On May 17th, the movie IF was released, a family-friendly movie debuted by Paramount. The movie stars some of the top actors and actresses including Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming.
The film is set in a whimsical fantasy world where imagination and reality collide. While combining both cranky enjoyment and emotional depth, IF explores the power of the imagination in shaping our lives and the importance of holding onto our inner child.
The Story
A young 12-year-old girl, Bea, moves in with her grandmother to visit and take care of her father who is getting ready for heart surgery. She discovers that she can see everyone’s IFs (imaginary friends). She is also able to see all sorts of colorful and dynamic creatures, and other imaginary things.
Working alongside Cal, another person who also has Bea’s ability to see IFs, they embark on a magical journey to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. Amidst all the pressures and responsibilities of adulthood, Bea and Cal must work together to help people see their old imaginary friends.
Worth watching?
By combining animation and live action, IF portrays an interesting dynamic on the screen. The film undeniably does a good job of combining the elements in a natural and effective way. It correlates with the message of the movie as a whole: imagination versus reality.
However, while the movie is under the guise of a family-friendly movie, orientated to little kids, the movie wasn’t exactly appealing to children. IF is lighthearted, heartwarming, and sincere, but it seems to be made for adults to reminisce about their inner child.
Furthermore, the plot of the movie was fairly standard, there was no real progression throughout the film. Storytelling aspects of the film were also overlooked, and the film was confusing to watch at some points.
Still, the vibrant and imaginative spectacle of the imaginary characters makes up for the lack of storytelling. IF is a lighthearted film that is good to watch with family. The film portrays an interesting perspective on how important it is to hold onto our imaginations.
