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It takes a lot for a studio to bankroll an original family film with zero ties to any kind of book, game, television series, or other merchandisable immediacy, especially for a budget of $110 million. But when you have the goodwill of the public and have made said studio over $600 million with two films who’s combined budget was a little under $80 million, you can snag yourself a blank check feature, much like John Krasinski (“A Quiet Place,” “The Office”) has with his latest film, “IF.”
Starting a few years after the loss of her mother, the film follows twelve-year-old Bea, played by Cailey Fleming (“The Walking Dead”), back in New York staying with her grandmother Margaret, played by Fiona Shaw (“Enola Holmes,” “Killing Eve”), whilst her father, played by Krasinski, is in the hospital. While there, she finds her upstairs neighbor Cal, played by Ryan Reynolds (“Deadpool,” “Free Guy”), with an apartment full of imaginary friends, known as IFs, such as Blossom, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”), and Blue, voiced by Steve Carell (“The Office,” “Despicable Me”). Since she can see them, they enlist in her help to pair them with new kids since their old ones have grown up and forgotten them.
There’s definitely whimsy to behold here, and a lot of that comes down to the titular IFs themselves. Packed to the gills with varying styles and aesthetics, each one makes a visual impact, brought to life with a colorful and charming voice from a celebrity cast that could alone fill an entire theatre. Krasinski does smartly play them down though, letting the voices just be voices and not winks for the parents. Louis Gossett Jr. (“An Officer and a Gentleman,” “Roots”) voices Louis, an elderly teddy bear who runs the IFs retirement home, and his voice lends a lot of warmth to the proceedings, becoming a calming bright spot for the film overall.
Waller-Bridge and Carell do a good job with their IFs, but they mostly plod along with the same kind of candor you’d expect from most celebrity voiced animated characters. The voices do fit the parts, but they never excel in a particular way. Reynolds, meanwhile, plays mostly against type for the first time in a while. Calvin is more subdued and downplayed than pretty much every other character he’s played for the last decade, and it's a welcome strength. Fleming is okay, doing the best with a script that’s mostly asking her to stand around, look wide-eyed at the IFs, and ask questions so the film can explain its premise(s).
The elephant, or IF, in the room for the film is that script and the wild tonal shifts it takes throughout. Shortly after meeting the IFs, Bea is reduced to asking a lot of questions and looking astonished. It stifles her character and gives the movie a stalling pace. It’s as if Krasinski won’t let us continue without really really making sure we understand what’s going on. The film also swings wildly between being full of whimsy and remarkably sad and melancholy. This isn’t a problem since it does commit to these differing tones, but it is an interesting choice, nonetheless.
Visually, there is a lot to like here, and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński’s (“Saving Private Ryan,” “West Side Story (2021)”) work pairs beautifully with a score from Michael Giacchino (“Up,” “Inside Out”). The visual effects and practical sets blend together seamlessly, and the IFs themselves really do look fantastic. Kamiński’s camerawork maintains a level of professionalism and playfulness, making sure we get the best possible views of this adventure without feeling stale or stiff.
“IF” is a very odd and conflicting film. It’s a family movie aimed at kids that might be too mature for them. It’s a movie that wants to make you feel the whimsy but is better at conjuring it when it's not trying to conjure it. It’s also funny and fun, but remarkably sad as well. In some ways, it's a head scratcher; will this be a movie kids pick to watch on a car ride or sleepover over other picks like “Toy Story” or “Despicable Me”? It isn’t that it's too complex for younger audiences or that it isn’t actually a movie for them. It just ends up being a lot for a young mind to handle.
Krasinski clearly has a lot of ambition here, and it works on most levels, especially visually. Yet the script kneecaps its protagonist once its most interesting element comes into play, and it struggles with wanting to spark joy and magic versus when it actually does. Reynolds is a surprisingly subdued highlight, and it’ll definitely make most smile and tear up. But those going in expecting a lighthearted family romp should be warned: this one is gonna get a bit heavy and messy. 3.5/5
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