Movie Review: IF

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A surprisingly heartfelt and moving family film. 

This is a very different movie from the one the trailers were hinting at. The trailer made this look like a Ryan Renyolds comedy. However, while this film has Ryan Renyolds and some comedy, neither is the movie's focus. Instead, this is a sweet and heartwarming movie about imaginary friends that centers around a young girl (played by Cailey Fleming (who is simply wonderful)) who is at the age when kids seem to outgrow imaginary friends. While this may disappoint some who simply wanted to watch a Ryan Reynolds comedy, I found this whole film a sheer delight.

This movie starts as this type of film should. It starts rather slowly building up its atmosphere before moving into the fantasy. This allows you to be sucked up into the story and to truly care about our protagonist. One of the most important rules of any fantasy story is that if we believe the main character than we believe the fantasy. That is completely the case here. How much we care about her also helps the more emotional parts of the story work so well. I did not expect this movie to tug on my heartstrings, but it truly did. There are some very emotional scenes here, many of which may make you tear up a little. One scene in particular is a sure-fire tearjerker. Yet at the same time, this movie has a lot of joyous moments as well that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. These moments feel like a nice warm hug. At the same time this is a film with an incredibly effective message. This film tells us in a mature and heartfelt way about how even though we have to grow up in certain ways that never means we should put away our childlike hope and wonder. We may think we have grown beyond such things, but it is as we become adults that we need them more than ever. This message also makes it so like all the best family films, kids and adults will enjoy it on different levels. Director/writer/actor John Kransinki (with a slight change of pace after his A Quiet Place films) has stated that this is a very personal movie for him. However, even if he hadn't, we could tell this from just how heartfelt it is.

 Of course, for me it is hard to resist a modern movie that references such classic films as Harvey (1950) and Footlight Parade (1933) as well as featuring vintage jazz music on the soundtrack. 

The humor in this film can range for laugh out loud funny to falling completely flat. However, I feel that the truly funny moments are great enough to make up for the comedy that doesn't work. 

This movie is a little too predictable at times and I personally saw the big twist coming from very early on. 

This is a pure delight of a movie.