Voicemails for Isabelle
Rating: 4/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
The saying that "RomComs are coming back" is quite interesting to me as I think they never left. Sure, we have gotten some duds over the last few years, but there have still been a slew of RomComs that are so much fun and make the viewer fall in love with the idea of love all over again. Those include Anyone But You, Crazy Rich Asians, and now Netflix's latest RomCom directed by Leah McKendrick, Voicemails for Isabelle. Starring the fabulous duo of Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson. It may follow similar beats and have familiar plot devices, but there is no doubt that this film is beautifully crafted with wonderful performances and a story that will tug on your heartstrings.
The film follows Jill (Deutch), who is grieving the loss of her sister, Isabelle (Ciara Bravo). She doesn't know how to go through life without her best friend by her side, so she decides to start leaving voicemails to Isabelle's old number, hoping it will allow her to connect with her sister on the other side. What she doesn't realize however is that the new phone number belongs to Wes (Robinson), a mysterious real estate agent who starts to listen to the voicemails and subsequently falls in love with the girl on the other end of the line. What ensues is a love story that will change both of their lives and help Jill deal with her sister's untimely death.
There is no doubt that Deutch is becoming one of the best leading actresses in modern RomComs. She simply oozes charisma and charm, and she is great as Jill here. Not only does she perfectly fit into the RomCom genre, but she does a great job at tapping into this character's grief and sadness. She wonderfully shows how grief can affect a person on the screen and how they go through those different stages. At the same time, I think Deutch forms this beautiful partnership with McKendrick here to try and present how the sudden death of the person you are closest to changes you for good, and how you have to find this new balance of who you are going to be going forward.
On the other side of the coin, Robinson is simply fantastic as this character. I have been a big fan of Robinson for a while now, ever since he played the character of Ryder on Melissa and Joey. So, seeing him in a major RomCom like this one is simply wonderful as he is evolving and growing as an actor. He is simply the cool guy, the one that seems like he is living the life, and Robinson plays that perfectly. However, he isn't one of those douchebags from these type of films that has a redeeming story arc towards the end of the film, but rather a genuine stand-up guy. Robinson is great as this character, and I genuinely adored watching him on the screen in this film. Together, both him and Deutch are fantastic. They have moving on-screen chemistry that I didn't want to stop watching. I love everything they were able to do together in this picture and I didn't want to stop watching them act together.
Like I mentioned, the movie does follow similar beats and plot devices, and you know how this movie is going to conclude in the end. But, the journey that McKendrick takes us on is not only a great time from beginning to end, but she really pulls on the heartstrings of the viewer. As someone who has lost someone incredibly close to me five years ago, this movie allowed me to reflect on my own grief and how I processed it. I think McKendrick really does a great job of capturing both the beauty and sadness of grief, showing how hard it is to move on with life but how amazing it is to have loved someone so much that they leave this hole in you once they are gone. While the RomCom elements work very well here, I think it is the theme of loss and grief that are superior throughout this picture.
Voicemails for Isabelle doesn't want the audience to just believe in love and soulmates, but also want them to know that it's ok to not be ok. McKendrick does a wonderful job of crafting this story of Jill and Wes, and I think her writing is just as great as her directing. I sincerely hope we get another RomCom very soon with Robinson and Deutch as I truly think they have the chemistry and talent to becomes some of the best RomCom stars of this modern time.
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