A film with a very funny first half and an uneven second half, Oh, Hi! is a cute romcom for a rainy day.
As I always say, I love a good indie film. It’s a great way to meet actors that you’ve never met before or run into indie darlings that you haven’t seen in a bit. So when I saw the trailer for this film, I knew I had to watch it. I love a good romcom and I was here for the cast.
Oh, Hi! is about Iris and Isaac, a pair that is going on a weekend getaway to spend some romantic time together. After exploring the area around the home and swimming in the lake outside, they retire for the evening. Having found leather and chain wrist and leg ties in the closet (that must belong to the owners of the house), they decide to have consensual sexy time, and Iris ties Isaac to the bed. Later, she comments about how much she is enjoying their relationship and he responds, confused, and says he is not looking for a relationship. Convinced that she can somehow win him over, she keeps him tied to the bed and calls in some friends for help.
The first half of this comedy is great. There are some hugely uncomfortable and startling moments, all of which provide a laughing squirm or a general chuckle. It’s enjoyable and I was looking forward to the rest (even if the consent conversation was a MAJOR issue).
The second half is slower and loses most of the situational comedy that once existed. The tone changes and it hovers somewhere around, “what is happening??” and “how is this going to work out?” A lot of it focuses on the reasons that Isaac may not want to commit and Iris’ general need for their relationship to work out – and it feels like a different film. Not a bad film, just not the same one you were watching before.
The cast is globally enjoyable, including Molly Gordon (from Summer Camp) and Logan Lerman (from the Percy Jackson films) as Iris and Isaac, along with Geraldine Viswanathan (from 7 Days) and John Paul Reynolds (from Stranger Things) as their friends. There are also a few oddly amusing moments with David Cross as the neighbor.
Primarily filmed in a single house, with one scene in a bar, and others shot outside, this film made the most of the script and its actors. It was genuinely entertaining to watch the reaction shots of both Iris and Isaac as they tried to navigate the situation they each find themselves in, and, while I love me some Geraldine Viswanathan, John Paul Reynolds is the one you kept waiting to watch in the second half. His lovable oddball of a character never quite does what you’d expect, which was excellent. He’s a good friend.
Overall, Oh, Hi! is a cute romcom that isn’t going to be up there with the greats, but it is entertaining and conceptually a lot of fun. The actors are excellent and keep the tone of the characters as consistent as possible, but the story itself falls off a bit. Still, it’s a good watch for a lazy day at home.
Runtime: 94 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? No
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Available:Free on Netflix, torent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
As I always say, I love a good indie film. It’s a great way to meet actors that you’ve never met before or run into indie darlings that you haven’t seen in a bit. So when I saw the trailer for this film, I knew I had to watch it. I love a good romcom and I was here for the cast.
