Mouse — NewFest Review

Grief has become a common theme in contemporary cinema. Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson approached the topic with tremendous tenderness in their 2024 film Ghostlight, and their latest collaboration, Mouse, returns to it from a different perspective. While Ghostlight explored how artistic expression can provide an outlet for those navigating loss, Mouse examines the many ways grief shapes our lives and relationships. Although Ghostlight affected me more deeply, Mouse offers what might be one of the most honest and authentic portrayals of grief I’ve ever seen. O’Sullivan and Thompson refuse to shy away from the messiness, awkwardness, and uglier aspects of the grieving process.