VOICEMAILS FOR ISABELLE

Director: Leah McKendrick
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, Harry Shum Jr, Leah McKendrick, Lukas Gage, Nick Offerman, Ciara Bravo

Some movies hook me within seconds if they’ve chosen the proper song to open their film. I was hooked on Voicemails for Isabelle the moment I heard Robyn’s iconic song “Dancin’ On My Own.” Zoey Deutch is one of those underrated gems who is consistently strong no matter what genre she’s playing in. She’s terrific at rom-coms and stars here as Jill. Jill and her sister, Isabelle (Ciara Bravo), were inseparable. Jill is an aspiring dessert chef chasing her dreams working under a French chef (Offerman). His claim to fame was that he was once on Top Chef, and Jill has a coveted position in his kitchen. Isabelle has long suffered from Cystic Fibrosis and suddenly passes away. It’s devastating news for Jill who can’t bear to see her sister pass. Time goes on, but Jill still leaves voicemails on Isabelle’s phone as a way to stay connected with her. What she doesn’t know is that her phone number has now been reassigned to a young commercial real estate agent. Nick Robinson plays Wes who hears the voicemails and becomes smitten with Jill even though he’s never met her. In true rom-com fashion, he flies to meet her in San Francisco but can’t bring himself to tell her the truth. Harry Shum, Jr. and Leah McKendrick are scene-stealers playing Wes’ friends who kick his ass into gear when he needs it most. Now streaming on Netflix

Here’s my review