Oh, Hi!: A Kinky Rom-Com Turned Chaotic Breakdown of Modern Love

Modern day dating is a nightmare. With countless apps focusing on finding a perfect match, and societal pressures to have it all figured out by a specific age, dating is daunting rather than exciting. Oh, Hi! puts all of the ugly bits of dating out in center stage and shows what happens when expectations don't align but the chemistry does.

Its witty screenplay elevates it from kinky rom com to a deranged situationship gone wrong. As the first scene plays out, it's clear that writer and director Sophie Brooks wants the audience on their toes before throwing them into the love story of Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman).

We first met Iris as she's admitting to having just done something bad. Her unhinged behavior is spotted immediately, and we aren't given much time to speculate on what it is that Iris has done. Rather, we are taken 33 hours in the past when Iris and her bright-eyed partner Isaac are embarking on their first getaway trip together.

Couples' first trips together are milestones within their relationship; it can be exciting but equally nerve-wracking, wanting to make sure each detail is perfect. Iris and Isaac appear to be deeply in love with one another, and although it's unclear how long they've been together, it's long enough for Isaac to mention their trip to his mother. While they are making their long drive to their destination, stopping to grab fresh fruit from the side of the road, their relationship seems easy, with magnetic, blush-worthy chemistry.

Their trip is idyllic, from the beautiful landscape to their shared love of Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It can't be understated how peaceful their relationship is, whether it is their honeymoon stage where lovers float along blissfully, or if these two were truly made for one another. As they prepare for their first night of their getaway, there's a lingering eeriness from what the unknown deed Iris admitted to when we first met her.

Isaac prepares an impressive dinner of scallops, something Iris notes as surprising, and a dish you'd only make for someone special. Brooks quickly disrupts their peace by peeling away at personal moments from Iris when asked if she had ever had her heart broken; her answer sets off a red flag for Isaac, one he shouldn't have brushed off so quickly.

Brooks doesn't shy away from showing these two young lovers putting their attraction for one another on full display. Their sex life is electric; both Isaac and Iris are open about their boundaries while also being receptive to new ways to find pleasure. Her ability to capture those intimate moments between them shows a shared yearning, not just for the steamy ones, but also for those times when they are both being vulnerable with each other.

She leaves just enough pieces of their past to make their actions, even the bad ones, easier to digest. Isaac has trust issues thanks to a father who wasn't faithful to his mother, and Iris, who has had run-ins with one too many bad guys. Where Oh, Hi! picks up steam is when Iris seeks clarification from Isaac about their status as a couple.

The characterizations of both Iris and Isaac is where Brooks really excels, in part thanks to the brilliant performances from Gordon and Lerman. Iris is rather intense, a woman who knows she's worthy of a loving partner, but lays on her personality thick, which scares Isaac a bit—a guy who, for the last few months, didn't think of his relationship with Iris as anything exclusive.

The shock on Iris's face when it's revealed what Isaac's intentions are is an expression that stuck with me for the rest of the film. Isaac isn't interested in being exclusive, and although Iris was under the impression that they were, it's hard to feel bad for what happens to Isaac after he lays this on Iris. A couple who was just lovesick with each other now find themselves in quite the predicament when Iris chooses to leave Isaac tied to the bed they had just shared together.

Where Oh, Hi! falters are mostly up to how far you can suspend your disbelief, mostly due to the introduction of Iris's dear friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan) and her partner Kenny (John Reynolds). Iris gives Isaac one last chance to change his mind by waiting 12 hours to see if they can salvage what they had. It's difficult to totally invest with Max and Kenny being okay with the situation that Iris gets them in when she calls for their help.

The film loses most of the tension between Iris and Isaac with the addition of Max and Kenny, who bring with them too many comedic moments that make it hard to determine if Brooks wants this to be more than a rom-com or not. While the hours dwindle, Isaac is desperate for his freedom, and even the introduction of witchcraft, the film loses its momentum by the end, with its tense moments being overtaken by comedy.

Outside of the film's snappy script, and praiseworthy performances there needs to be a round of applause for the film's editing, and use of musical queues. The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes, and it doesn't waste a moment of that, fully showing each minute as more unhinged than the last.

Brooks throws a lot at us, with numerous twists along the way, but each integral moment blends with another masterfully. Oh, Hi! has a great use of music from the opening duet of Islands in the Stream with Iris and Isaac, to Iris performing an old talent show routine to Mario's, You Should Let Me Love You, there's no shortage of catchy tunes to sing along with that perfectly match the moment.

Overall, there's plenty to fall for in Brook's Oh, Hi! that highlights important issues that arise in intimate relationships, especially when a man is seeking all the comforts of a relationship without the commitment.

Gordon and Lerman's chemistry are off the charts, and they are a delight to witness. The film's high of exploring new and thrilling love tends to get overshadowed by the film's back half that teeters between believable and unbelievable solutions.