Zoe
A scientist and a synthetic woman confront the fragile boundary between programmed behavior and genuine love.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- intimate
- thoughtful
- reflective movie night
- science fiction double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film's ideas and leading performances promising but felt its slow-moving speculative romance never develops them into a satisfying whole.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Zoe and other synthetic humans are presented as beings capable of feeling and love, forcing Cole and those around them to reconsider what counts as a person.
The relationships between humans and synthetic people repeatedly raise questions about emotional authenticity and manufactured desire.
The film places synthetic humans and emotional technologies in an otherwise familiar contemporary world, creating tension through gradual social disruption rather than spectacle.
The central conflict is conveyed through close interpersonal performances by Léa Seydoux, Ewan McGregor, and their co-stars rather than extensive world-building action.
Films like Zoe, and why
Her
speculative science fiction examining artificial consciousness, intimacy, and human-machine relationships
Ex Machina
romantic science fiction focused on synthetic identity, desire, and ethical responses to artificial beings
Never Let Me Go
melancholic futuristic romance exploring emotional attachment and the boundaries of personhood
Movie Details
- Director
- Drake Doremus
- Release Date
- 2018-07-19
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (454)
Cast
- Léa Seydoux
- Ewan McGregor
- Rashida Jones
- Theo James
- Matthew Gray Gubler
- Miranda Otto
- Christina Aguilera
- Helen Johns
- Kyle Gatehouse
- Sarah Levesque
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Zoe about?
- A scientist and a synthetic woman confront the fragile boundary between programmed behavior and genuine love.
- What is Zoe like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Zoe as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Zoe violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Zoe as mild.
- What did critics think of Zoe?
- Critics broadly found the film's ideas and leading performances promising but felt its slow-moving speculative romance never develops them into a satisfying whole.
- Which films are like Zoe?
- Films with a similar feel include Her, Ex Machina, and Never Let Me Go.
- How long is Zoe?
- Zoe runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Zoe?
- In United States, Zoe is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
