Iris and Isaac’s first romantic weekend getaway goes awry in a most unexpected way.
Chuck says:
Farce is a tricky thing to pull off. It requires a deft touch as well as a keen sense of how far to push the often-outlandish situations it’s built around. Naturally, the best attempts are often executed by veteran performers and writers, those who have been in this arena before and, most importantly, know how to read an audience as their suspension of disbelief will be pushed to the limit. Knowing when to pull back before it breaks is essential.
With “Oh, Hi,” writers Sophie Brooks and Molly Gordon are able to walk that line for roughly the first half of this rom com gone wrong. The film’s timely premise unfolds naturally, and the pacing is spot on while the two protagonists prove appealing. This makes it all the more regrettable when things jump the tracks. A situation develops that becomes increasingly more ridiculous to the point we leave farce far behind, Brooks, who also directed, embracing full-on lunacy instead.
Isaac and Iris (Logan Lerman and Gordon) are in the early stages of their relationship and have decided to embark on one of the necessary rituals to see if they are compatible, the weekend away. Hitting the backroads of New York State, they settle into a nice routine, bantering back and forth, flirting here and there and belting out a regrettable duet of “Islands in the Stream.”
Things are going well as a romantic vibe emerges as they utilize a nearby lake, Isaac prepares a meal of scallops, and they engage in passionate sex. They even get a bit adventurous in bed when they find some sexual paraphernalia in one of the closets of the Airbnb they’ve rented. Before you know it, Isaac finds himself cuffed to the bed and, inexplicably, tells Iris he’s not ready for an exclusive relationship and has never thought they were in one.
As with most things in life, timing is everything. Why Isaac would make this confession while totally at Iris’ mercy is illogical. Yet, the “Misery”-like scenario that plays out becomes even more bizarre. Iris regards this as an opportunity rather than a crime. She embarks on a plan to convince her hostage that he really needs her, plying him with his favorite meals in bed while displaying and listing her positive attributes. This is initially amusing yet eventually becomes tedious, while a questionable decision by Isaac, just as he’s about to be freed, makes no sense, coming off as a lazy narrative device to prolong the movie.
A bit of fun returns when the always reliable Geraldine Viswanathan shows up as Iris’ friend, Max and her boyfriend Kenny (John Reynolds) in tow. Seeking their advice regarding the illegality of her actions, the later falls back on his extensive knowledge of “Law and Order” to guide her. This is all too brief, but effective as are Viswanathan’s priceless reactions to her friend’s obvious psychosis.
Credit must be given to the cast as the soldier forth, game for anything, doing their level best to make this increasingly implausible premise work. Lerman and Gordon are very good together, so much so you wish they were in a better movie. Yet, once the idea of that witchcraft be used to remedy Isaac’s hesitance to commit, you know this is beyond salvaging. Brooks and Gordon obviously have a great deal to say regarding the dynamics of modern relationships, and “Oh, Hi” works when it does so. Had they stuck with their troubled couple engaging in intelligent conversation, their point would have been driven home much more effectively.
2 Stars
