You ever tie someone up and then leave them there? Me either. But it sure makes an interesting inciting incident for a movie. Something much more relatable is the romantic getaway––an important milestone in any new relationship. All that unadulterated time together does wonders to get to know someone, truths unearthed and informing the future of a relationship. Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac’s (Logan Lerman) trip kicks off like an AirBnb commercial in Oh, Hi! But what begins as a fun weekend loses its appeal; unfortunately the film follows suit.
On their first trip together, Iris and Isaac enjoy the platonic ideal of a weekend away: duetting Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ “Islands in the Stream,” reading while drinking big glasses of wine on the porch, and having spontaneous day sex on the couch. The two make a cute pair backed up by Gordon and Lerman’s natural onscreen chemistry. The small details about Iris’s intense feelings towards her partners raise an occasional eyebrow but are quickly brushed off. Unfortunately for Isaac, when things get a little kinky between the two, Iris snaps.
When Iris classifies the two as a couple, Isaac is quick to clarify that he’s not interested in a relationship. After they begin arguing the semantics of who previously said what, Iris storms from the room, leaving Isaac naked with his feet and hands bound to the bed frame. She returns the next morning imploring Isaac to give her 12 hours to make the case for them to be together. When an angry Isaac demands to be let free, Iris threatens to stab him; a freaked-out Isaac has no choice but to appease Iris’ demand. It’s a clever blend of Gerald’s Game and Saw if Jigsaw was a millennial brunette who gets a little too mad when her coffee order is wrong.
Isaac becomes a literal captive audience for Iris to unload her life story and opinions, itself a showcase for Gordon’s comedic abilities. With Isaac still not convinced, she enlists the help of her friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan) who’s come with her boyfriend Kenny (John Reynolds). The introduction of each new character to the dynamic provides a playful boost of energy; both Viswanathan and Reynolds are solid comic performers who round out the principal cast nicely. Max comforts Iris as a ride-or-die friend while Kenny becomes the sympathetic prison guard. Once they turn accomplice to Iris’ felony (Kenny is a true-crime nut who becomes their ad-hoc legal authority) the trio run out of ideas on what to do next. As does the film.
What starts as an engaging satire of relationships and the Internet’s ability to provide us with the answers we want (rather than the ones we need) fails to keep up its momentum. The complications of holding someone captive (e.g. feeding them by hand and holding a bowl while they pee) are a comedic stream that quickly runs dry. Even cheeky references to the film’s title stop around the halfway point. Just as the characters reach for their next move, so does the screenplay. A promising turn to witchcraft is set-up for an unsuccessful payoff.
The story turns to interrogating who is at fault. Max describes Isaac as a “soft boy,” which is like a “fuck boy” who frivolously engages in relationship activities rather than sex. Kenny and Isaac share a heart-to-heart about how men are biologically programmed to see relationships as threats, which comes off like a questionable comment on an AITAH Reddit post. It’s an uneven start for Sophie Brooks’ feature debut, but there’s enough enjoyment to be encouraged about a follow-up project.
There are perspectives on communication, trust, or the pitfalls of looking at the world with rose-colored glasses, but the screenplay isn’t interested in interrogating any of that. Instead everyone just kind of reaches a solution on their own. Blame is placed on both parties and no one really learns a lesson in Oh, Hi!’s unsatisfying ending. David Cross is fun in it, though.
Oh, Hi! premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.