Sony Pictures Classics
In a time when rom-coms are few and far between in theaters — let alone fresh, surprising ones — Oh, Hi! arrives like a lightning bolt. A rom-com that completely throws out the rulebook and dares to be weird, dark, funny, and totally unpredictable — and somehow makes it work. Enter Oh, Hi! — a film that looks like a standard ‘rental house romance’ on the outside, but unpacks into a chaotic, hilarious, and deeply surprising ride that’s equal parts screwball comedy, twisted love story, and magical fever dream.
Directed by Sophie Brooks and co-created by The Bear breakout Molly Gordon, who also stars, Oh, Hi! is the kind of movie you feel was made on a whim in the best possible way. And that’s not just a vibe — it actually was. The film was conceived by Gordon and Brooks over a single weekend, with the full screenplay reportedly written in just two and a half weeks. That creative rush bleeds through in every scene, giving the movie a sense of spontaneity and edge that you rarely find in more polished, studio-safe projects.
The plot kicks off mid-relationship, throwing us into the middle of a dreamy vacation between Iris (Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman, showing major range). They’re renting a house, cooking together, and acting very much like a couple in the honeymoon phase. But we don’t get much context — we don’t know how long they’ve been dating or what exactly brought them together. And strangely, we don’t need to. Their chemistry speaks volumes. The connection between Gordon and Lerman is magnetic, full of playful banter and intimate tension, and you buy into it instantly.
But just when you think you’ve settled into a relaxing weekend romance … Oh, Hi! pulls the rug out.
During a flirtatious night that turns into light bondage, Isaac — while literally tied up — confesses that he doesn’t see this relationship going anywhere serious. He’s just having fun. Cue a record scratch and a massive tonal shift. Iris is floored — and so are we. What follows is an escalation that, on paper, sounds absolutely unhinged but somehow works like gangbusters on screen.
Iris refuses to untie Isaac. What starts as a passive-aggressive response snowballs into a full-blown hostage situation. Hours pass. Then an entire day. When emotional manipulation doesn’t work, Iris brings in backup — her friend Max (the scene-stealing Claudia O’Doherty) and Max’s aloof boyfriend Kenny — who all soon realize that they’re now accomplices in a literal crime. But instead of panicking, the group spirals even further into absurdity. They attempt a potion-based memory-erasure spell. There’s a nudity-filled ritual. There are chickens. It’s delightfully deranged.
Sony Pictures Classics
The movie’s second half is where audiences may divide. Some may see the events as too over-the-top to believe. Others — myself included — will be totally on board with the madness. What makes it work is the commitment from the cast and the unexpected emotional core underneath all the insanity. This isn’t chaos for the sake of it. There’s a sharp undercurrent about miscommunication, emotional cowardice, and the way people pretend to be okay with ‘casual’ when they’re actually longing for connection.
Lerman, in particular, gives a standout performance. He starts off as a charming, if slightly clueless, guy who’s clearly trying to avoid emotional intimacy. But as the story unravels, we see layers of guilt, vulnerability, and even fear. By the time he escapes — pretending the ritual worked, only to crash his car on a rainy road — we’re just as confused and heartbroken as Iris.
And then there’s that ending. Iris finds Isaac injured in a valley. There’s no grand gesture or fairy tale kiss. Instead, they finally talk. Really talk. The walls drop. They both admit where they messed up. They see each other clearly — maybe for the first time. It’s messy, unresolved, and completely honest. And that’s why it hits.
Oh, Hi! might not be for everyone. Some viewers will be thrown by its genre-bending chaos or the morally questionable decisions the characters make. But for those willing to go along for the ride, it’s an unexpected gem. It dares to say that love isn’t always neat. That sometimes, people hurt each other. That growth can come from the most bizarre places.
Rom-coms are often dismissed as predictable or formulaic. Oh, Hi! is anything but. It’s a rom-com that feels like it crash-landed from another planet, and I mean that as a compliment. It subverts expectations at every turn, challenges the audience’s comfort zones, and still manages to end on a note of sincerity and emotional clarity.
It’s not a perfect film — but it’s bold, funny, unfiltered, and incredibly refreshing. Molly Gordon and Sophie Brooks have created something special here, and I hope they keep taking risks like this. If you’re in the mood for something unconventional but full of heart, give Oh, Hi! a shot.
You might just love it.
Oh, Hi! has a run time of 1 hour 34 minutes, and is rated R for sexual content/some nudity, and language.
Oh, Hi! | Official Trailer
Sony Pictures Classics