Tag: romcom

Just like old times

My Review of Voicemails for Isabelle


Last night I spent my evening watching Voicemails for Isabelle, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it.

I shared here immediately how I couldn’t shake the feeling that it reminded me of a book I had read before.

What surprised me most was how quickly the movie pulled me in.

About fifteen minutes into the movie, I actually checked the time because I couldn’t believe how much had already happened. So many emotions were already coming up for me, and the movie had barely started. It felt packed in the best possible way.

By the time I was an hour in, I was getting those old-school rom-com vibes. Some months ago, I wrote about how much I missed movies like You’ve Got Mail and those romance stories that make you smile, hope, and feel all warm inside. This movie gave me that feeling.

The story was solid. The characters were engaging. The emotions felt real. It was just a wonderful watch.

I could easily have given it a 10 out of 10, but I’m not going to.

As a romance reader and a lover of rom-coms, there’s always that moment I look forward to. That point where the character truly realizes they were wrong, owns it, grows from it, and you can feel the weight of that realization. I wanted a little more of that here.

The reunion was good, but I wanted more emotion. I wanted to see the pain in the eyes, the regret, the vulnerability, the growth. I wanted that moment to hit a little harder than it did.

Still, that’s a small complaint in what was otherwise a beautiful movie.

This isn’t just a romance. It’s also about family, love, grief, healing, sisterhood, and connection. It makes you feel more than one thing, and I appreciate movies that can do that.

So my final rating is 9 out of 10.

It’s beautiful. It’s heartfelt. And if you’re someone who loves stories that make you feel, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Have I Read This Movie?

I started watching Voicemails for Isabelle on Netflix this evening. I was in need of a calm romcom and a few hours of entertainment. What I didn’t expect was the nagging feeling that I had somehow read this story before.

A few scenes into the movie, I found myself mentally flipping through the shelves of books I’ve read over the years. I kept asking myself, “Where have I read this before?”
I didn’t have to go too far. The book sat in my recent reads.

Wrong Number, Right Guy by Elle Casey.

Now, to be clear, Voicemails for Isabelle is not an adaptation of Wrong Number, Right Guy. The plots are different. The characters are different… But the emotional experience of the two stories feels remarkably similar.

Both stories revolve around a connection that begins indirectly. In Wrong Number, Right Guy, a mistaken text message opens the door to an unexpected relationship. In Voicemails for Isabelle, voicemails become a bridge between two people. In both cases, words create intimacy before life catches up.

There is something uniquely romantic about getting to know someone’s thoughts before fully knowing the person. Messages strip away appearances, distractions, and first impressions. They allow vulnerability to arrive first.

That is what I recognized.

Both stories capture the anticipation of waiting for the next message. The curiosity of wondering who is on the other side. The comfort that comes from being understood by someone you haven’t fully met. The emotional connection develops through conversations, not circumstances.

As readers and viewers, we’ve seen versions of this trope many times, but when it’s done well, it still works. There is something timeless about two people finding each other through words.

The more I watched Voicemails for Isabelle, the more I realized that what felt familiar wasn’t the storyline itself. It was the emotional rhythm. The same rhythm that made Wrong Number, Right Guy so engaging.

The movie wasn’t a book I’d already read. It simply reminded me why I love reading them.

Have you ever watched a movie that felt so familiar you were convinced you’d already read the book?

Office Romance: What Exactly Did I Just Watch?

I just watched the new Jennifer Lopez movie Office Romance, and I’m honestly not sure what I watched. I asked myself, was it a comedy? Was it a romantic comedy? Was it… something else? I just didn’t get the vibe.

The movie stars Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein, and on paper, this should have worked. The love interest was a solid man, a solid 9 out of 10 for me, and she too is a solid 10 out of 10. The ingredients were there. Attractive leads. Workplace tension. Secret romance. A big-budget Netflix release. Yet somehow, for me, the whole thing felt cheesy… Not charmingly cheesy. Just… cheesy.

What’s interesting is that my reaction isn’t entirely unique.

When you juxtapose my feelings with many of the reviews coming out after the film’s release, a pattern starts to emerge.

Several critics described the movie as struggling to find its tone. Some felt it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to be a classic Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy, a modern workplace satire, or an edgy R-rated comedy. Others complained that the humor felt forced and that the emotional connection between the characters never quite landed. Critics from major publications called it formulaic, awkward, and surprisingly lacking in warmth despite having two charismatic leads.

That said, not everyone hated it.

A number of viewers actually loved the chemistry between Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein. Some fans described the pair as magnetic and said they would happily watch the movie again. Others appreciated that it wasn’t trying to reinvent the romantic comedy genre and simply wanted to entertain.

But even among viewers who enjoyed it, there was a recurring feeling that the film leaned heavily on familiar rom-com tropes. It often felt predictable, and many audience members found themselves seeing plot developments coming from miles away. And as a rom-com monger, I totally agree.

Maybe that’s why I kept waiting for something more.

I wasn’t asking for realism. We don’t watch rom-com for realism. Romantic comedies have never been documentaries. But I was looking for something that felt authentic. Something that made me root for the couple rather than simply acknowledge that they’re both attractive people on my screen.

Instead, I found myself wondering what kind of movie I was actually watching.

The strange thing about Office Romance is that it isn’t a complete disaster. Jennifer Lopez remains effortlessly watchable. I am a huge Lopez fan, I think I clapped enough for her in my post Jennifer Lopez from 20th May, 2023. Brett Goldstein has charm. The cast is talented. The production looks polished.

But good ingredients don’t always make a memorable meal.

In the end, Office Romance feels like a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be but never quite convinces the audience to come along for the ride.

Maybe that’s why, after the credits rolled, my biggest thought wasn’t whether I liked it or hated it.

It was simply:

“What exactly did I just watch?”