Joey Magidson
It can really unmoor you to realize you’re in a different place in a relationship than your partner. Whether this is early on in dating or well into a relationship, finding out that they see things very differently than you is a blow. While that sounds like the set up for a heavy drama, Oh, Hi! actually mines this territory for comedy. The material veers towards the darker end of the spectrum at times, but the end result is a supremely enjoyable relationship comedy.
Oh, Hi! is as successful as it is due to an incredibly charming couple at its center, smart writing, and an ability to keep you on your toes. The tonal shifts are handled smoothy, so you never quite know what’s about to happen next. The element of surprise winds up being hugely important, especially once things escalate. The film zigs when you expect it to zag, with very fun results.
Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) have been dating for four months, but this is their first romantic weekend getaway together. At first, it’s a charming trip to a small town with a little out of the way house. They even find a locked door in the bedroom with some bondage equipment that they integrate into their sex life. At first, Isaac restrains Iris, though she has a mild freak out and the roles are reversed. It’s wonderful from there on, at least until a post coital conversation reveals that Isaac isn’t really looking for a relationship, doesn’t consider them to be exclusive, and has been sleeping with other people. Iris is stunned. Isaac considers it a miscommunication, though both are thrown for a loop. The thing is, Isaac is still handcuffed to the bed.
Spiraling, Iris decides not to let Isaac free, determined to win him over by not allowing him to move from the bed. This terrifies him, since he now considers her unstable and dangerous. Not sure what to do, Iris calls for her friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan), who arrives at the house with her own boyfriend Kenny (John Reynolds). Things only get more complicated from there.
Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman have incredible chemistry together, so much so that you’d think they’d work together several times before. You quickly grow to like them, to the point where, despite some wild behavior by them both, you’re rooting for them. You might even take one of their sides, though there are no villains. Gordon showcases the humanity behind Iris having a bit of a breakdown, while Lerman never has Isaac come off like a fuckboy. They’re charming and complicated, but most of all, they feel like real people. John Reynolds and Geraldine Viswanathan are the only other performers of note, with Viswanathan especially getting some funny moments, though small parts exist for David Cross, Polly Draper, and more.
Filmmaker Sophie Brooks fills her movie with astute observations about modern relationships, as well as just some wonderfully funny lines. Her writing (Brooks shares a Story By credit with Molly Gordon) is terrific, while her direction handles the tonal movements with aplomb. It would be easy for Oh, Hi! to go off the rails, but Brooks behind the camera, as well as Brooks and Gordon at the keyboard, never allow that to happen.
Oh, Hi! is a lot of fun. The curveballs thrown at the audience make this the type of rom com that can stand out from the pack. It’s a little on the quirky side at times, but it has a realism to it that mixes well with the more out there elements. Tonally, it’s casting a wide net, but it just plain works. I had a blast with this flick and you likely will too.
SCORE: ★★★1/2
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