IF 2024
If you’re lucky enough to attend an early screening of John Krasinski’s new film, “IF,” you may be greeted with a short introduction by the writer/director, asserting that the film is expressly for all the “girl dads” out there. Having now seen it, that much is true: despite its family-friendly brief, “IF” is less for kids than for the adults of kids — the girl dads, if you will — who want something that feels a little more mature than “Minions” but doesn’t scare the kids away. Far from it; it might just bore them to tears.
It’s a bold shift for Krasinski, who’s already transitioned from sitcom lead to successful director with the “Quiet Place” series, and yet, looking at the man himself, it makes perfect sense. This is the guy who started a little feel-good news show from his house during the pandemic (that he then sold to ViacomCBS for a presumed truckload of money), after all. He’s the kind of all-American aw-shucks new dad who dipped his toe into the horror genre, and now wants to make a fun movie that his children can watch.
The outcomes, as they are, resemble a half-hearted live-action version of a Pixar film, drawing parallels to the structure of "Monsters, Inc." and the coming-of-age narratives found in "Inside Out" and "Up." The opening credits even remind viewers of "Up," showcasing nostalgic home videos that capture the joyful moments of a playful family, with Krasinski portraying the father figure. These clips appear to be filmed with a DV camera but suspiciously resemble grainy, high-quality film. When movies employ this technique, it often signals one inevitable theme—death. This theme manifests not just once, but twice: when we reconnect with Krasinski’s daughter, Bea (Cailey Fleming), she is still grieving the offscreen loss of her mother from some time ago, a sorrow now intensified by her father's hospitalization for heart surgery. The specifics remain vague; he merely mentions having a “broken heart,” which serves as a simplistic reflection of the film's overly sentimental tone. The emotional weight clearly burdens her, even as Krasinski’s exaggerated, annoying efforts to lift her spirits in the hospital room fall flat.
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| IF 2024 |
Meanwhile, Bea resides with her equally vibrant grandmother (Fiona Shaw, a standout in the film) in her old, creaky apartment. It is during her stay that Bea unexpectedly gains the ability to see people's imaginary friends (or IFs, as the film proudly calls them) and becomes involved in an adventure with her grandmother’s neighbor, the jaded IF whisperer Calvin (Ryan Reynolds). He has been operating a sort of matchmaking service for IFs whose children have stopped believing in them; once belief fades, these IFs are typically sent to a pastel-hued retirement home. Eager for purpose and belief, Bea takes it upon herself to assist Calvin in rescuing the IFs by reigniting the faith of their young companions.
This is the loose structure that Krasinski’s thin script is built upon, which hints at a type of mechanical worldbuilding but quickly gives up and eagerly pursues one emotional moment after another. For a children’s adventure, it surprisingly leans towards a somber and sentimental tone, opting for a reflective melancholy over laugh-out-loud humor. While this might resonate with the fathers in the audience, it’s likely to leave the kids feeling bored.
In its initial scenes, Krasinski employs the suspenseful style he honed in “A Quiet Place” to create an intriguing kid-horror atmosphere. Janusz Kaminski captures the twisting staircase of grandma’s apartment with the same eerie vibe as the Overlook Hotel, and one early chilling scene offers a child’s perspective on how unsettling it can be to have a strange old woman staring at you in the hallway. Some of these moments echo Guillermo del Toro’s more heartfelt works, crafting a world where imagination can pose as much of a danger as it can provide comfort.
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| IF 2024 |
However, we arrive at the "IFs" and their associated challenges, where much of the excitement begins to fade. The creatures themselves are not particularly remarkable; they take on whatever shape their creators imagined, ranging from fire-breathing dragons to animated, self-roasting marshmallows. These characters are brought to life by a lineup of recognizable guest voices that will likely prompt you to check IMDb immediately afterward.
While they are visually striking, they lack depth and charm. This is particularly evident in the film's main IF, Blue (voiced by Steve Carell), who is a purple, snaggle-toothed creature reminiscent of Grimace after enduring years of British dental work. Instead of infusing the character with any playful nuance, Carell delivers a surprisingly straightforward performance, which is disappointing considering his talent for portraying lively animated roles like Gru.
The human performances are not much better, particularly Reynolds, who seems to glide through his role with the lackluster enthusiasm of someone tired of recycling the same Deadpool routine. Casting him feels almost unnecessary, as he acts as a surrogate for Krasinski's ideal of the "fun dad" he aspires to be; instead, Calvin mainly serves as a slick sidekick, a fellow skeptic who still aids the IFs in their quest. Then there's Fleming, a delicate young girl who steps up during a few significant moments towards the end but mostly spends her time sulking and soaking up information.
The rules governing the IFs are hard to believe and shift unpredictably based on which emotional chord Krasinski wants to strike next. The script struggles to clarify their true nature: Do they vanish when forgotten, or are they placed in a home? Is the goal to find them new kids, or to rekindle belief in their now-adult companions? What happens next? These are irrelevant questions for the intended young audience, yet it’s easy to become confused by the flimsy mechanics of the story when the overall product feels so aimless and devoid of humor. By the conclusion, it’s clear that all this chaos serves stakes that are, in reality, quite minimal.
At times, Krasinski stumbles upon a brilliant concept or a striking moment: a vibrant chase through an imaginative retirement home that Bea transforms with her creativity (featuring Busby Berkeley-inspired visuals and Reynolds navigating through an oil painting); Shaw’s character reminiscing about her passion for ballet while her former self (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) dances just out of view. However, for every standout scene, there’s another lackluster moment with uninspired actors mechanically pushing the narrative forward or delivering tired clichés like “The most important stories we tell are the ones we tell ourselves.” Additionally, the film's musical selections are so obvious and overdone that they might as well be considered plagiarism, with Wes Anderson likely to take issue.
“IF” is a well-meaning but misguided effort—a children’s film devoid of humor and a parent’s film lacking in substance. I truly hope Krasinski enjoyed the process; it seemed like a refreshing escape after the pressures of directing two horror films. But now, it’s time to move on from childish pursuits.
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