fill in the gaps. It's also somewhat deceptive in what you'll be getting, with two guys on the poster.. as if it was a love triangle! But truly, the "other guy" becomes an afterthought beyond certain point.

And the take-away message is that love is replacing your current partner with the newest person that comes by.. simply because you got to spend some time together and didn't hate it? It's certainly not giving any "magical" vibes. Not to mention someone supposedly in love hooking up with another (polyamory) and immediate encounters. It all feels cheap and common. Hard for me to explain.. but when there's nothing to the core of the movie, it can't be any good.

Still, phony parts aside, sequences connect and weave together decently (structure and narrative-wise). And the plot is shaky and weird enough to be at least an interesting watch.

I quite liked Josephine Langford as a lead.. But the predictable ending, undercooked drama, and lack of comedy (that tag is also deceptive) really hurt it. Would certainly not recommend it, unless you watch anything new that comes out.. and have enjoyed a few Hallmark love films.

Reasonably fun rom-com

[herrcarter-92161 · 7/10 · 29 January 2024]

The amnesia plot is a tried and true staple of movies, yet it never seems to get old. In this movie, we have a slight twist, in that Zach, the amnesia victim, forgets any information about his girlfriend Zoey except that he has a girlfriend named Zoey, who apparently looks kind of like a different Zoey, who he mistakes for being her. Okay, this whole plotline is pretty unbelievable (not to mention the fact that the actresses playing the two Zoeys don't really look like each other), but if you just accept it without too much of a critical eye, it's actually pretty enjoyable.

The Other Zoey is hardly a perfect movie. The storyline is full of plot holes. The dialog is okay, but is often cheesy. Josephine Langford and Drew Starkey, as Zoey and Zach, gave reasonably good performances, to be fair. They were both likable and relatable, and certainly photogenic. Also, the main message of the movie was good, i.e., that you don't have to find someone who is "compatible" with you to have a good relationship, and that opposites can definitely attract, both with romance and with friendship, as with Zoey and her friend Elle.

The romance between Zoey and Zach did feel a bit underdeveloped. I liked their interactions playing games and making pizza. Those were fun. There just needed to be a little more to convince me that Zoey would fall in love with a guy like Zach. The love triangle wasn't well done either. First off, regardless of Zoey's supposed compatibility with Miles on an intellectual level, I wasn't feeling any chemistry between the two of them. Maybe some lust on his end, which I guess was the point. Plus he's not even good-looking. And he fizzled out as a realistic alternative to Zach way too early in the movie. It was like watching Twilight and having Jacob being disqualified as a potential love interest for Bella halfway into the first movie.

Another thing I wish they had done differently was to make Zoey more convincingly nerdy. She was way too attractive to pull that off, even if she was spouting tech jargon all the time. Maybe at least put a pair of glasses on her or something?

There's lots of reasons to be critical of this movie. But at the end of the day, it was still fun to watch and it left you with he good feeling you expect when you sit down to a rom-com. Just put your skepticism on the shelf for a couple of hours, and you'll definitely like it.