Voicemails for Isabelle arrived on Netflix on June 19, 2026, and quickly became a hit with audiences. The romantic comedy-drama stars Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson in a story about grief, healing, and an accidental connection through voicemails. The film follows Jill (Deutch), an aspiring pastry chef in San Francisco, who continues to leave voicemails for her late sister Isabelle (Ciara Bravo) after she passes away from cystic fibrosis. What Jill does not know is that Isabelle’s old phone number has been reassigned to Wes (Robinson), a real estate agent in Austin, Texas, who starts receiving her messages. He becomes intrigued by her stories and slowly falls in love with her from afar.
Critics and Audiences Praise the Film
The movie has earned strong reviews since its release. It holds an 84% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 38 reviews and an even higher 91% audience score from over 250 ratings. Critics have pointed to the chemistry between Deutch and Robinson as the film’s biggest strength. Pete Hammond of Deadline wrote that Deutch qualifies for “a spot in the rom-com hall of fame alongside Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson and Meg Ryan.” He also praised Robinson for “perfectly balancing” a role that could have seemed cynical. Jennifer Green of Common Sense Media called the film a “winning combination” of romance, drama, and quirky comedy. The film surged to the top of Netflix’s Top 10 Movies list over its opening weekend and held the number one spot. Many viewers reported being emotionally moved by the story. One user wrote, “I’ve never cried harder in my life than when watching the film.”
A Story Rooted in Real Experience
Writer-director Leah McKendrick based the film on her own experiences. She used to leave long voicemails for her sister Olivia after moving to Los Angeles to pursue her writing dreams. The time difference made it hard for them to catch up, so voicemails became their way of staying connected. McKendrick noted that the messages helped her through some dark times in her life. Her sister is still alive, but the film uses voicemails as a way to process loss.
The Cast and Their Characters
Zoey Deutch plays Jill, a prep cook who works under a difficult chef named Bastien (Nick Offerman) at a San Francisco bakery. She dreams of starting her own business one day. Nick Robinson plays Wes, a Shiner beer–drinking real estate agent with an avoidant attachment style. He has a successful career but struggles with dating. The cast also includes Ciara Bravo as Isabelle, Nick Offerman as Chef Bastien, Lukas Gage as Arthur, and Harry Shum Jr. as Wes’s loyal best friend. McKendrick herself appears in a small role as well.
Familiar Tropes But Strong Execution
The film openly acknowledges its debt to Nora Ephron’s 1998 classic You’ve Got Mail. Like that film, it features two characters who connect through technology without knowing each other’s identities. The movie also draws comparisons to 2023’s Love Again and even the 1939 classic The Shop Around the Corner. What sets this film apart, according to critics, is the performances of its leads and the emotional depth of the story. The New York Times noted that the film “begins as a tear-jerker and morphs into a rom-com with poignant notes.” The Daily Beast reported that the film is “emotionally destroying everyone who watches.” The runtime is 1 hour and 58 minutes and the film is rated TV-14.
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A Story About Grief and Healing
The film explores the idea that grief is not a linear process. Jill continues to leave voicemails for her sister as a way of holding on to her memory. Wes has also experienced loss, having lost his mother at a young age. Their connection is built on vulnerability, empathy, and patience with each other. The voicemails represent a security blanket for grief until the healing process progresses enough that they are no longer needed.
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