We like Zoey Deutch best when she can be funny without making a character’s sadness disappear. Her comic timing gives her dramatic work something useful; a part that only asks her to look worried wastes it.
Fi1m perspective
In Voicemails for Isabelle (2026), Zoey Deutch lets Jill be funny and interested in sex while she is grieving. That matters because the character can have a comic life without the film pretending her sadness is over. We were moved by the voicemail exchanges with Ciara Bravo’s Isabelle, because we could hear how close the sisters were. The romance is harder to accept, despite Deutch’s charm alongside Nick Robinson, so our enthusiasm for her should not be mistaken for an unqualified recommendation of the film.
Her comic timing found a useful home in the romantic comedy Set It Up (2018), after early teen films including Vampire Academy (2014). Buffaloed (2019) was another lead, while Not Okay (2022) brought her work as both star and producer. Thrillers such as The Outfit (2022) have run alongside the comedies. That variety interests us less than the amount a part lets her contribute. Moving into a more solemn film is not necessarily progress for an actor who can do something with a joke.
Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 (2024) is a good film that makes poor use of her. Her Allison Crewson is nearing the end of a pregnancy that has frightened both her and her husband, Nicholas Hoult’s Justin Kemp. That gives the couple a reason to be anxious, but Deutch is left with little beyond a bump and a worried face. We recommend the film, though it is a poor introduction to what she can do when a script gives her more than one concern.
Richard Linklater has returned to her for Nouvelle Vague (2025), casting her as Jean Seberg. We are interested in that continuing collaboration, but we would be just as glad of another comic lead that lets her character have a life beyond the romance. Start with Voicemails for Isabelle for the sisters, and be prepared to forgive more in the romance than in Deutch’s performance.
Biography
Zoey Deutch is an American actress and producer. She is the daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress Lea Thompson.
Deutch began her career with television roles in The Suite Life on Deck (2010–2011) and Ringer (2011–2012). Her early film credits include Beautiful Creatures (2013) and Vampire Academy (2014). She gained wider recognition for performances in Everybody Wants Some!! (2016), Set It Up (2018) and Zombieland: Double Tap (2019).
Later roles include Juror #2 (2024) and a voice part in Minions & Monsters (2026). She has also produced several films and made her Broadway debut in a 2024 revival of Our Town.
