Romantic comedies and romance films in general these days are not like how they were back in the 90s and early 2000s—at least that’s my impression of the movies I’ve seen of this genre in recent years. And as a longtime fan of the genre, I’ve watched a lot of them! Coming off my recent disappointment with JLo’s most recent rom-com, Office Romance, I watched Netflix’s most recent rom-com release, Voicemails for Isabelle, with little expectation and a whole lot of skepticism, especially after hearing people say it’s a modern You’ve Got Mail.
You’ve Got Mail is such a classic romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, and it’s one of my ultimate favorite rom-coms to watch! “Modern You’ve Got Mail, huh? Well, I’ll be the judge of that!” I thought as I renewed my Netflix subscription to stream it.
What Voicemails for Isabelle is All About
Voicemails for Isabelle follows the story of a young woman, Jill. Even after losing her little sister, she continued to talk to her and give her life updates by leaving voicemails on her old number. Little did she know that the mobile number now belongs to Nick, a real estate agent who lives in Austin, Texas. He begins to hear her confessions and becomes intrigued by the mysterious woman who keeps leaving voicemails for her sister.
It stars Zoey Deutch as Jill, whom I first loved in another cute Netflix rom-com, Set It Up, alongside Nick Robinson as Wes. Harry Shum Jr. and Leah McKendrick, who’s also the film’s writer and director, play supporting roles as Wes’s friends and the voice of reason.
While Wes lives in Austin, much of the story unfolds in San Francisco, where Jill works as an aspiring pastry chef. He eventually travels to San Francisco, hoping to finally meet the woman behind the heartfelt messages.
And that’s why it’s the modern You’ve Got Mail. Instead of falling in love with written words sent via email, though, Wes falls in love with Jill, who leaves voicemails on his phone. But is Voicemails for Isabelle as cute as the movie it’s being compared to? Does it bring on all the kilig feels?
YES!
What Made Netflix’s Voicemails for Isabelle Such a Good Rom-Com?
Nick and Zoey
Much of the movie’s charm comes from its two leads, Zoey and Nick. They’re both cute and incredibly charming in their own ways. I like that Jill is a strong female lead. She’s witty but also emotionally messy. Yet, it’s hard not to adore her, and I think Zoey Deutch has much to do with that.
Wes isn’t exactly emotionally available. While that’s usually a huge red flag—and the kind of guy women are often told to avoid—Nick Robinson somehow makes Wes feel like someone who’s simply figuring things out instead of someone you should immediately write off. Even the lengths he goes to find Jill could have felt creepy, but Nick’s charm keeps him surprisingly easy to root for.
And together, they had a spark, which made it so easy to root for them to be together!
The movie delivers plenty of comedic gold.
I think Taylor Swift fans would appreciate the references to the Reputation era in this movie.
My favorite funny scene in this movie is when Jill goes on a date with dating guru Tyler (Toby Sandeman). He says he must take her to England sometime, and Usher’s “Hey Daddy” (Daddy’s Home) starts playing.
Zoey’s hilarious in this scene! It’s the face of someone caught off guard, ecstatic but also trying not to show it. And I agree that whoever’s idea it was to use this song in this particular scene deserves a raise.
Grand Gestures and a Swoon-Worthy Line
Whether a romantic series or movie, grand gestures are almost always part of the plot. And Voicemails for Isabelle gives us plenty of those!
This scene alone is enough to make rom-com fans’ hearts swoon! And yet, it doesn’t stop there. Nick as Wes makes us swoon even more as he says:
A Soundtrack as Charming as the Story
Voicemails for Isabelle has a lot of great songs that you’d want to play over and over again. From Usher’s Hey Daddy to Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things, they all helped make this movie such a wonderful rom-com to watch. Of course, the most noteworthy of them all is Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own,” which is played most often throughout the movie.
Millennials are likely familiar with Robyn, as she released many great songs in the late 90s. But for those who were too young back then, they’ve probably come to appreciate Robyn now thanks to this movie. I know I’ve been hearing Dancing on My Own in a lot of social media posts lately. It has such an infectious beat. And Voicemails for Isabelle even has a choreographed dance scene for this song that some people might like to learn.
Despite its upbeat rhythm, it’s actually a heartbreak anthem—I know because it was the soundtrack of my life in 2018.
Final Verdict: A Rare Rom-Com Gem
I consider Netflix’s Voicemails for Isabelle a rare rom-com gem of its time. It’s such a feel-good movie. It will make you laugh and cry. And it’ll make you swoon. It’ll even make you want to dance. It deserves to be called a modern You’ve Got Mail—not just because of the similarities in its premise, but because it captures the same warmth, charm, and optimism that made the 1998 classic so beloved.
Now, Universe, where’s my own Wes at?