'Oh, Hi!' review: Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman comedy loses its spark

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

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Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman are two of the most effortlessly charming actors working today, but even they can’t save “Oh, Hi!” from unraveling into a tonal mess. Writer-director Sophie Brooks starts strong, with a flirty, lived-in vibe as Iris (Gordon) and Isaac (Lerman) head to a lakeside cabin for what looks like a cozy, romantic weekend. There’s Dolly Parton karaoke, roadside strawberry stands, and impromptu scallop-cooking. (Who makes scallops on vacation?!)

But just when you think you’re watching a Gen Z “Before Sunrise,” the movie shifts gears, and not in a good way. Without giving too much away, let’s just say handcuffs are involved. The film attempts a twisty, darkly comic detour involving relationship expectations, miscommunication, and a bondage scene that derails the story entirely.

There’s something to be said about exploring mismatched emotional investments, Isaac thinks this is just a fling, while Iris clearly does not, but the reveal feels both far-fetched and emotionally underbaked. They’ve been dating for four months… and never once talked about what they were? That strains credibility, even for a rom-com trying to go edgy.

At its best, “Oh, Hi!” flirts with a darker, “Teaching Mrs. Tingle” energy that might have worked with a bolder approach. Instead, it keeps pulling its punches, unsure whether to lean into the psychodrama or retreat to quirky comedy. Geraldine Viswanathan and John Reynolds show up late in the game as concerned friends, but even they can’t make sense of the increasingly bizarre scenario.

Gordon and Lerman are game and bring a messy, scrappy energy to their roles, but they’re stuck in a film that can’t decide what it wants to be. There are flickers of insight, especially when Iris vents about how hard it is to meet people organically, but those threads are dropped just as quickly as they’re introduced. “Oh, Hi!” wants to say something about modern dating, but instead, you’ll be too distracted wondering how things got this weird this fast.

Grade: C- 

OH, HI! Is now playing in theaters.