Netflix romcom 'Voicemails for Isabelle' draws sharp criticism for being creepy rather than cute

Netflix’s latest romantic comedy 'Voicemails for Isabelle' has received negative reviews for its attempt to balance a creepy premise with traditional romcom tropes. The plot follows Jill (Zoey Deutch), who, grieving her deceased sister, leaves voicemails on her old phone number, which now belongs to stranger Wes (Nick Robinson). He listens to them and uses the information to track her down and insert himself into her life. Writer-director Leah McKendrick tries to acknowledge the awkwardness of the setup through self-referential humor, but critics argue the film lacks the charm needed to make it work. The story is compared unfavorably to 2023's 'Love Again', which similarly failed. The film includes two Taylor Swift songs, a running-in-the-rain climax, and curated outfits, but at nearly two hours, it feels overlong and fails to develop believable chemistry between the leads. 'Voicemails for Isabelle' is now streaming on Netflix.