In a world ofcinematic universes, it makes no sense that IF exists.
But thats not it at all.
Everything that Hollywood has learned in the past few decades was not applied to IF.
Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, and a bear voiced by Louis Gossett Jr. in IF.Image: Paramount
In that world, a young girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) discovers she can see IFs.
Dont worry about it.
At least, thats the first half of the movie.
Cal and Blue.Image: Paramount
Its something else in the second half, which well get back to.
Now, obviously, were not taking issue with the idea of Why do these magical creatures exist?
Its a fantasy family movie.
The actual party described above.Image: Paramount
The idea is admittedly interesting and we can get behind it.
No, its the little things.
Right from the beginning you are left with questions that never get answered.
You deserved better, young lady.Image: Paramount
Questions like, why can only Bea and Cal see all the IFs?
Where do IFs come from?
How do you make a new one?
Not all of these have to be answeredbut nevertheless, they linger.
We never find out.
Its sweet and, you think, the precursor to something that will pay off later.
Instead, the notion works against another basic consideration.
The movie simply doesnt feel thought out in any capacity.
There are major questions about character and motivation.
Huge holes in the basic narrative.
All of it is ripe for nitpicking.
With no real adherence to any sense of worldbuilding, eventually IF goes completely off the rails.
About halfway through the film we realize placing IFs with new kids was not the point.
No, actually, its about reuniting IFs with their now grown-up kids.
Which, we have to admit, sounds amazing.
But very quickly, the frustration and disappointment came roaring back.
The process the characters go through to reunite is random and nonsensical.
The IFs find their kid, reconnect in some way, and then… thats it.
We half thought they were going to IF heaven.
Some of this wouldve been forgivable if IF had been funny, but its not.
Its also not particularly charming because its so seeped in loss and regret.
The voice cast,which is maybe the best ever assembled, is largely underused.
Actually, when you think about it, no one is really a big part of IF.
Its a lot of little pieces laid out the same table, but never put together.
To not be a total downer, there are a few good things going on with IF.
Fleming is completely charming as Bea, navigating between thinking she has to grow up and being a kid.
The visual effects of the IFs are very good, especially when we see them close up.
But even with all of that, IF just doesnt work.
Will kids watching a movie with big digital characters care about things like a cohesive plot?
IF is a shining example of how original ideas have to be even more carefully scrutinized than adapted work.
A failure for one of these is a failure for probably 10 more just like it.
The question then becomes: how did this happen?
Most of us know making a movie is a process.
And a big part of that process is usually a system of checks and balances in the script phase.
Questions like What purpose does this character play?
How does that work?
Why can she do that?
But, on IF, its almost as if John Krasinski didnt have any of that.
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