John Krasinski follows up his compelling take on family drama within the A Quiet Place franchise with another tonally different family-centric story in IF.
Krasinski’s storytelling doesn’t match the heights of A Quiet Place Part II, but there’s plenty of magic in IF. Krasinski’s eye for finding young talent continues with Cailey Fleming as Bea. Fleming is wonderful as a 12-year-old girl trying to keep it together following a family tragedy. She can see imaginary friends after a bizarre encounter with her neighbor Cal (Ryen Reynolds). Cal can also see these fictitious friends and begrudgingly tries to match them with new kids. Reynolds may be the big name attached to IF, but this is Fleming’s movie. Reynolds and Krasinski do an excellent job of giving Fleming room to shine.
An array of terrific actors voices the imaginary friends, backing up Fleming and Reynolds. Steve Carrell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Emily Blunt, Blake Lively, and Bradley Cooper are just some of the names lending their voices. Krasinski also turns in a humorous performance as Bea’s father. The most magical sequence in the film belongs to Fiona Shaw as Bea’s grandmother who as a former dancer reminisces about her past in a a manner that allows her to reconnect with her IF.
Michael Gianchino‘s score is my favorite film score of the year. It matches the score from UP, which won him an Academy Award. Like Up, Krasinski strives for classic Pixar-quality storytelling in a live-action setting, which comes with humor and heartbreak that characterize the human spirit for all ages.
IF sometimes struggles to find that connective tissue between the heartbreak and humor. Outside of a couple of imaginary friend auditions and Kransinski, there are few humorous moments in IF. Even when there are moments of levity, a pervasive sadness hangs over the film. Bea’s transition from trying to be more mature to acting like a kid is abrupt.
While there are some storytelling flaws, the magical score, Fleming’s compelling performance, and Krasinski’s ability as a director to craft majestic moments on camera help make IF unforgettable.
Let’s explore Bea’s family drama, IF matchmaking and the fear of loneliness a little more.
Family tragedy
There’s a ton of weight on Bea’s shoulders. She’s trying her best to be mature in the face of it all instead of indulging in being a child like her Dad encourages.
Her Mom dies of what appears to be cancer. Meanwhile, her dad is also in the hospital with another unnamed disease. He puts on a brave face and always tries to make Bea laugh. Bea is doing her best to push past her guilt, but in doing so is limiting the imagination that makes childhood rewarding.
Due to her Dad’s illness, Bea moves into her grandmother’s apartment which happens to be in the same building as Cal’s. One evening, she catches an imaginary friend who enters Cal’s apartment. An inquisitive Bea checks but is rebuffed. Eventually, she worms her way in and begins trying to play matchmaker.
It’s pretty clear Bea’s enthusiasm for matchmaking is a coping mechanism. However, the transition is abrupt and could have used more coaxing. She also buys into imaginary friends a little too easily
IF Matchmaking service
Cal and Bea are the only people who can see IFs. Two IFs Blue and Blossom, encourage Cal to include Bea. Cal’s reluctant as he’s been trying to help the IFs for a long time without success.
However, a persistent Bea overcomes Cal’s objections. He takes her to an amusement park, and she enters a world full of IFs. All of them are waiting to meet new children. Bea, Cal, and the guide Lewis (Gossett Jr.) hold auditions, during which Bea notes each IF’s characteristics.
One nice twist by Krasinski changes the mission statement. After failing to pair a child at the hospital with an IF, Cal and Bea find success pairing an IF with its original human counterpart as an adult.
The IFs themselves are brilliantly animated. My favorite IFs are Keith (an invisible friend who trips people), Ice ( a glass of ice water dreamed up by a thirsty child) and Cosmo (a detective with an obscure face who is voiced menacingly by Christopher Meloni).
Fear and loneliness
Krasinski brilliantly captures the theme of fear and loneliness in IF. Bea, the IFs and even some of the adults who secretly long to reconnect with their IFs are lonely.
Bea is terrified over her father potentially dying following her Mom’s recent death. It’s not clear how much time has passed between the death of Bea’s Mom and her father’s procedure.
The IFs are lonely after losing connections with their respective kids. Like Bing Bong from Pixar’s Inside Out, if an IF goes too long without connecting, it could cease to exist.
Then, there’s the less obvious, more profound loneliness among the adults in IF. Bobby Moynihan plays Jeremy, a young entrepreneur working to summon the courage for an important presentation. There’s an overwhelming sense of dread in Jeremy’s entire demeanor. Bea sits in the waiting room with baked goods that remind Jermy of childhood. Blue makes a connection that gives Jeremy the courage to nail his presentation.
The humor sometimes clashes with the serious weight of loneliness brought on by the fear of death and aging. The contrasts don’t always work. However, scenes like Jeremy’s and Bea’s grandmother nail the magical moments that make IF worthwhile.
IF final thoughts
IF doesn’t always nail the humor, and the storytelling is not cohesive. However, Krasinski, Fleming, Reynolds, Gianchino‘s score, and imaginary friends create enough magic to inspire the inner child in anyone.
The Review
IF
PROS
- Cailey Fleming delivers a star making performance.
- Ryen Reynolds, Steve Carrell, Fiona Shaw, Louis Gossett Jr. and John Krasinski deliver compelling supporting performances.
- Tackles theme of loneliness in remarkable fashion.
- The IFs are beautifully animated.
- Michael Giacchino's score is the best of the year so far.
CONS
- Humor doesn't always hit.
- Some logic gaps in the story lead to abrupt character shifts.
