Netflix’s Latest Romantic Comedy Wins Over Both Audiences and Critics as Rotten Tomatoes Score Drops
Netflix’s newest romantic comedy Voicemails for Isabelle is quickly becoming a favorite among both critics and viewers, with strong reviews praising its emotional story, charming performances and heartfelt approach to love and loss.
The film, which arrived on Netflix on June 19, was written and directed by Leah McKendrick. It stars Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, Harry Shum Jr., Lukas Gage and Nick Offerman in a story that mixes romance with themes of grief, healing and moving forward.
Voicemails for Isabelle follows Jill, a woman struggling after the sudden death of her sister Isabelle. Unable to let go, Jill begins leaving emotional voicemails on Isabelle’s old phone number as a way to stay connected. However, she does not know that the number has been given to someone else.
The phone now belongs to Wes, a man who starts receiving Jill’s personal messages. As he listens to her voicemails, he slowly becomes connected to her story, and an unexpected relationship begins to form between the two.
The movie has received a positive response on Rotten Tomatoes, earning an 85% Tomatometer score from critics based on 41 reviews. Audiences have been even more supportive, giving the film a 91% Popcornmeter score from more than 250 ratings.
Critics have highlighted the performances of Deutch and Robinson, as well as the movie’s emotional balance. While the story follows familiar romantic comedy ideas, many reviewers believe the cast makes the film feel fresh and meaningful.
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz from Fangirlish praised the way the movie handles grief, saying, “Grief is in every part of the movie, and it colors everything Jill does and says, and even how she feels. But the movie isn’t about how you grieve; it’s about how to keep moving forward, and that makes it way more uplifting than it had any right to be.”
Jerrica Tisdale from Tell-Tale TV also praised the film, calling it one of Netflix’s strongest romantic comedies in recent years. She gave the movie a 4/5 rating and wrote, “This may be one of Netflix’s best romantic comedies in a while. Zoey Deutch is really their rom-com gold, but Nick Robinson is just as charming.”
Other critics also pointed to the chemistry between the two leads as one of the movie’s biggest strengths. Randy Myers from the San Jose Mercury News praised director Leah McKendrick’s writing and the performances, saying the film works because of its relatable characters.
Deadline’s Pete Hammond also highlighted the emotional connection between the main characters, explaining that the couple at the center of the story is what keeps viewers invested.
Dustin Rowles from Pajiba admitted the film follows a familiar romantic comedy formula but said the strong performances make it work. “It’s formulaic, sure, but the formula works when the ingredients are this high-quality. Deutch and Robinson have impeccable chemistry,” he wrote.
The movie’s success shows that audiences are still looking for romantic comedies that offer more than just a love story. By combining romance with a story about loss and recovery, Voicemails for Isabelle has found a way to connect with viewers who want something emotional as well as entertaining.
With strong reviews and a growing audience response, the Netflix film is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about romantic comedies of 2026.
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