It's about time Molly Gordon got a role that knows what to do with her.
Don't mistake me. The American actress has been delivering stellar supporting turns in a string of acclaimed comedies, from coming-of-age comedies like Booksmart and Good Boys, where she played back-to-back smart party girls, to playing opposite Rachel Sennott as her rightfully surly ex in the anxiety-inducing Shiva Baby. Gordon's beloved on the small screen too, as the saintly Claire "Bear" Dunlap in TV's award-winning comedy series The Bear. But even Theater Camp, which Gordon co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in, didn't fully explore her comedy chops. But writer/director Sophie Brooks' Oh, Hi! proves a sensational showcase for Gordon's unique brand of earnest, edgy absurdity.
Playing a young woman who embraces sex, love, and a bit of kidnapping, Gordon — who shares a story credit with Brooks — creates a complicated and compelling comedy heroine that's a satirical antihero, representing the perils of modern dating.
Oh, Hi! is a must-see sex comedy.
It's a sunny weekend when Iris (Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) head out to a cozy cabin for a romantic getaway in Upstate New York. The remote setting is a perfect place to get away from the stress of living in the city life, and indulge in the joys of vacation sex. Admittedly, it's less than ideal when their frolic in the pond is interrupted by a nosy neighbor (a perfectly irked David Cross), but whether preparing a succulent meal, plunging a busted toilet, or snooping in the owner's closet to find sex toys, Iris and Isaac seem well-matched. So, why is he saying he's not her boyfriend?
After a terrific day and romantic night capped off with some light BDSM, Iris is absolutely flabbergasted to realize she and Isaac have very different views of their relationship. (Cue Chappell Roan's "Casual"!) Heartbroken but determined, Iris decides the only way Isaac can see them as she does is to leave him handcuffed to that big bed, while she takes 12 hours trying to convince him of just how compatible they are.
The premise has shades of Pedro Almódovar's black comedy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! for sure. But Brooks and Gordon make this movie distinctly their own with a keen awareness of the ups and downs of dating in America in this moment, where growing awareness of therapy, kink, and open communication has somehow made the battle of the sexes more confusing than ever.
Oh, Hi! wisely keeps its most crucial scene offscreen.
In a shrewd move, the key moment at the center of this conflict happens offscreen. Iris and Isaac refer back to a conversation they had before this weekend, before the movie even began. There'll be no convenient flashback to cement how it played out. Instead, we only have their contrasting accounts in this moment to figure out who said what. And in that way, Oh, Hi! plays less like Rashomon — with its different viewpoints clearly presented — and more like a juicy AITA from Reddit.
Who is the asshole? Is it the guy who acted like a boyfriend — including cooking scallops on a weekend getaway he planned — with no intentions to commit? Or is it the girl who took his rejection as a sign she should keep him chained to a bed while she calls in her best friend (Drive-Away Dolls' Geraldine Viswanathan) — and her best friend's attached-at-the-hip boyfriend (Search Party's John Reynolds) — for backup?
The answer might seem obvious, sure. But Oh, Hi!'s defiantly bouncy humor keeps the kidnapping plotline delightfully daffy, while that ache of emotional betrayal remains smartly sharp. The movie becomes about more than the boy in the ball gag chained to the bed, expanding to topics like consent, consideration, communication, and ride-or-die relationships. It's essentially a comedy that imagines the best-case scenario of chasing down those intrusive thoughts that might creep in after you've been ghosted again.
Molly Gordon is perfection in Oh, Hi!
Where fans of The Bear have moaned about Gordon's character being too one-note nice in Season 3, here the actress subverts that simple sunniness by exploring her dark side. Iris isn't out to hurt Isaac. But with him as her literal captive audience, she chucks herself into romantic cliches to woo him. Satisfyingly silly sequences are built around mundane things, like making breakfast in bed, and unexpected things like a clumsy, nude attempt at moonlit witchcraft.
In each instance, Gordon risks falling into the trap of Manic Pixie Dream Girl, a trope where a gorgeous woman is made to be preciously non-threatening yet inspiring to the male protagonist, so he might grow. But because of the central bondage element, the audience can't shake off that Iris is threatening. And within that, Gordon displays a raw vulnerability that is in turn alarming and achingly relatable.
Yet all this might be for naught if she weren't matched by her captive and co-conspirators. Lerman sparks enticing chemistry with Gordon, which becomes tension as they shift from fucking to fighting. And even with his hands tied, he's skilled at landing a wry punchline or a withering remark. As Iris' bestie Max, Viswanathan brings the loose spontaneity that made her mesmerizing on Miracle Workers, while Reynolds brings hilarious wife-guy energy, whether small-talking or laying out legal obstacles to just letting Isaac go. And then there's Cross, who finely tunes his gruffness to become an offbeat ally in this delicious, chaotic comedy.
In the end, Brooks and Gordon have made something beyond a very funny sex comedy. With a bold premise, clever character development, and a cracking ensemble cast, they've made a daring sex comedy that deserves to be compared to the likes of early Pedro Almodóvar (especially Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!) or Emma Seligman (Shiva Baby, Bottoms). Simply put, they've crafted a comedy as current and enthralling as it is outrageous. And by rights, it should prove Gordon is a star.
