Carl Roberts 
Cailey Fleming and Ryan Reynolds lead the human cast in John Krasinski’s family movie IF. But is it worth believing in or better left to our imagination?
IF is the brainchild of writer, director and actor John Krasinski. He takes our make-believe childhood friends from our minds and makes them real. Cailey Fleming and Ryan Reynolds lead the human cast that includes Fiona Shaw and Krasinski himself. The vocal cast is led by Steve Carrell as Blue, a large purple monster alongside the cream of Hollywood’s crop in voice roles. It is also the final film for the late Louis Gossett Jr (to whom the film is dedicated.) After the trailers, the posters, and the featurettes, it is time for the film to hit screens, allowing us to see what the build-up has been all about. But is the film worth believing in or should it have been left to our imagination, never to have been revealed?
PREMISE
Bea, a young girl facing challenges in her life, suddenly acquires the power to see abandoned imaginary friends, known as “IFs.” She learns that her neighbor, Cal, shares this ability. Together, they embark on a mission to reconnect these IFs with the children they once assisted.
THOUGHTS
I’m delighted to report that the film is something wonderful. It is full to the brim with humour, emotion and fun within its running time. It is possibly one of the best family films ever written and created for the screen. And that’s not hyping the film up, it is the truth. Everything you could have hoped for and more is contained here. It will have you laughing, cheering, feeling emotional and will have you in tears by the end. For a family film, it drags the audience through the wringer at times, bringing smiles, gasps, and floods of tears.
For the children in the audience, they will love it for the cuddly creatures on display throughout. The adults will find it transports them back to a more innocent time when their minds were full of wonder, full of imagination. And a time when they had childhood fears and not only of things like the dark.
CHILDHOOD FEARS
We can all remember times when we feared being alone, being rejected. And we also had fears about losing a loved one, either a parent or grandparent. From the start of the film, these fears arise again and not only due to what we see on screen. We are cast back to our younger selves, remembering those times we had our fears land squarely in front of us. That time when we had to go into hospital for a routine appointment or worse, an operation for an illness or health concern. Here, we are confronted with a child losing one parent and being faced with potentially losing the other. These scenes resonate with us. But they are handled with such emotion, fun and amusement at times that we can’t help but smile.
CAILEY FLEMING
Cailey Fleming toplines the film over Ryan Reynolds. She deserves it. As Bea, she has a more vital role in the film. It is she who we will follow during the majority of the film, the character that we see our childhood fears manifested in. She is the character that we can see ourselves in. The young actress takes us by the hand and leads us through everything we will experience in the film in a performance that is outstanding. She is at ease with everything that is expected of her here. Whether it be comedy, scares, dancing (in a great scene) or high emotion, she gives it her all and never falters once. She more than earns her top billing in the film.
Her scenes with Reynolds are quality personified, playing off the superstar to great effect. However, it is her scenes with Krasinski as her father that grabs our hearts. Both Bea and her father have been through a terrible loss and with the threat of losing her dad too, Bea can’t bear to go a day without him, visiting him in hospital. Now, as someone who has recently lost their father, I found myself reliving those childhood fears I had of losing a parent. These scenes between father and daughter, are both humorous, full of enjoyment with a tinge of fear and dread about what might happen. It is these scenes throughout that ground us from all the comedic, colourful mayhem we see.
RYAN REYNOLDS
Ryan Reynolds as Cal, Bea’s upstairs neighbour is wonderful here. We sometimes forget that the comedic actor can be serious when he needs to be. Here, he gives us both sides of his coin. At times, he is comedic, making us roar with laughter at some of what we see happen to Cal. At his humiliation during one sequence, at his comments regarding the IF’s. But we also see the more serious side. Reynolds is an extraordinary actor. He drags every emotion out of us throughout. In the quieter moments, we find ourselves listening to him, hanging on his every word. We find ourselves instantly drawn to him, despite some of his actions when we first meet him.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the same without the actor giving us some brilliant humour along the way. He does so here but in a more restrained way than we would expect. Instead of being completely madcap, here the humour has us laughing with him as well as at him. He also acts as a mentor to Bea along the way, giving advice, and helping her with her plan to reunite the IF’s with the former children they assisted. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of Ryan Reynolds’ best performances ever. he is the companion Bea needs on her journey, the steadying hand she requires. Ryan Reynolds holds our hearts in his hands throughout in a role that he immerses himself in. We can’t fail to find his interactions with Cosmo (Christopher Meloni) hilarious in the extreme or in his slapstick with the invisible Keith throughout.
FIONA SHAW
Fiona Shaw, the legendary actress, portrays Bea’s Grandmother. She too gets in on the fun at times. But for the main part, she is the family member who lives with Bea, trying to reconnect with her granddaughter as much as she can. Fiona Shaw is exceptional in a smaller role than we expect. However, she also gets a scene that lives in our memories long after the final credits have ended. It is charming, wonderous, emotional and heartfelt. We find that it is at this point that we will first require tissues. It is a hardened heart that can’t fail to be moved by this sequence. Fiona Shaw knows what she needs to do in her role, and gives us enough heart to keep us all sustained.
THE VOCAL CAST
Every one of the Hollywood elite who provides a voice here is in top form. How John Krasinski got all involved to agree to do it is anyone’s guess. But with the likes of Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Richard Jenkins, Blake Lively, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, and Amy Schumer to name but a few involved, it is incredible. Of the voice cast, it is really Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Louis Gossett Jr who get the most time in the film. But it is Christopher Meloni as Cosmo that really catches our attention. Meloni voices the mysterious detective noir character perfectly. The character’s interactions with Cal are sheer comedy gold.
JOHN KRASINSKI
With writing, directing and voicing Marshmellow Man, John Krasinski has a limited amount of time on screen as Bea’s father. But every time he appears, he is superb. He brings warmth, humour and emotion to a character we, at first, only take a brief look at. In reality, his part is a vital one, being the last parent Bea has living, being a reason for Bea to try and show she is as strong as an adult would be. We follow his journey towards the fateful day he goes under the knife to try and fix his ‘broken heart.’ By the climax, Bea and we as the audience have been through the emotional wringer.
WRITING
Krasinski’s writing and direction here are beyond reproach. He has crafted a story, a tale that is completely mesmerising. He takes what it is to be a child on the cusp of adulthood and brings it back to how we all felt at that time. We all felt we should act more adult-like, to see things differently. We also knew that our childhood was ending but were unwilling to let it go. Krasinski brings these feelings back to us in such a sweet, loving way, that we can’t help but feel emotional. The film also has the thread running through it of ‘writing our own story.’
We find ourselves remembering those days when we had to make our own way in the world, to take our first steps into adulthood. We maybe didn’t want to but we had to. But Krasinski also injects a feeling of innocence, a feeling that despite having to grow up, we are still children at heart, deep down. It is beautiful. And the imaginary characters he has created are awe-inspiring.
DIRECTION
John Krasinski’s direction is solidly assured. The way he films his actors, the exterior shots, the sets and everything gives the film a real-life quality. The way the human characters blend in seamlessly with the CGI-created IF’s are handled with a deft touch. After his direction of the first two movies in the ‘A Quiet Place’ franchise, you’d be mistaken in thinking Krasinski couldn’t handle or produce something like this. He takes to shifting from directing horror to a family fantasy movie with ease. John Krasinski is a natural-born filmmaker, writing terrific movies while directing them with aplomb. Throw in yet another top-notch score from Michael Giacchino and Krasinski has crafted an almost perfect tale.
VERDICT
IF is an absolute joy from start to finish. It is like a love letter to all of our childhoods while delivering an uplifting tale. What we see on screen will strike a chord with all of us. It is a poignant, fun, uplifting family film that hits us all where it needs to. It is a sheer delight that is destined to become a firm family favourite movie not only this year but in years to come. Whenever we feel down or need to take a much-needed break from our problems in the real world, we can turn to the film and feel the love it contains. It is also a reminder to never lose our imagination. To always have great stories to tell.
By the time we near the end credits, we will all need those tissues. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much you attempt to force yourself not to, you’ll cry. I tried, I failed. The finale is so heartwarming, so wrought with emotion, we can’t help but let it out. Children may not understand why at this moment in time. They will do one day. It really is that emotional.
IT ISN’T OVER UNTIL THE CREDITS END
However, as the film closes and the film’s title is displayed again, don’t get out of your seat. It isn’t over. We still have some more heartwarming scenes to come. And then we get hit with something hilarious. No spoilers but listen out for a Ryan Reynolds question part of the way through. Again, it reminds us that we are still kids at heart. And that is a message we can never forget. Possibly one of the finest and best family films ever made, IF is movie making of the finest order. One of the films of the year without a doubt. A pure triumph.
IF is in cinemas from Friday and is distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
