A new couple’s weekend getaway doesn’t go as planned in the dark relationship comedy Oh, Hi!
Iris and Isaac are on the way to a secluded mountain cabin for a weekend, their first as a romantic couple. No, despite my prediction of a certain type of film, they don’t find an arcane book and bring about a night of gory terror. Instead, they find the weekend going awry in ways neither could have expected. It may be scarier to discuss a relationship than fight deadites. “Discuss” might sound like a talky drama, but far from that. Oh Hi, written and directed by Sophie Brooks (with Molly Gordon sharing “story by” credit), is a hilarious, often physical look at modern relationships tying itself to an interesting hook.
It’s a tough thing to try to figure out where we stand early in a relationship. Who is more committed than the other?. Starting to date, spending alone and intimate time when you don’t know the other person well is a little scary (per my memory, I’ve been with my wife for 14 years). What baggage are we bringing in, and how much of it do we share? Especially when spending a weekend alone on a romantic getaway. But what happens when the sitcom-style miscommunication comes to a head, and what one person thinks is a full-fledged relationship, and the other sees it as a fun fling?
Bad timing to have that talk, as Isaac was tied to the bed. Oops. Her heart broken, Iris decides to keep him locked up and make her case that they need to stay a couple, and be fully exclusive. No Gerald’s Game degloving, remember, not a horror film (but I admit my mind went there). It doesn’t take long before she’s called in her best friend and her weird boyfriend to help, leading to a series of wonderfully written discussions on lives, relationships, histories, expectations, and some regular day talks made funny by the situation itself. There is a fantastic sense of character and conversation. I enjoyed listening and laughing to their talks.
Molly Gordon, leading as Iris, is phenomenal. She made a strong impression in 2019 as Triple A in Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart (my favorite film of that year), and since then has been one to watch for me. She co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in the solid and very funny Theatre Camp, and also shares story by credit here (Sophie Brooks has the sole screenwriter, but this feels close to Gordon’s twisted heart). As Iris, she’s delightfully unhinged, flying into madcap rages with increasing intensity. But there is a hurt sweetheart within; we feel for her even when she keeps making strange choices (recall she thinks Misery-ing her lover is a good option). Her large eyes provide all the expression she needs, but she has an incredible physical performance to elevate. This is her movie, through and through (btw, she’s also in the underseen but utterly fantastic anxiety comedy Shiva Baby, go watch that now).
As for the rest, the small cast pulls big work. Logan Lerman effectively plays the straight man to the others’ antics, chained to the bed for most of the run time. He does well playing to all the insanity. Geraldine Viswanathan, scene-stealing in Thunderbolts* earlier this year and leading the unexpectedly hilarious Blockers in 2018, gains big laughs as Max, Iris’s bestie and just as insane sounding board. As Max’s boyfriend, Kenny, John Reynolds earns laughs with his low-key hippie-ish strangeness. David Cross is around as a weirdo neighbor to get some quips. His character isn’t exactly needed; he could be cut with no change to anything, but if you can get David Cross for a day, take it.
Sophie Brooks, in her second feature, keeps the film moving quickly, with the dialogue moving snappily with great timing. She pulls a natural flow to the strange situation and sharp dialogue for her actors. With a small space and cast, she creates a playlike atmosphere with the flow and back-and-forth of a stage performance.
There are a few small hangups. When taking bigger steps for the sake of keeping the film going, some actions feel forced. Even if Iris is a little off in how she thinks, some actions and decisions don’t land; her emotional intelligence shifts. The big gripe in Oh, Hi peters out towards the end, leading to an underwhelming conclusion. There’s a feeling of “well, we are out of ideas… let’ just wrap it up.” A feeling of a missing climax hangs as the credits begin to roll.
Continually hilarious with a great lead, Sophie Brooks’s Oh, Hi is a fun production that gets a lot out of a small cast and a handful of locations. It has great dialogue about relationships, honesty, and the intricacies of how we connect to others. While not perfect, it’s a worthy watch for a date night with your love (watch it if you’re single too; no gatekeeping here).