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Movie Preview: “Hi” - The Rom-Com That Turns “We Need to Talk” Into a Full-Blown Thriller
By [Your Name], Entertainment Correspondent
Published: July 20, 2026
Let’s be real: we’ve all been there. That dizzying, wonderful moment when you think you and your new flame are on the same page-only to discover, with a gut-punch of cringe, that one of you is reading a totally different chapter. But what if that moment of romantic dissonance didn’t just spark an awkward conversation? What if it sent one half of the couple spiraling into a manic, desperate, and frankly hilarious mission to prove they’re meant to be? That’s the premise of Hi, the 2025 indie gem that’s finally hitting streaming this week-and trust me, it’s something you’ll want to say hello to.
Release Date & Where to Watch
Hi originally hit theaters on July 25, 2025. Today, July 20, 2026, you can catch it on most major digital platforms-think Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Vudu-where it’s been quietly building a cult following. No, it didn’t set the box office on fire (a modest TMDb rating of 6.3/10 suggests it’s more of a “smart fun” than a blockbuster), but that’s part of its charm. This is a film that rewards discovery, best watched with a friend who can handle you yelling, “No, Iris, don’t do that!” at the screen.
Cast & Crew
The brains behind this charmingly chaotic rom-com is Sophie Brooks, who directs with a light touch that keeps the tone from tipping into full chaos. Brooks previously gave us the underrated The Cat and the Moon, but Hi shows her flexing a sharper comedic muscle-plus a surprising knack for suspense.
Leading the charge is Molly Gordon as Iris, a role that feels tailor-made for her particular brand of lovable desperation. Gordon (you know her from Booksmart and Theater Camp) brings a manic, wide-eyed energy that makes Iris’s increasingly bad decisions feel understandable-even relatable. She’s matched beat for beat by Logan Lerman as Isaac, who plays the bewildered, slightly baffled straight man with the kind of low-key charm that makes you root for both of them, even when they’re clearly on different planets.
The supporting cast is a treasure trove. Geraldine Viswanathan (the queen of deadpan from Blockers and Drive-Away Dolls) is Max, Iris’s best friend who watches the trainwreck unfold with the resigned horror of someone who’s seen this movie before. John Reynolds (a Stranger Things vet) plays Kenny, Isaac’s buddy who keeps asking, “Wait, are you two together?” And David Cross pops up as Steve, a random stranger who gets pulled into Iris’s scheme. Also in the mix: Polly Draper, Desmin Borges, and Diana Irvine, all adding texture to this wonderfully weird universe.
Story & What to Expect
Here’s the setup, and honestly, it’s pure comedy gold: Iris and Isaac are on their first weekend getaway. A charming Airbnb, a scenic hike, a bottle of wine that’s maybe a little too good. Everything is going perfectly-until Isaac, over a lovely dinner, casually drops a bomb: “I didn’t know we were a couple.”
It’s a moment that would send most people into a quiet spiral of self-doubt. But Iris? She’s not having it. She’s convinced she’s met her perfect guy, and that Isaac is just confused-or in denial. So she decides to prove their destiny, going to increasingly ridiculous, irrational, and frankly thrilling lengths to make him see the light.
What unfolds is a 95-minute rollercoaster that blends rom-com sweetness, cringe comedy, and-no joke-genuine thriller tension. Think When Harry Met Sally if Sally decided to stage an elaborate heist to prove that Harry remembered her name. Or Forgetting Sarah Marshall with a dash of Ingrid Goes West. The tonal shifts might sound jarring, but director Brooks keeps the whole thing grounded in Molly Gordon’s fearless performance. You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll spend the entire second act wondering, “Is she about to get arrested?”
Expect sharp dialogue, a few genuinely tense set pieces (one involving a stolen laptop and a very confused dog owner), and a climax that’s equal parts absurd and heartwarming. The film doesn’t shy away from the darker side of Iris’s obsession, but it never loses its sense of humor about itself.
Why It’s Worth Watching
In a sea of samey rom-coms, Hi dares to ask a question most movies avoid: what if the “meet-cute” is actually a red flag? It’s a film that understands that the line between love and delusion is thinner than a post-it note, and it walks that line with real grace.
Molly Gordon delivers a performance that’s both hilarious and unexpectedly poignant. You’ll want to shake her, but you’ll also feel for her-because who hasn’t been a little too invested in a relationship that wasn’t quite there yet? Logan Lerman, meanwhile, gives Isaac a quiet, confused dignity that prevents him from becoming a villain. They’re both just people trying to figure it out, and the movie doesn’t judge them for getting it spectacularly wrong.
Plus, the film is funny. Genuinely, surprisingly funny. The supporting cast, especially Viswanathan, land every sardonic line reading. And the third act features a sequence set at a local hardware store that I’m pretty sure will be a cult classic for ages.
So if you’re scrolling for something to watch tonight, give Hi a chance. It’s a movie about the awkward, messy, sometimes ridiculous process of falling for someone-and realizing that sometimes, the greatest mystery isn’t whether you’re a couple, but whether you even want to be. Just don’t watch it with your new partner on your first weekend away. Trust me on that one.
