‘Mouse’ (2026) Review – A Heartfelt Look At The Complexity of Grief

There is no correct way to process the death of a close loved one. We all probably have some idea in our heads about how we would deal with this, but I promise you that, until you experience it, you have no idea. How does one move forward after losing a friend, a daughter, a parent? The answer, of course, is any way that you can. There is no appropriate, right next step. There is only what comes on the path. Some gnash their teeth, some stay quiet, still others use art. Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, as a directing team, clearly think about this a great deal. After 2024’s Ghostlight, a near-perfect and wildly underrated film about grief, they return with some of the same actors, but with quite a different perspective in Mouse.

Due to the literal shared DNA between the two films, it is nearly impossible not to compare their last two films. The only main actor missing from Mouse is Keith Kupferer, but eagle-eyed viewers will see his name in the background of one scene. Mouse begins as the story of two high school friends in 2002. Callie Bell (Chloe Coleman) seems to be perfect; she is talented, giving, kind, and the best friend of Minnie Dunn (Katharine Mallen Kupferer), who is quiet, shy, and awkward. And yet, they are a perfectly matched pair. Despite other girls in their class treating Minnie as a pariah, Callie, without taking a full stand, is there for her. Callie, a talented singer and dancer, has dreams of a big life, for which she feels no shame. Some of this is supported by her mother, Helen (Sophie Okonedo), who was, much earlier in her life, a professional musician. While this could be the start of a standard coming-of-age story, this is not to be. After spending the night together in bed during a sleepover, Minnie walks to work. Upon her return, she is told that Callie was in an accident in her car and died.

The shocking impact of the loss of not only a young life, but one filled with obvious promise sends a shockwave through the world around her. The film focuses mainly on Minnie, but also attempts to expand beyond this to mixed effect. As the film expands outward, not only to Callie’s family and Minnie’s, but also to their classmates and Drama teacher, Mr. Murdaugh (David Hyde Pierce), it sometimes loses focus, but O’Sullivan’s script always manages to redirect just when things are starting to go sideways. Mouse also has a soft, lovely look to it, thanks to cinematographer Luke Dyra and Director of Photography Nate Hurtsellers. This quiet softness allows us to get lost in the emotions of the film, which is, of course, the entire point.

As Mouse moves forward, it begins to focus on two burgeoning relationships for Minnie, one with Helen, and the other with Kat (Iman Vellani), a video store clerk who has had similar experiences and with whom there is an obvious, and sweet, attraction. Minnie has a difficult relationship with her own mother, Barbara (Tara Mallen), so this other maternal figure becomes extremely important. O’Sullivan and Thompson really hold all of the cards simply by casting Okonedo. She has always been both a dependable and underused actress, so it is exciting to see her with a dual lead role. It would be simple to make Helen an uncomplicated mother who is grieving her daughter. Instead, the script and direction pull her to sometimes act in ways that make us struggle to fully root for her. These particular choices are what make the film work, despite some missteps. The complexity of Helen, paired with the teenage explosions of Minnie, is a near-perfect dichotomy. Okonedo is so staggeringly good that it almost makes you wish that the film was solely focused on her. She does more with a pained squint of her eyes than most actors do with their entire bodies. Okonedo is, at once, emotionally open and contains depths of pain and mystery.

Mallen Kupferer is given a true challenge here, much more so than in Ghostlight. She must find a way to show her talent in a character that is not defined by artistic skill. While there are moments that she struggles with, her interactions with Vellani are really where she shines. There is a dual sweetness and pain that the two are able to share that could fill its own film. Vellani especially showcases empathy in ways that are surprising and heartfelt. This should be no surprise to those who have seen her in other roles, nor for those who are aware of O’Sullivan and Thompson’s work. This pairing is deeply concerned with empathy, especially for those fighting through the worst pain imaginable. Their work continues to lean on optimism and hope, in circumstances where most would buckle and fold. Where the film falters slightly is that it makes some emotional leaps that, with lesser actors, would be hard to swallow. There are entire relationships that start and stop, and the film doesn’t seem to bother to address them. This is understandable as it is not the focus of Mouse, but they do stand out as odd anomalies in an otherwise carefully plotted story.

Mouse is a heartfelt, lovely film that will bring tears to your eyes. Sophie Okonedo proves yet again that she is a prodigious talent who should be trusted to deliver in every role. While Mouse does broaden its focus slightly too wide, O’Sullivan and Thompson simply are unable to miss when it comes to the emotional beats of a story that we all fear to experience in our real lives. Their ability to understand all angles of grief continues to be awe-inspiring at every turn. Despite its imperfections, Mouse is an easy film to recommend for anyone seeking to understand our own ups and downs.

Mouse will debut in select theaters on November 6, 2026, courtesy of Independent Film Company. The film will expand wide on November 13th.

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