John Krasinski comes across as a really decent bloke. He came to fame as Jim in the American version of The Office. He helped us through lockdown with his Good News videos, made one of the best horrors of the 21st century in A Quiet Place, and is married to Emily Blunt, making them one of the most likeable couples in Hollywood. It wasn’t a surprise when it was announced that he was making a family film. IF isn’t a remake of the 1968 anti-establishment movie by Lindsay Anderson but a colourful tale of imaginary friends. While the premise is interesting, and I hate saying this, it’s a huge disappointment.

Bea is a 12-year-old who is staying with her grandmother while her father is going through an operation. Having lost her mother when she was young, Bea seems alone until she discovers a strange man living in the same apartment with an even stranger creature. She finds herself in a world full of imaginary friends abandoned by their children who have grown up, so she takes it on as a mission to find these weird and wonderful creatures new homes.

Krasinski’s film is handsomely made by a director who handles a camera and a colour palette. It is also brimming with ideas and an incredible array of characters that you would expect from the mind of a child more than an adult. However, there are some serious issues with this film that you cannot escape from. Mixing the CGI with the live-action performers works well, although there are some moments when you definitely can see the joins.

Firstly is the plot. This is essentially a story of lost childhood. Imaginary friends were an intricate part of childhood, but not every child had one. The idea of someone finding an array of forgotten IFs and trying to find new homes is charming. However, charm is something that this is lacking. These cheeky, bizarre characters are never given a chance to shine, except two, the giant Muppet-looking Blue, a large, clumsy purple monster, and Blossom, a small ballerina-like girl. The real focus is on Bea, the girl who takes it on her shoulders to be the guardian of these inventions, and Cal, the man who looks after them. A man who doesn’t believe that Bea’s plan will work seems indifferent to everything.

There would seem to be plenty of room for these characters to be funny, witty, or lovely. Krasinski seems more interested in playing the emotional card throughout. You wouldn’t have been surprised to see the words “CRY NOW!” appear at various points, as the soaring soundtrack is begging for a tear or two.

Tonally, it is uneven. You never really know who this is playing to. There are some plodding moments with plenty of explanation to lose the kids, while the adults will be searching for something for them to latch onto, as the possibility of lost imaginary friends may leave most feeling cold. There isn’t enough slapstick for the laughs of the young or winks for the adults. Sure, you could play spot the vocal talent as all the imaginary friends are voiced by famous Hollywood superstars, but that’s not enough.

Worst of all, the plot is so complex that when the payoff finally comes, you are so bamboozled from the previous 90 minutes that you leave the cinema feeling slightly distant from it. If it was made to break your heart in the end, it sadly failed its mission.

There is a saving grace in the form of Cailey Fleming. As Bea, she is the star and carries it brilliantly. She never comes across as pretentious or annoying, but a mature and intelligent performance and the journey is much easier with her in the driving seat. Having starred in The Walking Dead for many years, this should make her a star for the future. Ryan Reynolds, as Cal, is less showy or wise-cracking than he usually is and allows Fleming plenty of room to shine. It’s an understated performance and is probably saving the smart-alec comments for Deadpool and Wolverine later this year. Krasinski appears as the Dad, while Steve Carell and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, as Blue and Blossom, respectively, do fine work, with the late Louis Gosset Jr as a sweet-natured bear, Lewis, providing a calming effect.

I really wanted to like IF. Sadly, it just didn’t work, and as I left the cinema, I heard a young viewer say that she didn’t like it at all. I’m not going that far, but there is a better film to be had out of the material. I shed no tears, and there was not a moment when I wished my imaginary friend would return, as I never had one.

2 out of 5

Director: John Krasinski

Starring: Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr, Alan Kim

Written by: John Krasinski

Running Time: 104 mins

Cert: U

Release date: 17th May 2024