Oh, Hi! – A Hilariously Uncomfortable Anti-Romcom

Romantic comedies are a subgenre that has endured since the beginning of film, thanks to its uncanny ability to adapt with the times. Even today, they remain popular as studios continue to leverage them to fill out their respective slates. That being said, after being offered subtle variations of the same thing over and over again, whenever something new comes along to change up the status quo, it is worth applauding. Premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Oh, Hi! is a quirky indie romantic comedy that some may call the anti-romcom. Taking a darkly comedic turn in its exploration of modern relationships, the film’s main issue is how it balances tones as it relates to its central dynamic. Another production undoubtedly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, it thrives in its limited circumstances, delivering an excellent two-parter driven by a strong script and stellar performances by Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman. The film would not have worked nearly as well if not for them and their superb chemistry. Resting on their ample shoulders, they keep it afloat. A relatively short watch, clocking in at just 95-minutes, it gets its point across without overstaying its welcome. While it revels in its quirkiness, made more relatable in celebrating humanity’s flaws, one can’t help but think that the film could have gone further with premise, instead of holding back to not paint either lead in a negative light.

The film follows Iris (Gordon) and Isaac (Lerman), a couple embarking on their first romantic upstate getaway. However, their trip would quickly go awry once confusion took over as a simple miscommunication of intentions sank the overall vibe. Thinking that she and Isaac were an exclusive couple, Iris was left rattled upon the admission of Isaac believing otherwise, not looking for a serious relationship at the time. Convinced that he was just confused about what he really wanted, Iris found herself on a downward spiral, going to ridiculous lengths to prove to Issac that they were meant to be together. When it comes to their relationship, it is unclear how long Iris and Isaac have been together but they were certainly into one another, having candle-lit dinners and indulging in some light BDSM until the truth set them on much different paths, with her shaken and him tied up to a bed. A set up that could have easily led to a psychological thriller of sorts, the film plays out these new circumstances for laughs. Though some may not agree with the lengths Iris goes in her outrage, many audiences will surely relate to the feeling of being led on and deceived by a relationship and falling in the oft-complicated middle ground between someone’s actions and their intentions. Where the film falters, albeit slightly, is its inability to figure out how far to go with Iris as to maintain that she is still a real person in the midst of what has happened.

Oh, Hi! works so well because of its flawed characters. They make mistakes and they don’t have all the answers, but as the situation continued to deescalate, the tidal wave of quirkiness causes the film to lose sight of what it set out to do. While Iris’ actions are understandable to a certain extent, the film avoids making Isaac into a villain, someone so resistant to commitment and the guilt associated with heartbreak. All things considered, dating without labels can often lead to friction in relationships, not establishing boundaries. To that point, many audiences will be left wondering why Iris and Isaac’s relationship was allowed to go on for this long, not knowing the latter’s true intentions. However, the longer Isaac remained tied up, the more dire the situation became as Iris struggled with what to do next. Despite her numerous attempts to convince him otherwise, Isaac was not interested in a serious relationship with Iris. As more character joined the fray, Iris’ best friend Max (Viswanathan), and her boyfriend Kenny (John Reynolds), the silliness is ratcheted up considerably as Iris and co. plotted what to do next as the film drops the ball on Iris herself as a character yearning for love now yearned for survival. Getting itself too far in the other direction, it somewhat gets itself back with a neat, lesson-learning type ending where there were very little lessons to be learned.

Ultimately, the best part of Oh, Hi! is the aforementioned stellar performances by Gordon and Lerman, as Iris and Isaac. The film would not have worked as well if not for their chemistry, creating a compelling dynamic that works for the most part. Connecting through their flaws, they made them more human and relatable. With much of the film being a two-hander between Gordon and Lerman, they prove to be more than up to the task thanks to Sophie Brooks’ direction and script. At its best when only the pair appeared on screen, the addition of Viswanathan and Reynolds’ Max and Kenny gave the film some live and kept it from getting repetitive, but also changed the tone to something it couldn’t quite handle. However, it is at no fault of Viswanathan and Reynolds, who were both hilarious. A proven comedic talent, Gordon shows more of it here though is pushed to her limits once the tone becomes overbearingly silly. Lerman, on the other hand, holds his own with charm and some surprising comedic timing as Isaac spent most of his time pleading for his life or reacting to the insanity happening around him.

At the end of the day, Oh, Hi! is a sharp anti-romcom that, in spite of some tonal issues, delivers a hilariously uncomfortable watch propelled by the chemistry of Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman.

still courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.