IF

In cinemas now

It’s well established that John Krasinski is a man of many talents. He charmed the world with his performance as Jim Halpert in the American iteration of The Office before showcasing his directorial gifts with the daring A Quiet Place and its 2020 sequel. His latest feature IF is something entirely different, a sentimental, family-friendly affair about a young girl (Cailey Fleming) who can see other people’s imaginary friends.

While I don’t think you should ever knock a director for trying something new, Krasinski’s IF is almost the antithesis of his breakthrough hit, it being pretty much devoid of originality. Its premise feels like it has been rescued from the cutting room floor of Monsters, Inc. and its cast, with the exception of the aforementioned Fleming, look and sound as if they are mostly going through the motions. Ryan Reynolds has monopolised the sardonic leading man market since his Deadpool success, but his shtick is becoming borderline lazy. 

This aside, IF is not without moments of charm, due largely to the impressive work of its animation and VFX teams. Krasinski has spoken of wanting to create a film that kids can relate to and it’s not implausible to think that he will achieve that modus operandi in most cases, as this is an easily digestible and unchallenging affair. However, the absence of grounding and plausibility from its screenplay means that IF doesn’t live long in the memory and is instead likely to go down as just another forgettable pre-summer affair.