By George & Josh Bate
When thinking of Stephen King’s novel Misery and the superb 1990 film adaptation by Rob Reiner, the terms ‘romance’ or ‘rom-com’ certainly don’t come to mind. However, the creative minds of Sophie Brooks and Molly Gordon remix the classic King horror story into a playful millennial rom-com with their new film Oh, Hi!
Originally premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Oh, Hi! stars Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman), who go on a romantic weekend away at a rental house. After engaging in some sexual bondage play that sees Isaac chained to the bed, Isaac tells Iris that he doesn’t view them as a couple and that he is not interested in being in a relationship. Shocked by this revelation, Iris decides to leave Logan chained to the bed as she desperately tries to convince him that they’re meant to be together.
Sophie Brooks, whose previous feature directorial effort was The Boy Downstairs, pens a refreshing and heightened screenplay that makes Oh, Hi! an enthralling watch. Initially, the audience is introduced to the adorable Iris and Isaac. Gordon’s Iris and Lerman’s Isaac sing Dolly Parton in the car, joke around with one another, lovingly cuddle, read together, and, overall, make a cute couple (at least, that’s what Iris thinks). But there are certainly horror movie vibes going on as all seems too good to be true, a creepy neighbor (played by David Cross) makes an appearance, and the entire cabin-in-the-woods scenario feels unsettling. As the first act unfolds, Oh, Hi! develops into a horror movie, although one for the characters rather than the audience.
With Isaac chained to the bed against his will and Iris desperate to win him over, Oh, Hi! evolves into an exaggerated, almost farcical comedy. Brooks certainly comments on the romantic anxieties of millennials and opens the door to some interesting conversations about intimacy and fidelity in the modern age but this messaging is surface level, at best, as the filmmaker seems far more interested in generating laughs and telling an enjoyable story. Characters make pretty wild decisions throughout that stretch believability and increasingly have the film lose any sense of groundedness. This tone may lose some viewers, who could grow frustrated with how unrealistic and heightened the film becomes, but, for us, the light-heartedness and playfulness proved enchanting.
Largely responsible for how enchanting the film is is Molly Gordon, who also co-wrote the story with screenwriter and director Sophie Brooks. Gordon has carved out a reputation in the indie comedy scene, with great turns in Booksmart, Shiva Baby, and Am I OK?, and continues to effectively tap into her comedic sensibilities in Oh, HI! Without a lead to transition the film into more unhinged territory, Brooks’ film may have fallen apart before it really started, but, thanks to Gordon, this doesn’t happen. The actress ensures that, even as her character’s decisions become increasingly incomprehensible and her mental stability becomes increasingly questionable, Iris is still a compelling and likable lead. Gordon doesn’t quite become Kathy Bates in Misery, although she is certainly unafraid to go a bit maniacal with her character and, in turn, is responsible for tons of great one-liners, physical humor, and hilarious facial expressions.
Opposite Gordon is Logan Lerman, whose Isaac is the film’s most grounded character. In different hands, Isaac may have been the audience’s perspective for this story, but his fuckboy tendencies (later re-characterized as ‘softboy’ behavior) and the mesmerizing performance from Gordon mean he isn’t Oh, Hi!’s equivalent of James Caan’s character from Misery. Despite the film hinging on Iris’ desperate desire to keep hold of Isaac, the two share surprisingly little chemistry. In part, this is due to a somewhat stiff performance from Logan, which, while fitting given his character’s secret emotional distance from Iris, means he is rarely ever more than just a plot device.
Later in the film, Geraldine Viswanathan and John Reynolds are thrown into the mix as friends of Iris’ who come to help her out of the predicament. Viswanathan and Reynolds work perfectly within the ridiculous tone of the film, keeping up with Gordon’s sharpness every step of the way. Their addition to the story admittedly takes the focus away from Iris and Isaac somewhat, resulting in fewer opportunities to get into the aforementioned commentary about modern romance, and yet the laughs that come with their inclusion help offset this issue.
An anti-climactic ending devoid of an emotional punch concludes Oh, Hi! on a disappointing note. The resolution of a story escalating into crazier and goofier territory understandably tries to get serious come the end and attempts to make a final comment on millennial romance and attachment issues. Unfortunately, none of these beats land, largely due to the preceding movie being so silly and the chemistry between Gordon and Lerman lacking a spark. Either an ending more in line with the ludicrous tone and narrative or greater emotional depth throughout would have resulted in a more satisfying viewing experience.
VERDICT: 7/10
Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman star in Oh, Hi!, a creative millennial rom-com with a playful tone, an increasingly ludicrous narrative, and compelling lead performance. An interesting, horror movie-esque setup evolves into a rom-com remix of Stephen King’s Misery with tons of great laughs. Bordering on farcical at times, the film fails to give much substance to its messaging about millennial romance and intimacy, which may leave some disappointed. Molly Gordon continues her exceptional streak in indie comedy with an unhinged and enchanting performance that ensures a character with at times incomprehensible decision-making capacity remains likable and strangely relatable. Unfortunately, a stiff performance from Logan Lerman means the other half of this rom-com duo falls short and poor chemistry between the leads lacks the spark necessary to ensure there’s any emotional depth to the ending. Oh, Hi! may not work for everyone, especially those who grow frustrated at comedies that lean further and further into absurdity or those who are looking for substantive messaging above and beyond comedy, but, for us, Sophie Brooks’ sophomore effort generates an abundance of great laughs and is so delightfully playful that it’s difficult not to be engaged from start to finish.