A hybrid live-action CGI fantasy film, IF is directed by John Krasinski, who of late, is best known as the husband of Emily Blunt, and the one behind the horror film franchise, A Quiet Place. IF stands for Imaginary Friends, and the film is a feel-good adventure that takes that childhood concept of having an imaginary friend and teasing possibilities out of that notion.

Cailey Fleming's Bea is a young girl going through a tumultuous time in her life. Ryan Reynolds's neighbor, Cal, and Fiona Shaw’s grandmother make up the three main characters in the real world of this film. Krasinski portrays B’s father, who’s in the hospital. 

Bea discovers she has the gift of still seeing these imaginary friends, surprised to find they can exist as three-dimensional concepts in the real world. When she finds out that her adult neighbor Cal can see them as well, they join hands in an adventure that involves trying to reunite these IFs with the children who created them—even if these children are now adults who had cast off these IFs.

Right away, you see the promise behind the premise. It’s a Toy Story but with a twist, and it’s about IFs who are tangible beings and not just manifestations of conscience or loneliness walking and talking. There’s something universal in the premise, and it then becomes a matter of treatment and where the narrative will take us, so it’s both exciting and unpredictable.

And to be fair to Krasinski, who also handled the writing chores, he tried to make it heart-warming, bold, and magical. Every time you feel the narrative will head down a path that’s expected and predictable, there is that attempt to pull the rug from under you or offer a sequence you didn’t see coming. The problem may be that they try too hard.

Krasinski gives each of the leads their moments, and you may be surprised to find that it’s the one of Fiona Shaw that offers the most ‘magic’, and helps the film transcend to a higher plane, even if only for that moment. 

The one I’ll actually salute is Cailey Fleming as Bea; for more than Ryan Reynolds’ Cal, it’s B who carries much of the emotional weight of the film, and has to be believable to make this film work. She achieves this precisely by not trying to go sweet or cute but more deadpan to all the craziness that surrounds her. It’s her causing more of the good chemistry between Bea and Cal. Fleming was a child star in her The Walking Dead days, and it’s good to watch her show more range than she was required to on the TV series. 

IF is the kind of film the children can enjoy; while the adults will be surprised to find it also resonates with them. It has good things to say about growing up, letting go, coping with loss, and treasuring one’s memories and feelings.