Richard Crouse

SYNOPSIS: In “Oh, Hi!,” a dark romantic comedy now playing in theatres, Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac’s (Logan Lerman) first romantic weekend away turns into a farce when he tells her he isn’t interested in a serous relationship. “What if you give me twelve hours to show you what we could be together?” she asks.

CAST: Molly Gordon. Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, and John Reynolds. Directed by Sophie Brooks.

REVIEW: A rom com that shifts gears to become a darkly playful psychological thriller, “Oh, Hi!” begins with a fun sequence that captures the unpredictable energy of two young people who can’t keep their hands off one another.

After four months of dating Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) take what should have been a quiet weekend away at a quaint, country Air BnB. It’s a comfy, cozy and even romantic retreat until Iris mentions how much she’s enjoying their “first trip as a couple.”

With his matter-of-fact response, “I’m not really looking for a relationship,” the movie reveals itself for what it really is, a quirky look at miscommunication and lack of commitment.

His relationship update leads to what Iris calls, “a bit of a situation.”

Feeling like Isaac led her on, she leaves him tied to the bed, courtesy of some S&M gear they found in a closet, and tries to help him “resolve” his relationship issues. (Think a modern “Misery.”) When her friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan) and her boyfriend Kenny (John Reynolds) arrive, common sense does not prevail. “I’ll tell you what,” Kenny tells the kidnapped Isaac, “I’m not going to let them kill you.”

“Oh, Hi!” is at its strongest in its first half as Iris and Isaac explore the ins-and-outs of modern dating. Gordon and Lerman share great chemistry, at the beginning at least, and even do a convincing version of Kenny and Dolly’s love song “Islands in the Stream.”

“Sail away with me to another world, where we rely on one another, ah-ah.”

It’s an unusual but interesting way to kick off a story about extreme relationship anxieties, heartbreak and what happens when one partner isn’t as committed or open as the other.

There’s a light tone to much of it, especially as Iris’s behavior becomes more intense and erratic, but it feels authentic, rooted in pain and romantic reality. It works because Gordon, who co-wrote the script with director Sophie Brooks, is given free rein to exercise her comedic chops tempered by a healthy dose of vulnerability. Fans of “The Bear,” where she plays Carmy’s crush Claire, already know she brings warmth to the screen, but here she displays a deeper emotional range.

It’s when the film introduces the best friends and embraces its wackiness that it begins to go over-the-top. Viswanathan and Reynolds are fine in their roles, but they bring with them a heightened sense that we’re not in the real world of heartbreak anymore.

But despite its tonal challenges “Oh, Hi!” is a showcase for Gordon and its eccentric mix of tenderness and terror.