Movie Review: ‘Voicemails For Isabelle’ On Netflix

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Review by Adam Courtliff

A good romcom should make you laugh, cry, and everything in between whilst rooting for love to prevail. While Netflix’s latest attempt at finding the next classic in the genre, Voicemails for Isabelle, certainly has some of the magic ingredients needed to deliver both laughs and tears, it’s in the central relationship where the film stumbles slightly, preventing it from reaching the lofty heights of the instant classic it occasionally threatens to be.

Brought to life by writer-director Leah McKendrick, Voicemails for Isabelle follows Jill (Zoey Deutch), a millennial attempting to navigate all of life’s woes at once, with her career, love life, and mental stability all verging on disaster in the wake of her sister’s passing. The only solace she finds is in leaving voicemails for her sister as though she were still here. Unbeknownst to Jill, however, the number has been reassigned to realtor Wes (Nick Robinson), who becomes infatuated with her after learning the intimate details of her life through those messages. So captivated is he that he finds a reason to fly across the country to engineer a meet-cute and set in motion a blossoming romance.

Voicemails for Isabelle isn’t your usual bog-standard romcom. In fact, it arguably excels most in its first half through its exploration of Jill’s grief. Right from the opening, one of the most heartwarming of the year, audiences are introduced to the deeply loving relationship between a young Jill and her sister Isabelle, who suffers from cystic fibrosis. The pair are completely inseparable, and even in adulthood, despite living thousands of miles apart, their daily phone calls demonstrate just how close they remain.

It should come as no surprise, then, that when Isabelle’s death occurs and Jill’s pain unfolds before the audience, many will undoubtedly be reaching for the tissues. McKendrick’s writing around loss and the crippling grief and loneliness that follow is deeply relatable, particularly in the first act. Combined with a frustrating boss in Chef Bastien (Nick Offerman) and a seemingly endless string of terrible lovers, Jill becomes a character that audiences will be desperate to see succeed. Her sweet, caring, and tender nature only makes that investment stronger. While this aspect of the story is sidelined somewhat in the second half, it remains largely effective throughout.

The same can’t be said for Voicemails for Isabelle’s main love interest, Wes, and it’s through his character that the film begins to falter. From the moment audiences meet him, it’s made abundantly clear that he’s something of a scumbag, quite literally committing felonies by hacking into clients’ messages to cut corners and close sales for personal gain. It’s exactly the same approach he takes with Jill’s voicemails, using what he learns about her to win her affections.

As a result, it becomes incredibly difficult to root for the central romance, which is frustrating given the fantastic chemistry Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson share on screen. Ultimately, that chemistry feels somewhat wasted. Even when Wes is handed a slightly redemptive arc in the final act, it all feels too little too late. There’s a strong argument that Jill would be better off without him, or at the very least deserves someone far better. That’s a cardinal sin for a romcom because, for a film in this genre to truly soar, audiences need to be fully invested in that happy ending. Unfortunately, Voicemails for Isabelle never quite gets there.

Zoey Deutch is tasked with a particularly complex role, with Jill experiencing a vast range of emotions throughout the film. For the most part, she’s extremely impressive. The raw emotional moments feel authentic, and she fully commits to every twist and turn of Jill’s journey. However, it’s in the comedic moments where Deutch truly shines, demonstrating impeccable timing and ensuring that the vast majority of the humour lands successfully. In particular, Jill’s experiences navigating modern dating provide plenty of laughs that will resonate with many viewers.

While his character may not be especially likeable, and you may even find yourself hoping for his downfall, Nick Robinson brings an undeniable charm to the role that almost pulls off the impossible and gets you rooting for him. It never quite reaches that point, but it remains a very strong performance from Robinson, who also gets his fair share of funny moments and further proves he has a bright future within the romcom genre.

One thing every good romcom should also provide is a stellar soundtrack, and that’s an area where Voicemails for Isabelle unquestionably succeeds. The film delivers some outrageously fun needle drops, particularly for those with a soft spot for the music of the early 2000s. Robyn fans especially are going to be delighted by what’s included here. So even when certain moments don’t land quite as effectively as others, there’s a good chance you’ll still be tapping your feet along.

Overall, while Voicemails for Isabelle doesn’t quite hit the mark on the romance front, there’s still plenty to enjoy. From the brilliant and hilarious film references to its raw and honest exploration of grief, there are more than enough memorable moments here to make it a worthwhile watch at home this weekend. Just don’t go in expecting an instant classic that’s destined to earn a place in your annual romcom rotation.