I’m a sucker for a rom-com and I’ve been a fan of Nick Robinson’s work for a long time (since Kings of Summer) as well as Zoey Deutch. So when I saw that they were the two leads in a new rom-com for Netflix, I couldn’t wait to watch it.

The main premise is that after Jill loses her sister, she continues leaving voicemails to her number. Wes gets that number when he gets his new phone which means he receives the voicemails meant for Isabelle. Naturally, Wes becomes curious and invested in the stories Jill tells and the two eventually meet.

To be clear, there are some parts of the plot that aren’t great in terms of creepy behaviour. It’s not ideal the way that Wes handles the situation. But if you can put that to the side, it’s an incredibly touching story.

It’s not the romance side that got me though, it was the relationship between sisters. That is the foundation of the story.

Jill has found a way to keep her sister with her as her life continues on. She keeps their tradition alive and it is her way of processing the grief.

Wes is then brought into her life because of Isabelle. It depends on how you view fate, but if Jill hadn’t continued leaving voicemails for Isabelle, she never would have met Wes.

It’s also complicated because that meeting isn’t ideal. But the reason I think that so great to see in this day and age is that we have become so fearful of appearing creepy, we are quick to shut down so many interactions. Despite Wes and Jill meeting because of the voicemails (again, not in the best way from Wes’ side), their connection is real. They are their authentic selves with each other and develop real feelings.

This film deals with grief in a beautiful way too. The ending really got to me because the point is, Isabelle is always there with Jill and actually, leaving voicemails for Isabelle helps Jill to move on and process the loss of her sister.

I lost my own sister in my teenage years and this movie really brought back so many feelings. Despite fourteen years passing, almost the same amount of time as my sister was in my life, it is as though she is still walking through life with me every day. I still remember her advice and feel as though I can still hear her.

Grief is different for everybody and I think many people deal with it by shutting it out. But there is a beautiful side to it too. To see how many people are affected by a loss shows the impact that they had in the world. To share stories with one another and keep a person’s memory alive. It can hurt to cry, but the pain that we feel is the scar of the love we experience.

Loss is a part of life and we are so lucky to be able to experience the highs and the lows together. To share our life with wonderful people and to experience a journey together unlike any other.

It’s hard to lose someone you love, but as we see in Voicemails for Isabelle, you never know what the next chapter has in store and what is meant for you. Another great love, not to replace one that you had, but to make your life even greater; even bigger, even better than you ever could have imagined.