‘Oh, Hi!’ Review: Molly Gordon Puts Logan Lerman Through Misery in Sophie Brooks' Dark, Saucy Situationship Rom-com | Sundance 2025
Sophie Brooks' Oh, Hi! is going to embolden plenty of Brooklyn girls stuck in situationships with bum-ass Bushwick soft boys, and I, for one, cannot wait to witness the revolution.
Image copyright (©) Courtesy of Sundance Institute
MPA Rating: Not Yet Rated
Runtime: 1 Hr and 34 Minutes
Production Companies: Cliffbrook Films, Watermark Media, QWGmire
Distributor: N/A
Director: Sophie Brooks
Writer: Sophie Brooks
Cast: Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds
Release Date: NR
Twentysomethings Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) are on a romantic getaway to a remote cabin in High Falls, New York. They enjoy many couple activities, including cooking dinner, making out in a nearby lake, and dancing in front of the house. They discover some sex toys in their bedroom closet and decide to get kinky. At first, Iris is chained up but isn't gelling with the idea, so Isaac volunteers to be the Steele to her Grey. After some hot kinky sex, Iris happily says how nice it is they get to commemorate their couple status. On the other hand, Isaac disputes their relationship status, stating they're just having fun. Iris decides to keep him restrained after arguing about his lack of commitment despite the trip they're on and other information that would prove they're in a relationship.
The following day, Iris goes Kathy Bates-branded bananas as she attempts to woo Isaac, while restrained, for 12 hours. When all else fails, she gets her best friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan) and her boyfriend Kenny (John Reynolds) involved in their affair.
Sophie Brooks Delivers The Best Rom-Com In Years Within The First Act
Writer/director Sophie Brooks does an outstanding set-up towards her Misery-inspired turn through an airtight first act that tightly knits the dynamic Isaac and Iris share. She introduces them singing Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' “Real Love” in Iris' car on their way to their cabin, quipping and laughing earnestly. Iris' eccentricity and Isaac's charm balance each other out, and Gordon (who developed the story with Brooks) and Lerman display insanely strong romantic chemistry, unlike most rom-com leads in recent memory. They are not simply two hot actors who rely on their beauty to carry the rom-com aspects, for they are both incredibly charismatic with exquisite comedic timing, even when things turn sour. Iris and Isaac are depicted with fierce romantic aptitude. Eventually, you find yourself asking, “Okay, are y'all looking for a third?” Even during the sex scene that will cause bisexuals to black out at the sight of Lerman being shirtless and chained up to a bed, ridden by Gordon, the actors exhibit authentic grounded awkwardness and jokes as they get it on.
The first act is also brilliantly paced and has several laugh-out-loud moments involving run-ins with supporting players, from a strawberry stand woman they meet on their drive to a creepy neighbor named Steve (David Cross).
Oh, Hi! Cleverly Criticizes The Pains of Modern Dating With Its Misery Twist
Brooks must have spent time in Brooklyn dating noncommittal guys because she portrays Isaac as a fusion of every “soft boy” you meet in the city. You know, the soft boy who pursues you, acts so tender, loving the romantic intimacy and sex of relationships, but when it’s time to drop labels, he smoke-bombs out of there, gaslighting you in the aftermath. This is also a credit to Lerman's performance, who is chained, sometimes ball-and-gagged, which is the funniest (and hottest, depending on who you are) sight in the world. The role would not be feasible without Logan Lerman, who effectively conveys his tortured, frightened temperament, despite his soft-boy demeanor. He maintains a charming exterior throughout, but when he takes a non-committal position, you feel like you did this to yourself.
When the other shoe drops and Brooks strikes its darker edge with Isaac chained up, she delivers a powerful critique of the issues within modern dating for Millennials/Gen-Z through Iris' desperate attempts to keep Isaac as her boyfriend and the arguments they share. Each conversation reveals alarming details about their relationship up to that point, usually resulting in the viewer being firmly rooted on Iris' side. I'm of the mindset that Iris did nothing wrong. Dating in NYC sucks. As previously mentioned, this film will embolden girls dating a soft boy right now as like a cinematic “how to keep your lover boy guide.” It is infused with an unwavering sense of cheekiness and dark humor that only intensifies, yet perfectly positions Gordon to showcase her comedic talents.
Oh, Hi! Is The Molly Gordon Leading Vehicle She Deserves
Believe it or not, Oh Hi! is the first time Molly Gordon took control in a leading role. Some might say Theater Camp, but that's largely an ensemble piece, like Abbott Elementary. Regardless, Gordon broadens her comedic repertoire, embracing a darker side and displaying madness with ferocity and humanity. Gordon nonchalantly hints at Iris' deeply restrained violent nature early on with ninja-like line delivery. When Iris' heel turn ensues and she ensures Isaac won't leave her, you feel every ounce of her pain and panic of having to return to the Hunger Games arena of modern dating. Gordon carries the film with sheer confidence and control, simultaneously pulling off unsettling behavior and comedy. There’s one low-angled close-up shot of her staring at the French toast she's frantically cooking for Isaac and she’s unsure whether he likes the dish. She's actively sharing her versatility, from dancing and singing to channeling the notions between a peacock and a siren and sharing the same objective to attract her mate. It's beyond baffling that Gordon hasn't led a movie to date. Oh, Hi! is possibly the strongest she’s comedically been to date, Theater Camp included. Let her straight-up lead more movies; she’s HILARIOUS.
Oh, Hi! Wears Out Its Welcome Halfway Through
A general issue I've been having with most of the Sundance features has been pacing. Some movies felt like shorts stretched out for far too long, or features that could've used a 15-minute shave. This is one of those. Once Kenny and Max enter the scene, Oh, Hi!'s plotting becomes more contrived, and the comedic bits shared between them are less amusing than the earlier highlights. Viswanathan and Reynolds are excellent comedic additions, with every delivery from Reynolds as the supportive, easy-going boyfriend generating a heavy laugh. However, the story’s direction (which involves witchcraft) isn't pushed to the level of absurdity it should've reached.
Final Thoughts
Sophie Brooks’ Oh, Hi! (or “Molly Gordon’s Misery while in ‘Misery’ by Maroon 5”) is a sharp, sexy, and sinister commentary about the omnipresent issues of non-commitment and miscommunication that plague modern Millennial dating. Granted, it goes on for longer than it should but it's such a fun ride and bears a career-best performance from Molly Gordon. Now to watch every girl trick their situationship in a cabin in the woods and leave them chained. As they should.
