‘Voicemails for Isabelle’

By Anna Menta

Written and directed by Leah McKendrick (M.F.A., Scrambled), Voicemails for Isabelle—now streaming on Netflix—feels like it must be based on a book, given how full and realized the characters feel. In fact, it’s an original romantic comedy, first written on spec by McKendrick, bought by Sony back in 2019. Zoey Deutch stars as Jill, an aspiring chef grieving the recent death of her younger sister. She copes by leaving her voicemails for her dead sister, regaling her with tales of her failed dating escapades. As it turns out, those voicemails end up on a new phone of a man named Wes (Nick Robinson) who falls for the funny, smart, grieving girl in his phone. It’s been a minute since a romantic comedy made me feel something, but Voicemails had me sobbing by the end.Voicemails For Isabelle reminded me that there is magic in this genre, when done right.

Photo: DIYAH PERA/NETFLIX ©2026