This age of modern dating, and its myriad uncomfortable situations and odd terms, has already spawned a number of movies aimed at capturing the difficulties of finding love today. Whether it’s covering the strangeness of social media or the concept of casual hook-ups, practically every stone has been turned, thus necessitating some big swings.
From that idea comes Sophie Brooks’Oh, Hi!, the story of a seemingly picture-perfect romance gone wrong in an absurd, dramatic fashion. The moviefirst premiered at the Sundance Film Festivalearlier this year and is now getting a limited release from Sony Pictures Classics. I suspect, based on its premise alone, thatOh, Hi!will find an audience, though its reception could prove divisive.
Oh, Hi! Has A Wildly Interesting Premise
It Just Doesn’t Quite Know How To Make The Most Of It
Aside from a brief prologue that alerts us to something going awry very, very soon,Oh, Hi!opens with lovebirds Iris (The Bear’s Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) embarking on their first weekend away as a couple. Their trip checks all the boxes of romantic bliss: singing in the car to a sweet duet, having sex on the couch upon arrival, and a candlelit dinner.
Iris is smitten, though there are the barest signs of discord between the two. Still, it seems like they’re on the same page, until right after some lightly kinky sex that involves Isaac being handcuffed to the bed. When Iris calls them a couple, Isaac immediately balks and says that not only did he think they were casual, he’s been sleeping with other people.
Needless to say, Iris is crushed and betrayed, and in her heartbreak, she leaves Isaac chained to the bed. This, in a way, feels justified simply because it’s clear she needs a moment to process, and we’re with her in having the rug pulled out from under us. After all, she has a point! Isaacwasacting very much like a boyfriend!
But then, after spending a night scouring the internet for tips, Iris makes her first truly questionable decision: she opts to keep Isaac chained for another 12 hours while she forces him to get to know her, in the hopes that he’ll begin to feel differently about their relationship.
Gordon and Lerman are both in great form, going a long way in carrying the somewhat problematic premise.
Admittedly, this is where it’s a bit trickier trying to stay sympathetic, though I’d argue Brooks isn’t asking us to. As both the director and writer (building off a story created by her and Gordon), Brooks doesn’t sugarcoat the disconcerting reality Isaac now finds himself in, even as it’s all given a darkly comedic sheen.
Things escalate further later on when Iris calls in her best friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan), and Max accidentally drags in her clueless boyfriend, Kenny (John Reynolds). It’s around this point whenOh, Hi!loses some steam.
Bringing in two new characters adds an extra layer of complexity, but shortly after, the movie stalls. One almost gets the impression that Brooks doesn’t quite know where to take the story next. It’s as if, aside from the bold central hook of Isaac being chained to the bed, there isn’t much more at play here.
Molly Gordon & Logan Lerman’s Chemistry Elevates Oh, Hi!
Even When They’re On Opposing Sides
Gordon and Lerman are both in great form, going a long way in carrying the somewhat problematic premise. As she’s proven inprojects likeTheater Camp, Gordon has excellent comedic timing and a knack for delivering heightened dialogue in a natural way. Iris could so easily become a “crazy girlfriend” stereotype, and while she doesn’tquiteavoid that fate, Gordon keeps her grounded.
As for Isaac, we’re arguably set up to dislike him because of his f-boy mindset, but Lerman gives us just enough of a peek at his own vulnerable interior that we’re somehow endeared to him. He plays Isaac’s increasing panic impressively well, considering he spends most of the movie attached to the bed.
Viswanathan and Reynolds add some extra levity to the movie, butOh, Hi!belongs to the two leads. For all its muddled bits, Brooks manages to tie the ludicrous story into something surprisingly heartfelt by the end. Even with its issues — which I found interesting but can also be viewed as problematic — it all comes to a rather neat close.
As this is only Brooks' second feature, she’s cemented herself as an interesting artist, albeit one with room to grow. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next, and I hope it brings a bit more focus to another fascinating idea.
