Voicemails for Isabelle (review)

Published by Mason Oldridge, 29 June 2026

Netflix’s new romcom comes with an element of mortality.

Jill and Isabelle are inseparable sisters, though Isabelle suffers from cystic fibrosis. When she suddenly dies, Jill is distraught and starts leaving voicemails for her, unbeknown that her number has been reassigned to Wes, who, listening to the voicemails, falls for Jill.

Although Isabelle’s death and the subsequent impact of this on Jill is very emotional, the film still manages to deliver a romantic albeit predictable narrative with a heartwarming story. It is sweet watching the two grow together, with a particular highlight being when Wes takes over as the bus tour guide, whereas Wes’ guilt over not telling Jill about the voicemails is well-portrayed.

The film also succeeds with its comedy too, most notably Jill’s string of disastrous dates, including the guy with pink eye and her overly self-centred and emotional co-worker Arthur, who then hilariously hates her for rejecting him. Other funny moments include Wes being violently dominated in the bedroom by his girlfriend, Chef Bastien being called out by Jill in which he is exposed as actually being called Gilbert and the tour guide running away on his first day.

The plot draws comparison to You’ve Got Mail, which is referenced within the film, but maintains enough of an original story to succeed by itself.

Overall, Voicemails for Isabelle offers up a well balanced mix of rom and com, with a sprinkling of tragedy, to make for an enjoyable watch of both heart and humour.

8/10