Review:
"Oh, Hi!"
Co-written by Theater Camp’s multi-hyphenate Molly Gordon, Oh, Hi! is Misery re-conceived as an anti-romcom for lovelorn Millennials. The Bear frequent guest star plays Iris, who believes she may have finally found her soulmate in Logan Lerman’s sensitive and attentive Isaac. After several months of dating, Iris and Isaac spend their first weekend getaway together at a remote farmhouse. The first day’s dreamy activities leads to an evening of unexpected kinky sex, in part because Iris handcuffs Isaac to the bed. But the next morning gets off to a terrible start when Isaac tells Iris he is seeing other women. Shocked and betrayed, Iris walks out on the still-handcuffed Isaac not just to process her feelings but to figure out how to get Isaac to stay in her life as her one and only. Gordon co-wrote this sharp-witted and keenly observed oddity with director Sophie Brooks, and they pull off the impossible task of depicting both Gordon’s terminal romantic and Lerman’s so-called soft-boy without turning one or the other into a true villain. This does not mean Gordon and Brooks excuse Iris’ inexcusable behavior—there is much discussion in Oh, Hi! about Iris holding Isaac against his will. So despite Iris somewhat spiraling out of control, and Isaac fearing for his safety based on jokes Iris made about a past relationship, Iris fully understands her actions and the likely consequences of leaving Isaac handcuffed to the bed for the day. Theirs is not a toxic relationship, so Gordon and Brooks dissect the miscommunications and assumptions that led to this fateful confrontation. They leave it to the audience to decide whether Isaac is gaslighting Iris about previously mentioning to her that they are not seeing each other exclusively. Or whether Iris heard what she wanted to hear from Isaac because she was so enamored with him and had finally found the seemingly perfect boyfriend. Of course, it’s understandable why Iris would feel misled after the romantic day and evening they spent together in the farmhouse. But Isaac is also quite forthright about how he views their relationship to ensure Iris knows where they stand. Not quite classic “he said/she said,” but close enough. Ultimately, this is a standoff between someone ready for love and someone not ready for love, and there can be no in between without hurt feelings on either side. And, of course, you can’t force love even when there appears to be a strong physical and emotional connection between two people. Gordon imbues Iris with an overwhelming sense of desperation that clouds her judgment from beginning to end. But Gordon also finds the truth and some twisted humor in the way Iris tries to win over her reluctant love’s heart. Lerman always presents Isaac as pleasant and agreeable, even when the predicament he finds himself in starts to take its toll. But this is part of what Oh, Hi! tries to uncover—is Isaac hiding behind his charm and affability? Regardless, being handcuffed allows Lerman to slowly conduct a deep dive into the emotional truth behind Isaac’s inability to commit to a relationship. Of course, things go from bad to worse when Iris’s friends show up (Drive-Away Dolls’ GeraldineViswanathan and Stranger Things’ John Reynolds). But Oh, Hi! finds a way out of the terrible mess created by Iris that feels both authentic and decisive. Stephen King would be proud. Aired: July 30, 2025. Web site: https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/ohhi/ |
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