"Mouse" (2026): A Poignant and Heartwarming Film

Everyone's grief journey is different. 

“Mouse” is a 2026 film. Minnie, a young girl, loses her best friend, Callie. While navigating grief, Minnie makes an unexpected bond with her best friend’s mother. To honor her best friend, Minnie signs up for a talent show.

“Mouse” was one of my favorite films at the New Hampshire Film Festival. It’s a poignant film that made everyone attending smile. This is a coming-of-age film about grief and healing. Nobody is ever fighting their grief battles alone as we find new connections. 

I immediately added this film to my film festival watch list when I saw that Katherine Mallen Kupferer was in it. From “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” to “Ghostlight,” Kupferer has become an astounding young actress. She always brings so much more to her characters. I cannot wait to see what other films she does. 

Minnie is quiet and reserved, but has an enormous demeanor. She lost the person who helped shape her identity. My favorite moment was Minnie physically expressing how she views herself in the world and to herself. Slowly, she begins to discover who she is outside of her friendship with Callie. The role was emotionally challenging, but Kupferer is always at the ready.

Sophie Okonedo has made quite an impact in cinema, starting with “The Secret Life of Bees” (2006). Okonkwo is remarkable as Helen, a grieving parent. Okonedo conveys her grief through more subtle expressions. It was an emotionally difficult role, as Helen tries to navigate new ground.

Kupferer and Okenedo are wonderful in their scenes. Both characters mourn the same person, but their experiences are different. Their growing connection becomes the film’s emotional heart. You never know who you will connect with in grief.  

Just like “Ghostlight,” real-life mother-daughter Kupferer and Tara Mallen (Barbara)  share the screen. Barbara and Minnie lack communication, letting things go when they shouldn’t. The film is also about their relationship. Mallen delivers a heart-crushing speech in one scene.  

Credits also include Chloe Coleman, Iman Vellani, David Hyde Pierce, Audrey Grace Marshall, Addisyn Grace Cain, and more. No small part exists in theater. For their short appearances, Coleman and Pierce add so much depth to their roles. I liked Pierce’s portrayal of a drama director. He sees more in his students' potential. 

Kat (Vellani) was an unexpected character. Minnie and Kat bond over shared losses. The relationship they develop is sweet. They have a deep and well-acted argument.  

“Mouse” was directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, the same directors for “Ghostlight” (2024). O’Sullivan and Thompson are incredible at taking ordinary themes and making them have extraordinary depth.

O’Sullivan first wrote the script in 2019. It took six years to get the movie on its feet. A close friend passed away when she was in high school. Thinking about her feelings set the story in motion. In this direction, O’Sullivan’s main goal is to capture authenticity.  

The story takes place in Little Rock, Arkansas. O’Sullivan always wanted to set a film in her hometown. Similar to “Lady Bird” (2017), “Mouse” also takes place in the year 2002. This is an interesting period. We still didn’t have cell phones. 

Nate Hurtsellers and Luke Dyra's cinematography is another highlight, capturing the nostalgic feeling of the early 2000s. 

Once again, O’Sullivan and Thompson amplify the importance of theater. Theater goes beyond words to tell stories. It also helps us talk about hard subjects, like grief. We all experience sadness differently, but we cannot hide from it. Continue to make connections. 

“Mouse” is not to be missed when it releases in theaters on November 13. It’s poignant, heartwarming, and powerful.