John Krasinski’s ‘IF’ shows he should continue making family films

From the outside, “IF” might look like a children’s movie — and with a packed theater of, well, children, it would be safe to assume so.

The trailer does not give much away on the depth the film actually contains behind the animation and jokes.

I did not expect to have tears in my eyes when leaving the theater, but that’s the exact reaction director John Krasinski evokes as he shows that no matter how old you get, you can always use your childlike imagination.

Cailey Fleming shines as main character Bea, who insists she is “not a kid anymore” and you might be surprised to find out that the actress is not (she's 17).

Accompanied by Ryan Reynolds, the two have a great dynamic and made me wish that I had an imaginary friend as a kid.

What is the plot of ‘IF’?

Bea is a 12-year-old girl who has not had it easy. Her mom died from cancer and now her silly, goofy dad (Krasinski) must undergo surgery to fix his “broken heart.”

She returns to the colorful apartment where she has a lot of memories of time spent with both her parents — which is shown through a montage of joyful home videos at the beginning. Except now, she is with her grandmother and makes regular trips to the hospital to bring flowers to her father.

One day Bea sees “a girl” and follows her to the upstairs apartment in the building where she comes across Cal (Reynolds), Blue (voiced by Steve Carell) and Blossom (voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge).

Blue and Blossom are imaginary friends, or IFs, “like what if anything is possible.”

Bea initially sets out with Cal to help pair all the IFs with new kids but then, after some shenanigans and trial and error, she realizes that even adults can use their imaginary friends.

Her resolve of no longer being a kid anymore falls as she embraces childhood, the beauty that comes with imagination and she realizes she doesn’t need to go through life alone.

John Krasinski diverts from horror and the result is beautiful

Krasinski’s journey as a girl dad inspired the creation of this heartfelt film. His other directorial hits include “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II.” Expanding away from the horror film genre was a great decision.

With a star-studded cast of voice actors, it seems Krasinski might’ve looked at his phone contacts when casting, with names like Emily Blunt, Awkwafina, Blake Lively, Matt Damon, George Clooney and Maya Rudolph appearing in the end credits.

All these big names don’t take away from the heart of the movie, which reconnects adults with a forgotten part of their childhood and imagination. It shows we all could use a little support in life, even if that comes in the form of friends other people might not see.

And you might end up looking a bit crazy.

The film is emotional but also cracks jokes at itself. One joke, for instance, comes from an IF who is an ice cube. He said the reason he was created by his child was because, “It was Arizona and he was just thirsty and here we are.”

You also can’t help shedding a tear or two for Bea, who pretends to be tough and strong when visiting her father, but in actuality she is a scared kid afraid to lose another parent.

The IFs teach Bea many lessons throughout the film, including how nothing you love can be forgotten as your memories live in your heart forever. What is supposed to be a comedy develops into an honest film about coping with loss.

“IF” integrates stunning animation, comedy and emotion for a beautiful result, a perfect choice for your next family movie night — or if you just want to relive what being a kid was like.

'IF' 4 stars

Director: John Krasinski.

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming.

Rating: PG for thematic elements and mild language.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, May 17.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: John Krasinski’s ‘IF’ is an honest film about coping with loss