ReviewIF movie review: John Krasinski’s tender drama, with Steve Carell voicing imaginary friend Blue, a film for all the family

Name: IF | Final Trailer (2024 Movie) - Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Steve Carell
Uploaded: 2024-05-15T13:00:12.000Z
Description: IF | Final Trailer (2024 Movie) - Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Steve Carell

This tale of a 12-year-old girl, Bea (played by Cailey Fleming), who goes to live with her grandmother, notices a doll-like creature in her gran’s building

The creature, Blossom, is one of a group of imaginary friends (IF), and Bea joins them to help pair up other IFs after they are abandoned by children

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Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming in a still from IF (category I), directed by John Krasinski. Steve Carell co-stars. Photo: Jonny Cournoyer.

James Mottram

Published: 9:00pm, 15 May 2024

3/5 stars

A soft-hearted family film, IF is the brainchild of actor-turned-director John Krasinski, whose last directorial outings were A Quiet Place and its sequel, the squeamish horror thrillers about an invasion of creepy alien beasts that react to sound.

IF has some creatures in it too, although very much of the fluffy, cuddly kind. ‘IF’ stands for ‘Imaginary Friend’ – invisible to all but the child they are paired with.

The New York-set film begins with Krasinski’s widowed father about to undergo an operation, meaning his only child, 12-year-old Bea (Cailey Fleming), has to move in with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw) during this difficult time.

IF | Final Trailer (2024 Movie) - Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Steve Carell

“Sometimes life doesn’t have to always be fun,” she says, somewhat wise beyond her years. But the fun does start when Bea catches a glimpse of a curious, doll-like creature, Blossom (voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge), in her gran’s building.

Blossom is one of the IFs, living alongside a hairy purple beast named Blue (voiced by Steve Carell), “the most adorable train wreck” as he is dubbed, and others.