IF

This is a review I'm catching up on after having skipped IF in theaters, so I have the unique perspective of having seen A Quiet Place: Day One and Deadpool & Wolverine before watching this. 

I bring those two films up for [possibly] obvious reasons, but if you're unaware, John Krasinski directs and has a role in IF, passing on the option to direct a third Quiet Place film (or at least this Quiet Place film). And Deadpool & Wolverine is about as much a star vehicle for Reynolds' talent as anything. 

Both films are far better than IF, which is one of the more baffling films of the year. It should have been a home run with a kid-centric theme, a talented director, an all-star cast, and a wise-cracking lead. It's about the world of imaginary friends ("i" and "f" so....IF) as a little girl deals with her trauma and fears after having lost a parent. 

But for some reason, IF really never comes together, and if anything, kind of falls apart. There's so much talent here that I blame the screenplay. I could tell what was happening and the plot's direction, but sometimes it begged the question, "Wait, why are these characters doing this?" It's unfortunate because there's some weight to the whole thing as our central character, Bea (Cailey Fleming), deals with previous trauma from having lost her mom, while her dad (John Krasinski) preps for an operation. There's rich material here, and the film attempts to be poignant, but because of sloppy execution along the way, it never really earns the right to. Relating back to Krasinski's storytelling and direction prowess, this was a surprising outcome.  

IF is also shockingly unfunny. There aren't many jokes that landed with me and while it's generally "cute", it's never all that memorable, despite a poster/trailer that may suggest we're getting iconic characters. Given the talent involved - Reynolds, Carell, Waller-Bridge, and Krasinski himself - it's unfortunate this couldn't have been a rip-roaring PG comedy. Once more, circling back to Reynold's in the lead and particularly how hilarious Deadpool was (yes, I know it's R), this was also a surprising outcome. Reynolds feels a bit like he's sleepwalking through this, just trying to hit "quip #1" cues as best as possible, and other stars like Carell and Waller-Bridge feel similarly uninspired. For what it's worth, Krasinski is consistently hitting the right notes as the goofy-in-the-face-of-medical-danger father. There is a bright light in Cailey Fleming though, who brings more energy and earnestness than practically everyone else. She has some quirks (like a constant smirk) that make her feel like a genuinely awkward kid in a very endearing way. While the film she's in isn't a testament to quality, her performance should be.

Even days later, I stand confused about why IF is so unmemorable and unspecial. The pieces seemed to be lined up on the surface, but never fully come together. I believe there was a potentially poignant and funny film somewhere in here, but IF is not it.  

Rapid Rath's Review Score | 5.5/10