Oh, Hi: Odd Dark Comedy

Billed as a romantic comedy, Oh, Hi was a film I was intensely curious about. The bits I’d seen looked funny and there were a couple of the actors that I really like. What baffled me after watching is that it is far more of an odd dark comedy than a romantic comedy. While far from the romantic film I anticipated, I still found it awkwardly funny and the acting was endearing.

Oh, Hi is billed as a romantic comedy film directed by Sophie Brooks and written by Brooks and Molly Gordon. In the film, new couple Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) go on a weekend road trip together that takes some unexpected turns when they discover they have both miscommunicated about the exact state of their relationship. As the pair navigate that miscommunication, things take a turn for the strange as Iris ends up chaining Isaac to a bed to figure out his true feelings. Iris’s best friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan) and her boyfriend Kenny (John Reynolds) show up to help but that leads to more complications as they try to solve the problem without any of them ending up in jail. Ultimately it is about figuring out relationships in the modern age and how to communicate expectations honestly. The film also includes David Cross as Steve, the next door neighbor.

At the heart of this dark comedy is miscommunication. From the very beginning, the writing sets this up as both Iris and Isaac see the sign for the town and see two very different things, Iris seeing O high Falls and Isaac seeing High Falls. This shows that while they have fun together, they truly don’t see things the same way. This escalates when after an intimate moment, Isaac finally reveals that he doesn’t want a lasting relationship. He’s just having fun. Iris sees things very differently and tries to force him to feel the same way as she does. And as we all know that never works. Things get very odd and awkward between the pair fast.

Truthfully, most of the interactions between Iris and Isaac are either sweet at the beginning or awkward once they figure out the truth. The comedy for me is saved by Max and Kenny who are funny, dedicated to Iris but also a loving couple. With lines like Max explaining why she brought Kenny, “You know I don’t like to drive.” or Max getting a spell to make Isaac forget the night from her cousin, Max and Kenny have the best moments. Kenny’s dedication to Max is unforgettable, his line in the sand is killing. There are some funny moments between Iris and Isaac too but most of those scenes are a bit on the ridiculous side.

Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman do have great chemistry and they truly feel like a modern couple having a great time together. Molly plays Iris as overly dramatic who loves Isaac and feels like they have a true connection. Logan Lerman plays Isaac as someone with commitment and intimacy issues who struggles with telling people bad news. They are pitch perfect in their dynamic, each struggling to truly communicate honestly what they want from the relationship. They both also do a great job performing the tension and stress of the situation. Geraldine Visawanathan and John Reynolds are fantastic as Max and Kenny. They feel like a loving and honest couple who are willing to help their friend even in a bad situation. They add a much needed spark of sweet quirky humor to the film.

The problem with the film is that it isn’t a romantic comedy. It is far more believable as a dark comedy. The scenario in the film, where Iris forces Isaac to feel something he doesn’t, ends up feeling cringy and awkward. It helps that the end of the film resolves the relationship in a more positive manner as the pair find a way to be honest with each other and accept responsibility for their actions. While that ends up being great drama, it is far from romantic.

If you like odd dark comedies, this one is quirky and still has some fun moments. The darkness is alleviated by the characters of Max and Kenny and their sweet relationship. The chemistry between Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman is solid and they feel like they are having fun until they aren’t. Logan Lerman and Molly Gordon both do a fantastic job performing both the happy and tense scenes. Their performances are emotional and honest. Ultimately, it is a great view of navigating modern relationships and all the communication roadblocks we can encounter.

Rating: 3.5 strawberries out of 5.