Netflix's latest original romantic comedy, Voicemails for Isabelle, has landed on the streaming platform to widespread acclaim, leaving audiences in tears while celebrating the genre's revival. The film, which dropped on Friday, stars Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson and has quickly garnered a remarkable 85% critics' score and 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Premise and Performances
The story follows Jill (Deutch), a chef in San Francisco who copes with the death of her sister Isabelle (Ciara Bravo) by leaving lengthy voicemails on her sister's old phone number. Unknown to Jill, the number has been reassigned to Wes (Robinson), a real estate agent who begins listening to the confessional messages and falls for her. The setup draws comparisons to classics like You've Got Mail and While You Were Sleeping, but critics and fans alike praise its fresh execution.
Critic Tina Kakadelis enthused: 'If Voicemails for Isabelle marks the beginning of a rom com renaissance, we are surely in good hands.' Sherin Nicole of RogerEbert.com wrote: 'Voicemails for Isabelle has a high emotional IQ, a romantic journey you’ll want to follow, and a real sense of the lunacy that makes life hilarious—even when we’re hurting.'
Fan Reactions and Social Media Buzz
Fans have taken to social media to express their adoration. On X, user @packersloren posted: 'Voicemails for Isabelle really brought back romcoms. I laughed, cried, smiled. Best Netflix movie in a while.' @paipixx added: 'I haven’t felt this much joy from a rom-com in a long time.' Another user, Shruti, tweeted: 'I just watched Voicemails for Isabelle and I’m a sobbing mess, rom-coms are so back.'
Jaxon chimed in: 'Voicemails for Isabelle has given me hope for rom-coms.' The film has been hailed as an 'instant classic' by many, with one fan rating it '100000/10'.
Director and Inspiration
Written and directed by Leah McKendrick, the film also stars Nick Offerman, Lukas Gage, and Harry Shum Jr. McKendrick revealed that the inspiration came from her own sister, Olivia Isabelle. 'It was based on a love for the fact that my sister taught me how to love,' she told Forbes. The voicemail concept originated at a comedy club, where a roommate's story about her father's voicemails sparked the idea. 'If my sister were to die, I would keep calling her,' McKendrick recalled. 'It’s my love letter to sisterhood, even the sisters that we choose.'
Comparisons and Legacy
Deutch has drawn comparisons to rom-com queen Meg Ryan, with T3 calling her 'one of the few actors who can hold a candle to Ryan’s level of chutzpah.' A fan on Instagram insisted: 'If there’s a modern rom-com Mount Rushmore, Zoey Deutch absolutely deserves a spot on it.' The film follows Netflix's recent rom-coms Office Romance and People We Meet on Vacation, continuing the streamer's push into the genre.
Voicemails for Isabelle is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.
