I am convinced that there is no stronger bond than the one between two sisters, which the opening of Voicemails for Isabelle captures perfectly. Isabelle (Iris Everly, then Ciara Bravo) has missed out on many common life experiences due to having cystic fibrosis, which means she lives vicariously through her sister Jill (Alice Comer, then Zoey Deutch). Jill lives life to the fullest so she always has entertaining stories to share with Isabelle—from her first kiss as a child to her present-day escapades training to become a pastry chef in San Francisco, including her refreshingly casual approach to sex and dating. It helps that Jill is unrestrained in how she approaches life, unafraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. But her world comes crashing down when Isabelle, who was awaiting a lung transplant, suddenly dies.
Jill and Isabelle had spoken on the phone constantly, often trading voicemails back and forth, which Jill maintains in her grief: leaving voicemails for her sister. But Isabelle’s number was reassigned to workaholic Wes (Nick Robinson), a real estate agent who just got a new work phone. Wes listens to Jill’s voicemails out of curiosity and quickly grows invested in her and her candid personality. He finds them hilarious and entertaining, easily charmed by Jill’s expansive and unfiltered emotional expression. Jill’s voicemails are a great way to get to know her because, in talking to her sister who knew everything about her, she is unguarded and the most herself. Eventually, Wes travels to San Francisco to orchestrate the perfect meet-cute, using the knowledge he learnt from Jill’s voicemails to his advantage—despite his friends Breeda (Leah McKendrick) and Andy (Harry Shum Jr.) warning him to either let Jill heal in peace or tell her Isabelle’s number was reassigned.
Written and directed by Leah McKendrick, Voicemails for Isabelle is unavoidably a tearjerker. I cried significantly within the first fifteen minutes, and then sporadically throughout. The film is an emotional rollercoaster, taking us through Jill’s happiness, grief, anger, and many more. It’s heartbreaking at times, but exceptionally rewarding in its emotional beats and still full of humour. The soundtrack is entertaining and memorable, featuring the likes of Peaches, Kesha, Taylor Swift, and Cil, with Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” playing an important role in scenes that made me sob uncontrollably — mainly because of the love that Jill and Isabelle share for each other, and how much Jill cared for and showed up for Isabelle. Additionally, the film is visually gorgeous, making use of its gorgeous settings with delicious production design, brought to life with warmth by cinematographer Julia Swain.
It’s refreshing to see a character as infectious and full of life as Jill, especially as she continues to live life to the fullest following her sister’s death. Deutch delivers a fantastic performance as she carries a lot of complex emotion in scenes where she’s grieving, flirting with men, having bad hookups, hiding in embarrassment, and even dealing with sexism in the workplace from her demanding boss, Chef Bastien (Nick Offerman). Robinson also brings a lot of heart to Wes. Despite his questionable actions, he has good intentions and it’s easy to be charmed by his character who genuinely cares for Jill. Deutch and Robinson have great chemistry as well as individual charisma, which works alongside the film’s equally fun and deeply emotional story beats to deliver a magnetic experience.
Voicemails for Isabelle isn’t your typical romantic comedy. It’s shaped immensely by grief, especially the loss of a sibling, which takes the forefront. Jill’s relationship with her sister—even after her death—is the film’s strongest element. When Jill says Isabelle is the “love of her life,” it’s believed without question because the film makes sure you feel it. There is no reason for the romance to overshadow this aspect either, though McKendrick’s script could’ve benefited from slightly strengthening Wes’s inclusion. With MFA (writer), Scrambled (writer-director), and now Voicemails for Isabelle under her belt, it’s safe to say that McKendrick is a generational talent. Thankfully, she has many more projects lined up. Let’s fund this gal!!
Voicemails for Isabelle is available to watch on Netflix from 19th June.
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