Written by Ronnie Gorham
In a genre stuffed with reheated rom-com’s, writer-director Leah McKendrick (Scrambed) breathes life into an instant classic with Voicemails for Isabelle, finding a surprisingly smooth way to blend grief and romance into something that feels fresh. The film stars Zoey Deutch as Jill, a young chef who vents her wins and losses in life to her late sister, Isabelle (Ciara Bravo), through voicemails left on her old cell phone. What Jill doesn’t know is that the number has been redirected to Wes, played by Nick Robinson. What follows is a charming, slightly off-beat story about love, loss and chasing the version of your life you actually want.
Why this rom com stands out is simple relatability. Dating is hard and most of us have gone out with someone who is clearly a red flag but you did it anyway. Jill, unfortunately, does it more than once, first with a bartender, then with a tech guy who seems a little too good to be true. And because sometimes the universe hates you, life piles on more stuff like a horrible boss, a Temu version of Gordon Ramsay played by Nick Offerman as Chef Bastien. Between her messy dating life and her nightmare kitchen reality, Jill’s frustrations feel real, and that makes you want to root for her.
Wes matches Jill’s energy. He’s handsome, charming and has a grounded calm that balances Jill’s chaos. Their romance is both cute and believable, the kind of unexpected love that sneaks up on you and it’s exactly what Jill needs after a long streak of dating losers. It’s the kind of love we all search for.
Even though Wes ends up listening to Jill’s voicemails by accident, their chemistry is undeniable from the moment they meet. Wes isn’t just a handsome, charming guy, he brings a groundedness that balances Jill’s chaos. Their romance feels cute and believable. For example, unlike the red flag guys that were quick to try and jump in bed with Jill, even when Jill is ready to take things to the next level, Wes chooses to slow down and do things the right way.
McKendrick brings a warm, authentic touch that makes the film feel rooted in our actual reality. Like the close sister dynamic in the opening sequence to the back and forth banter Jill and Isabelle have at the beginning of the film. Her direction and writing with Jill lean into the everyday messiness of dating different backgrounds, different cultures, different expectations, and it gives the story a great perspective—especially set in a diverse place like California. The dialogue helps seal it, nothing feels cheesy, over the top or like movie characters pretending to be real people. To top it off, it has a lot of great songs that complement the movie, like Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own”, which plays during the opening and closing of the film.
Voicemails for Isabelle is a genuinely delightful rom-com that honestly deserved a theatrical run. Zoey Deutch shines and Nick Robinson plays the perfect flawed but good romantic lead. So, grab some popcorn, crack open your favorite drink and settle in Voicemails for Isabelle. It is absolutely worth your time.
