IF Review
IF (2024) Film Review, a movie written and directed by John Krasinski and starring Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, John Krasinski, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Fiona Shaw, Louis Gossett Jr., Alan Kim, Liza Colon-Zayas, Bobby Moynihan, Catharine Daddario, Audrey Hoffman, Ed Herbstman, Shauna Pinkett and Sa’Raya Paris Johnson.
John Krasinski’s delightful film, IF, is something of a movie-going wonder. It will remind viewers of why we go to the movies. It’s a family film but will appeal to almost any age because of its humorous and touching wittiness which is both clever and sharp. Cailey Fleming is the star of the movie. She is a remarkable teenage actress who plays a young girl named Bea who is staying in Brooklyn with her grandma (Fiona Shaw) while her dad (Krasinski, himself) is in the hospital, trying to heal from a physical ailment. IF loves New York and especially loves its fun characters who are interspersed in the movie’s charming and sweet story line.
The letters of the title, IF, stand for “imaginary friend.” That “IF” referred to in the title could be all of the “IFs” it presents to the audience although a couple of “IFs” in particular stand out as really memorable. One such “IF” is an over-sized purple “whatchmacallit.” I don’t know definitively what animal it is but its name is Blue and it’s voiced by the always charismatic Steve Carell. Another “IF” is Blossom (voice of the super Phoebe Waller-Bridge) which is a Betty Boop-looking type of character who was the imaginary friend of Bea’s grandmother when the grandma was younger.
IF may be better to go in to see with less knowledge of the film’s story line because it offers many surprises. The film’s main character besides Bea is the humorous but oddly cautious guy who lives upstairs from Bea. His name is Cal and he’s played with terrific charm by the versatile Ryan Reynolds. Cal is seen by Bea sneaking around Brooklyn Heights. Cal’s struggling to have his “imaginary friends” find “owners.” That’s because the IFs’ owners grow up and forget their IFs. As the story progresses, Cal inspires Bea to try to become a matchmaker for the “IFs” and find them people who can believe in them.
One wonderful scene has the IFs being led by Bea and Cal in a dance number on stage that is sure to have audiences tapping their toes. The surprisingly sentimental side of IF, though, ultimately becomes one of its biggest strengths. As Bea and Cal work out of an IF “retirement home” in Coney Island, we meet some very memorable characters. Among them is a wise-beyond-his-years bear named Lewis (the voice of the late, great Louis Gossett Jr.) who Bea navigates a carnival with. That aforementioned sensitivity makes IF a magical movie to behold in all its bright and upbeat splendor.
Ryan Reynolds doesn’t overplay his part but he’s likable as he befriends Bea and tries to see the vision Bea has for his IFs to find owners. Bea becomes a matchmaker of sorts even if things don’t go exactly as planned when she tries to match the IFs with new owners. This movie really belongs to Cailey Fleming in a star-making role. She’s been on television in shows I don’t watch but comes into the world of film big-time with charm to spare and a lot of tender scenes with Krasinski and the “IFs” that touch the heart throughout.
Young actor Alan Kim plays Benjamin, a kid in the hospital Bea goes to see her dad at. Bea always brings her dad flowers when she visits and Benjamin asks if they’re for him at one point early on. Kim is also sweet and well-cast in his brief, but important, role. Shaw steals a moment late in the movie as she dances magically in the company of her former “IF,” Blossom. Though Blossom is super cute, she comes out to the public the same weekend as The Strangers: Chapter 1 which features an evil character who wears a mask similar to the way Blossom looks. But, pay that scary movie no mind. IF rocks the look through the character of Blossom.
IF makes one feel the wonder and excitement of going to the movies. Krasinski is to be commended for that. At a time where watching some movies feels like a chore, I never became bored while watching IF. Though it’s live-action and sprinkled with animation, I’d like to see IF eligible for a Best Animated Feature Oscar because the artistry of the film is magical. If Marcel the Shell with Shoes On could get into a race for Best Animated Film, hopefully IF could too.
Cailey Fleming holds the picture together throughout with the help of the always dependable Reynolds whose character serves a very distinct purpose in the plot. IF has some surprises up its sleeve and the biggest one may leave a tear in viewers’ eyes. Another hilarious set of sequences comes when Bea and Cal audition IFs “American Idol”-style to see what their strengths are and what they have to offer a potential owner. This movie is, simply, a pure delight to behold.
Krasinski has carefully constructed a touching throwback to the days of being a kid whether one had an imaginary friend or not. IF is the type of film that could become a classic as time progresses. For now, it’s a blast of emotions and laughs that will certainly appeal to the masses. While I wasn’t looking for flaws, there are probably some here. However, when you let your imagination run wild with the premise of IF, the flaws simply won’t appear. Shouldn’t all movies be this way?
Rating: 8.5/10
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