A growing number of Netflix viewers are calling the hit romantic comedy 'Voicemails for Isabelle' 'creepy' and 'dangerous' for romanticizing a storyline that involves a man secretly listening to a grieving woman's private voicemails. The film, which has been a word-of-mouth sensation since its release two and a half weeks ago, has slipped to second place on the Netflix charts behind 'Enola Holmes 3' but still holds number one in 73 countries including the UK. However, as initial excitement fades, concerns about its premise are surfacing.
The movie stars Zoey Deutch as Jill, a baker coping with her sister Isabelle's (Ciara Bravo) death by leaving lengthy voicemails for her. The number is reassigned to estate agent Wes (Nick Robinson), who listens to the messages and uses the intimate details to woo Jill. While some fans call it 'an instant classic' and 'absolutely beautiful', others are alarmed. Yomi tweeted: 'Unpopular opinion: Voicemails for Isabelle wasn't romantic. It was creepy.' She argued that the 'normal thing to do' would have been for Wes to tell Jill the number was his, rather than building a connection on information she never knowingly shared.
Expert Calls Behavior 'Stalking'
Criminal behaviour analyst Laura Richards, a former New Scotland Yard officer and expert on stalking and domestic violence, told Metro that Wes's actions constitute stalking. 'He listened to deeply personal messages of a grieving woman and exploited her vulnerability for his own gain. That is not okay. There was a power imbalance from the start,' she said. Richards noted that the scene where Wes travels to Jill's remote bench spot 'made my skin crawl' and argued that without Hollywood charm, his behaviour would be seen as 'sinister and alarming'. She added: 'It's very dangerous to romanticise it using good-looking Hollywood stars. This level of fixation and obsession often results in serious harm including psychological harm and sometimes murder.'
Mixed Reactions from Viewers
Metro's lifestyle reporter Charlie Sawyer shared: 'I thought the entire thing was desperately creepy and invasive. Lying like that is never sexy – it's totally psychotic.' Senior TV reporter Asyia Iftikhar said the scene where Wes goes to the bench after secretly listening 'made my skin crawl'. However, sub-editor Jenny Forsyth admitted: 'I also somehow found it quite romantic that he was that desperate to be with her. What a rom-com sucker I must be!' Fan Izzy on X confessed she 'kinda need[s] my rom-coms to be borderline problematic'.
Writer-director Leah McKendrick has explained that the film was inspired by her relationship with her sister, not a man. She told Forbes: 'It was based on a love for the fact that my sister taught me how to love.' The film had been in development for years, with Hailee Steinfeld and director Sharon Maguire initially attached in 2019. Despite the backlash, many viewers connect with the sisters' central relationship, calling it 'ugly crying' material. Metro has contacted Netflix and McKendrick for comment.
