Enhance Productions

Movie Review: IF

   

Written by:

jaro235

Very Sweet-Natured and Heartfelt Family Film

If is rated PG for Poignant fantasy about loss and the power of imagination.
Enhance Ticket Rating:
34/50 Tickets

Synopsis: Bea is a young girl struggling with the loss of her mother and the potential of losing her father as he is getting ready for surgery. At her age, she has lost interest in all of the things she once loved as a child. Believing that the fun she once had is now childish and that she is not a kid anymore. When she spots a strange creature one night, she finds strange but friendly creatures called I.F.s. Meeting these creatures brings out a little bit of Bea’s childlike joy, as she helps the I.F.s after they have been forgotten by the children who used to love them before they grew up.

Of the movies on my most anticipated movies of 2024 list, John Krasinski’s IF was the biggest question mark for me. On one hand, it is an original IP (original intellectual property, meaning not a remake of something) directed, written and produced by Krasinski who directed A Quiet Place parts 1 and 2, which I love, and he seems very passionate about this project. On the other hand, the trailers looked lackluster, making the film look like something that is aimed solely for kids. Regardless, I have been rooting for this movie to do well ever since I saw the first trailer. Does this movie deliver on the imagination and magic of a world made up of imaginary friends?

What I appreciate the most about IF is that it is a whimsy, cheerful live-action family film that tells a story with some surprisingly dark themes for a kids film. Beneath the colorful cast of characters and the goofy humor, the movie is about dealing with the loss of a loved one, the fear of losing a parent and the struggles of growing up. IF encourages the audience to not let go of the interests they are passionate about, regardless of how “childish” or “awkward” they may seem. The movie handles these subjects in a mature and respectful fashion which could resonate with the adults in the audience. 

I have to say, IF is a lot better than the trailers make it look. John Krasinski’s passion for this movie is on full display here. First of all, this movie is very sweet with how it handles emotional moments and character moments. There is one scene towards the end of the film that melted my heart because of the way it was executed. It is a small moment with Blue that demonstrates the power of actions over words. Also, the story in general is pretty heartwarming as the movie is about helping people who maybe down on their luck become happier by reconnecting them with their imaginary friends. This movie feels like one big warm hug to both kids and adults with its sweetness and innocence. 

The story is very interesting. The movie feels like one of those classic, fantasy family films made in the early 2000s full of whimsical moments. It takes advantage of its premise by using the invincibility of the IFs for humorous moments and having their world unlock the childhood joy of the visitor by seeing what their imagination looks like. I love the scene where Bea lets her imagination loose in Memory Lane Retirement Home. It is like watching her regain her spirit after it has been gone so long. This movie does remind me a lot of Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends from Cartoon Network. I could see that show being an inspiration for the story here.

Now, I do think the pacing could have been better, especially in the first act. I appreciate the fact that this movie is slower paced than most family films focusing more on characters and story rather than slapstick or gags, but the movie does find a little trouble picking up steam in the beginning. When it finds its footing though, it keeps a consistent pace and tone.

The humor is surprisingly very good. There are several scenes that cracked me up with Bea talking to the IFs in front of people, a running gag with an invisible imaginary friend and several gags from the supporting cast. Not every gag landed and there is one or two that wiped the smile off my face, but overall, this is probably the most I have laughed in a movie this year. The audience I was with laughed throughout the movie too, both kids and adults.

Cailey Fleming is THE star of the movie. In a film that is funny, heartwarming, emotional and even crazy at points, Fleming gives everything she has as Bea. She shows all kinds of range from a kid who wants to act more grown up, someone who finally finds their inner childhood joy and a daughter who is afraid of losing her father. This is not a movie for her either. Fleming has to act with CGI creatures that are not real, but her performance helps make them feel more real than they are, especially with her interactions with Blue. This excellent performance helps make Bea a very likable, relatable protagonist with some hidden depths.

Ryan Reynolds is fun in this role, but his character is a bit like most of his past roles. He is very snarky here like he is Deadpool and Detective Pikachu taking a while for him to bond with Bea, but he did get some laughs out of me, especially during the scene with Bea’s reimagining of the Memory Lane Retirement Home. I like his twist at the end and it brings his character a lot more perspective. While the twist might seem predictable for some, I think it explains a lot of his character traits throughout the film.

As for the I.F.s themselves, they are fun but only a few of them are great. Blue is endearing and adorable with Steve Carell doing an amazing job voicing him, but there are a couple of times where he lets a gag go on too long. Did he really need to have a hard time saying the word “if”? Still, Blue is the heart of the movie as he is rarely seen unhappy no matter what hardships he, Bea and Cal face. My favorite I.F. is Blossom, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She is very polite and likable with a lovely voice. Louis Gossett Jr. (Rest in Peace King) delivers a heartwarming performance as Lewis; who acts as the fatherly figure of the Memory Lane Retirement Home. 

Of the supporting I.F.s, I like Guardian Dog voiced by Sam Rockwell the best. He is only in a couple of scenes, but he is adorable and fun to watch. My second favorite is Christopher Meloni in the role of Cosmo, a detective with an obscured face who is hyper and suspicious. I love Meloni’s wit and energy Cosmo’s fluid movement in this role. Heck, Maya Rudolph’s Ally got a few laughs from me too. These are fun characters with big names behind their voices including Emily Blunt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key and many more, but a lot of them are essentially minor cameos with a couple of lines. 

I do feel like these characters may serve a bit as an excuse for John Krasinski to invite his friends to play funny creatures in his movie. This does not take away from his passion from the movie at all though. I still think this movie gives all of the I.F. characters a chance to be endearing with their unique personalities. I can also see how there are a few clever casting references here, like George Clooney playing an astronaut like he did in Gravity. I would not mind seeing a mini series based off this movie about the other I.F.s because a lot of them have interesting designs and the potential to be memorable characters in a more long-term setting.

Visually, the movie looks very good for the most part. The set designs are beautiful and colorful and the redesigning of Memory Lane Retirement Home is a treat to watch because of how creative the set becomes. The designs of the I.F.s are pretty creative, especially taking into account all of their quirks and gimmicks. Blue is very expressive and Blossom reminds me of a golden age cartoon character brought to life on the big screen. The CGI animation aims to be cartoony rather than realistic and surprisingly, it is integrated very well here. The IFs look and feel as if they belong in this world and in their home, Memory Lane Retirement Home. They could have easily looked awkward and out of place, but they fit this world because of the polished CGI, smooth movement of the characters and solid composition. The cinematography also has a few beautiful shots and the lively colors help make this movie more whimsical and fun. Seriously, the scenes in MLRH look gorgeous.

Even if you have no interest in seeing this movie, I recommend listening to the musical score by Michael Giacchino. This is without a doubt one of the best musical scores I have heard in a family film. It is charming, catchy and it fits the whimsical and fun world of IFs. I loved every single piece of music in this film and this might be my favorite score from Giacchino so far. This is my second favorite musical score of the year right behind Dune: Part Two and there have been some great soundtracks in 2024 movies.

There could have been so many ways for this movie to turn out bad. Luckily, John Krasinski directed IF with love and fun making this a very enjoyable family film with a surprising amount of depth. The fun humor, likable characters, maturity of the story, positive messages about inner childhood and whimsical world of IF makes this an enjoyable watch for both kids and adults. In fact, I definitely feel that Krasinski aimed to make a film that adults would appreciate just as much as kids, utilizing subtlety within its twists and turns as well as the relatable themes. I am glad I gave this movie a chance, because I had a really good time with it.

Stay through the credits for a tribute to Louis Gossett Jr.

This article was written by Enhance’s friend Jared Jacoby and edited by team member Sidney J Floyd-Armstrong. Be sure to subscribe and keep an eye on the blog for more from our team and for more movie and video game reviews from Jared!

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