Unless the film buff hasn’t seen the promotional material for IF, not everyone will know it’s short for an imaginary friend. And just why they have this nickname is that once they’ve lost their way, their connection with the person who created him/her/it can threaten its existence, and that being will fade away.
Just why this matters in John Krasinski‘s delightful film is that it’s about how to remain true, but yet understand why facing adversity matters.
However, to change (or become a teenager) isn’t easy. Bea (Cailey Fleming) has a rough road ahead of her because her father is going in for heart surgery. And when all she remembers is that the hospital he’s going into was where her mom died, she’s worried. Although her complications were different, it’s a memory that scares her.
Not even settling into a new home is easy. Fortunately, her temporary residence has a welcoming atmosphere, and she loves her grandmother. She’s managing the building, and when she says go have fun, she tries and finds strange things happening around her! Pretty soon, she meets Cal (Ryan Reynolds) who claims to be a monster hunter of sorts. Before she knows it, she’s recruited to help him out, locate and find new homes for an eclectic range of imaginary friends after all the explanations are given.
Even though there are multiple subplots going on, I imagine Krasinski’s screenplay can only give so much time to those IFs before needing to move on. I didn’t think this movie can work with so many imaginary figures. Had this been a Disney film, I suspect they’d plan on an episodic series, but alas it is not. Also, they may face dealing with rights holders for images similar to iconic characters, even though they are not Betty Boop, Paddington Bear and the like.
However, I have to question some choices for giving life to a shot glass filled with ice. Some imaginary friends look like they are ripped from other IPs and just to be silly, perhaps also offer some ideas taken from a Looney Tunes cartoon too. There’s a very noticeable Space Jam, Roger Rabbit and Monsters Inc. influence.
Ultimately, Reynolds’ charm sells this work more than the all-star cast that’s there in dialogue only. I can’t wait for the home video release to see how it’s made, and whether Steve Carell, Louis Gossett Jr. or Awkwafina were required on set. I’m sure they weren’t otherwise Paramount would not flip the bill for production. But there’s many more, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. My favourite imaginary friend is Cosmo (Christopher Meloni). He was a riot!
This one off is a delight for those who love Reynolds. As for being a different type of film when compared to this filmmaker’s past repertoire–he’s better known for the Quiet Place films–I hope he’ll branch out to fashion more family friendly works than keep on plugging away at the IP that made him a household name.
4 Stars out of 5
IF Movie Trailer
