"Voicemails for Isabelle": Netflix Rom-Com or Creepy Thriller? 📱💔
"Voicemails for Isabelle": Netflix Rom-Com or Creepy Thriller? 📱💔
New Netflix film "Voicemails for Isabelle" starring Zoey Deutch & Nick Robinson blurs lines between rom-com and creepy. Critics debate if it's cute or unsettling. Find out why!
Netflix's latest romantic comedy, "Voicemails for Isabelle," starring Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson, is generating buzz, though perhaps not all positive. Critics are grappling with whether the film successfully delivers a heartwarming romance or veers uncomfortably into creepy thriller territory. The premise itself sets a peculiar stage. Zoey Deutch plays Jill, a woman consumed by grief for her late sister. In an attempt to feel connected, she begins leaving voicemails on her sister's old phone number. Unbeknownst to her, the number has been reassigned to Wes, played by Nick Robinson. Instead of ignoring the messages, Wes listens, then takes it a step further: he uses the information gleaned from these deeply personal voicemails to track Jill down and integrate himself into her life. He eventually wins her heart, all while keeping the secret of how he truly came to know about her. This unusual setup has led reviewers to question the film's tone. The Guardian, for instance, suggests the movie exists on "a fine line between romantic comedy and creepy thriller," noting that the film itself seems to wink at this unsettling aspect. Characters within the movie even refer to the male lead as a "creeper," hinting at the filmmakers' awareness of the ambiguous nature of Wes's actions. The movie taps into a broader cultural conversation about romantic gestures that, upon closer inspection, might be seen as manipulative or stalker-like. Past discussions around films like "Sleepless in Seattle" (when re-evaluated as a horror movie) and recent releases such as "I Love You Forever" and "Obsession" have explored this very dynamic, where grand romantic acts can be rooted in questionable intent. While aiming for a rom-com feel, "Voicemails for Isabelle" is described by some as "mushy" and "overlong," indicating a struggle to balance its emotional depth with its potentially unsettling elements. The central dilemma for viewers and critics alike is whether Wes's actions are endearing or alarming, and if the film successfully navigates this complex emotional landscape.
