John Kransinski all but weaponises whimsy in charming but slight fable IF

Writer/ Director John Krasinski has a passion when it comes to his projects, and that passion is family. You can see it in A QUIET PLACE and its sequel, and it forms the beating heart of his latest offering, IF. Determined this time to make something inspired by and – crucially – for his children, IF ushers audiences into a fantastical world, where the line between imagination and reality blurs and everyday mundane considerations fall away to focus on the big emotional sweeps of childhood, love, and loss. Much like the imaginary friends central to its plot, the film encourages viewers to embrace the whimsical and the heartfelt, making it a charming if occasionally unsatisfying escape.

When Bea (Cailey Fleming), a 12-year-old girl grappling with her mother’s death and her father’s (John Krasinski) upcoming heart surgery, moves in with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw), she stumbles upon a hidden world under Coney Island where forgotten imaginary friends (IFs) reside. With the help of a giant purple IF named Blue (Steve Carell), and a colourful cast of characters including the quirkily curmudgeon Hank (Ryan Reynolds), Bea embarks on a mission to help these IFs find new homes and rediscover the joy they once brought.

Krasinski shines in his dual role as director and actor, crafting a narrative that’s both poignant and visually enchanting. The film’s design of the IFs, each unique and endearing, owes quite a bit to the eclectic character design of Cartoon Network’s THE AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL with its wildly variable, vibrant aesthetics. The starry voice cast includes Emily Blunt, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, and Blake Lively, who bring their characters to life with charm and wit. Performances by Carell and Reynolds provide both heart and humour, while Cailey Fleming’s portrayal of Bea grounds the fantastical elements with genuine emotional depth, as does Louis Gossett Jr. in his final role as Lewis, an elderly bear long since separated from his kid.

As much as the film wants you to love it – and how much you’ll want to – there’s no denying the plot is a little meandering, with certain scenes feeling overly drawn out. There’s an absence of small details that nag at the edge of consciousness, such as the utter lack of supervision for a 12-year-old girl in New York at all times of the day or night. In a way, though, it fits the ambience of a freewheeling child’s imagination applied to telling a story, although as THE LADY IN THE WATER showed, that doesn’t always translate cinematically. Likewise, the commitment to whimsicality sometimes borders on the saccharine, and the film’s attachment to nostalgia and sentimentality teeters on the edge of manipulative at times.

Still, IF remains a heartwarming and heartfelt ode to the power of imagination and childhood wonder, despite its occasional stumbles. Krasinski’s creative vision and authentic passion for the subject shine through in every moment, and the stellar cast make it a delightful watch, even if it sometimes strays. As the credits roll, you’ll be left with a smile and perhaps a renewed belief in the magic of the imaginary. After all, as Krasinski reminds us, “imagination is not something we have to lose.”