Not only have I just finished binge-watching Off Campus and I Will Find You, but I’ve also come across this gem of a movie, Voicemails for Isabelle. I know I’ve really be slacking on book reviews for my blog, but man, have I really hit the jackpot with some of these shows and movies. Voicemails for Isabelle is definitely one of those jackpot finds. 

Don’t get me wrong: this movie definitely had its flaws (starting with the odd comic relief). There were too many things, though, that tugged on your heartstrings for me to not love it. So, what did I love about this movie?

I’ll start with the acting since it’s probably the lowest priority on my list of “loves”. Zoey Deutch is absolutely perfect for Jill’s awkward, “tries to laugh at everything”, character. She plays that role perfectly even if the character felt like a little too much sometimes. I have loved her as an actress for a long time, and this movie makes me love her a little bit more. Nick Robinson did a great job at playing the male romantic lead. He was charming, sweet, unsure of himself in the most adorable way, and so much more. He really brought a lot of the romance to life (and I would say held the romance side of it way more than Zoey Deutch). Zoey Deutch, though, for her part, absolutely carried the emotional weight of this film. Her acting in her love for Isabelle (Ciara Bravo) gave Voicemails for Isabelle that extra something that sets it apart in terms of acting. She had me in tears more than once. 

With the storyline, we’re following Jill as she’s trying to find her place in the world without her little sister, Isabelle. There are a ton of ups and downs (and lots of bad bad dating choices) before she meets Wes. They automatically hit it off and become friends before becoming something a little more. I’ll give the movie this: Wes and Jill did not need to sleep with each other for the viewers to feel their chemistry, which I seriously appreciate (since there were multiple other sex scenes with other people – no nudity). The ending is soft, sweet, heartwarming, and absolutely uplifting the way you need it to be for an emotional rollercoaster like this one. 

Here’s where the real shining star comes in: the sisters’ bond. I’m serious guys. This movie isn’t a romance. It’s a letter to your sister. Your soulmate in a way that a guy just can’t compare. I literally texted my sister that I loved her while watching this movie because that’s how much it made me feel. The writers did SUCH AN AMAZING job with this bond and relationship. The romance between Jill and Wes came in second by a long shot to the relationships between Jill and her sister, Isabelle. I wrote a book with this same sisterhood bond (and letters from the grave) called You Were Always There that this movie really reminded me of. I cannot say how much I adore the sister trope enough. 

Now, as far as what I didn’t like: the comic relief was way too much for me. It felt a lot like this movie didn’t know what it wanted to be. Comedy or drama? Romantic drama or rom-com? Just when you’re getting into a super emotional scene, Jill says something that completely pulls you out of the emotion (which is a super huge no-no for me because it pulled me out of the movie entirely). I don’t know how everyone else felt about this, but there were times when the comic relief was just not needed at all. Quirky characters are one thing. Quirky characters who overshadow every other emotion in the movie are an entirely different beast. 

Spoilers ahead.

The ending? Omg. The ending. I loved loved when Wes is calling Isabelle asking for a sign and Jill is calling Isabelle at the same time saying it’ll be her last voicemail. Wow. My heart hurts. I cried while Jill dance and Zoey Deutch gets this look in her eyes that just feels like… finality. Like the goodbye that you know her character needs. It was pure perfection and my eyes are still stinging. 

Overall, despite the overpowering comic relief, this movie has actors and actresses who carry a huge punch and help bring the movie to another level. Not only that but the emotional rollercoaster of Jill and Isabelle’s relationship is completely crushing. It really takes the movie higher and pulled me in a way that I haven’t had from a movie in a while. Tears shed? Check. Tissues needed? Double check. Consider me highly satisfied with the emotional high (and lows) this gave me. 

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