Tribeca Film Festival 2025 Review: “Oh, Hi!”
By Morgan Roberts
Director: Sophie Brooks
Writer: Sophie Brooks
Stars: Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds, Polly Draper, David Cross
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2025
Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) go on their first trip as a couple. In idyllic Upstate New York, the pair enjoy the scenery, the solitude, and time together. That is, until the definition of their relationship becomes the topic of discussion. Soon learning the two are on completely different wavelengths, Iris goes to great lengths to show Isaac what defining their relationship could mean for him. As her tactics begin to get out of hand, she calls Max (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Kenny (John Reynolds) for some assistance. “Oh, Hi!” from writer/director Sophie Brooks is an audacious, cerebral, and deeply empathic rom dramedy that tackles the current state of dating.
“Oh, Hi!” explores what happens when two individuals are confronted with their disparate viewpoints. What lengths would one go to in order to maintain their current relationship? And what does it say about the state of interpersonal relationships that the ante feels so high? Nevertheless, “Oh, Hi!” manages to walk a fine line between humor, horror, surrealism, and It is really tricky to balance the film’s wit and charm with the twists and turns that it takes. But those shifts are executed seemingly effortless fashion.
Gordon and Lerman are tasked with having to make both these characters seem deeply in love - or lust? - as well as land the catalyst shift. And it is truly easy to believe both, especially as the film progresses. If Lerman played Isaac as a stereotypical ass, oozing with arrogance, hubris, and knowing he absolutely owns a “Saturdays Are For The Boys” flag, it would be difficult to buy into the spiral we witness Iris descend through. Likewise, if Gordon has chosen to go to “Fatal Attraction” on steroid levels of unhinged, it might be hard to sympathize with her. Both actors walk a fine line, and do so brilliantly to ensure the humanness, no matter how off the walls the circumstances become, shines through.
Isaac (Logan Lerman) and Iris (Molly Gordon) in “Oh, Hi!” | Sony Pictures Classics | Tribeca Film Festival
Male characters in films directed by women are always quite interesting to me; there is a grace that many male filmmakers do not give to themselves. Lerman took those facets of Isaac, sometimes contradictory elements to his character, and ran with them. He could be utterly charming one moment and patronizing the next. Lerman ensures the messy culminations of characteristics undermines one another. There is a reflective quality to his performance that is truly striking.
Meanwhile, Gordon has to allow Iris’ murky messiness to be big and bold - which is always entertaining and exciting to see women on film be brash and plucky. I think in lesser hands, both on the page and in the performance, Iris could have been reduced to a caricature of unwell, unhinged, “crazy women,” I know I saw regurgitated in media throughout much of my own youth. And while the film certainly plays with how diminutive that can be, they never allow Iris to embody it. The same way Isaac is allowed to be layered and nuanced, so does Iris. But Gordon gets to add those in really subtle ways. Iris is a character who wears her heart on her sleeve, and her vulnerabilities are really cared for in Gordon’s performance.
With a film as bold as “Oh, Hi!” the stakes have to rise, and cleverly the film uses the full introduction of Max and Kenny to add further dynamics to the situation. Max and Kenny as a couple give an interesting comparison point for Iris and Isaac, especially with the latter pair being at odds. Max and Kenny are very supportive of one another, there is a very clear mutual respect, and as they come to support Iris, they work really well together to problem solve. Moreover, having Max come into story adds to Iris’ journey. Seeing Iris in an unhealthy dynamic with Isaac then contrasting it with her healthy friendship with Max gives depths to Iris interpersonal relationships we wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise. Max is a pragmatic ride-or-die, never condoning Iris’ lengths, but never dismissing the feelings and vulnerabilities that led her to those moments. She shows up in tangible ways - some bordering on more drastic than others - giving both practical solutions and emotional support. “Oh, Hi!” reteams Gordon and Viswanathan after first appearing in the 2020 film, “The Broken Hearts Gallery.” Their friendship in the film adds levity and solidarity in truly impactful ways.
The film is a refreshingly rich text, one with layers that come forth in exciting ways upon each rewatch. Subsequent rewatches give the audience to the space to dig deep into the facets you originally absorbed subconsciously. Much of that is due to Brooks’ script which feels razor sharp from frame one. Then, as director, she has a keen eye on when to utilize the visual medium of filmmaking to play around with the tone. “Oh, Hi!” is an original and deeply human exploration of how we navigate our relationships. With captivating performances, a razor sharp script, and subversive contextualizations, “Oh, Hi!”is an audaciously fun roller coaster of a film.
Grade: A
Pair This Film With: “Band Aid” (2017) dir. Zoe Lister-Jones; “The Heartbreak Kid” (1972) dir. Elaine May; “Ruby Sparks” (2012) dirs. Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton