Zoe is a dramedy in the same vein as Bedazzled or Sliding Doors. Written, directed, produced, and starring Emanuela Galliussi, with DOP and editor Dean Matthew Ronalds co-directing, the film starts on the worst day in the life of the titular Zoe (Galliussi). While she’s up early to work out and call her still-sleeping boyfriend, Luca (Daniele Natali), the day doesn’t share her enthusiasm. Due to seeing friends, she’s late for work, and her boss, Signor Castello (Claudio Mezzelani), chews her out in front of her co-workers. The kicker is that Zoe’s boss is also her dad. Best friend Sara (Francesca Olivi) has little sympathy for the 40-something-year-old, as she never listens to practical advice. To make matters worse, Luca breaks up with Zoe.
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“He agrees to give her three new lives in order to find the happiness she cannot here. But should Zoe fail to do so, she’ll spend forever with the wizard.”
Despondent and unsure where to turn or to whom, Zoe unexpectedly meets a boy named Andrea (Virgilio Mongelli), who claims to be a wizard. He agrees to give her three new lives in order to find the happiness she cannot here. But should Zoe fail to do so, she’ll spend forever with the wizard. Amused and with little to lose, she agrees. Sure enough, Zoe wakes up in Ibiza, where she works as a yoga instructor along the beautiful beaches. She makes a connection with a new yoga student, and things go well until they really get to know each other. In London, she’s married to a rock star, James (Jaspal Binning), who cannot keep his hands off of her. But learning she’s pregnant forces Zoe to reexamine the priorities in this marriage. In Paris, now a highly sought-after photographer, Zoe must come face to face with who really gives her butterflies and deal with the consequences of that revelation. Is Zoe doomed to be forever unhappy, or will one of her four lives give her what she truly seeks?
Unsurprisingly, Zoe is made by Galliussi’s performance. At the drop of a hat, she goes from carefree to overly worried without it feeling forced. The character is written with a dash of charm while being a little bit annoying and selfish at times. Yet the lead is delightful and fun and flighty for every second of the hour and 41-minute runtime. Clearly, the filmmaker knows her strengths and directs herself to emphasize those while having written a character that shows off her remarkable range.
"…simply adorable."
