John Krasinski’s IF movie is a heartwarming delight with a delicate reminder of what it means to be a kid. It’s not a groundbreaking spectacle bound to break a mold or shape the way we tell stories geared toward younger audiences. Still, it’s a thoughtful, beautifully warm gem worth watching and passing on from generation to generation.
It’s basically the Pixar equivalent of what we would’ve gotten if Inside Out did a spinoff on Bing Bong. It forces viewers to look inward toward their childhoods and maybe feel a little less alone, too, because, in actuality, Krasinski knows we’re all riding the struggle bus day and night. Like Jeremy, someone has a big meeting to prepare for, an email they’re dreading to send, a draft they’re struggling with, a pain they’re carrying, etc. We’re all searching for ways to feel a little less alone, and while we might be seeing giant blue teddy bears or toasted marshmallows with bulging eyes, we’re still aching for that tiny bit of perpetual comfort.
And with that, John Krasinski’s IF movie focuses intricately on the importance of a hug and how much it could uplift the spirit. As a director, he often shines a resonating light on love and families, even while the themes are substantially heavier. Thus, the film carefully emphasizes that no matter how old a person is, those quiet moments of holding onto someone can carry people through a tremendous amount of pain and sorrow. Simultaneously, it provides the kind of unexpected twist that genuinely brought me so much joy that my heart grew three sizes at the realization. I should’ve seen it coming, but I wasn’t looking for it per se, which made the reveal that much more intriguing.
Ryan Reynolds is a class act in everything he does, and Ryan Reynolds in suspenders is a gorgeous sight to behold. His performances are delightful through and through, but it’s the film’s leading star, Cailey Fleming, who stands out remarkably. Fleming is going places. Mark my words. How she consistently held her own with Krasinski, Reynolds, and Fiona Shaw is no small feat, but the wide range of emotions she effectively brought to life is a profoundly admirable detail that many fail to master even when they’re older. She’s a clear standout throughout the entirety of John Krasinski’s IF movie, and her point of view is an effortless lens to follow.
Interestingly, I walked out of the theater to someone saying, “I expected it to blow my mind, but it didn’t.” Yet, that’s not the point of this film. Since the first trailer debuted, it was clear that the film simply intended to give people a small escape from the heaviness of the real world. It’s concentrating on a kid who’s already dealing with grief, scared out of her mind that she might lose her father, too. It’s an honest depiction of the places and people we turn to when reality terrifies us.
It’s not trying to blow our minds; instead, it’s simply trying to remind us that while the world outside burns, we don’t have to forget the small moments when we were happy. We don’t have to forget that so much of what we do today is the very thing the little human inside of us dreamed of doing. It reminds me a lot of Rina Sawayama’s “Hold the Girl.” Writers alone have thousands of invisible friends in their heads demanding for their stories to be told. And the best part of the film is its emphasis on how the stories we tell can heal not only the broken parts of ourselves but those in front of us, too.
IF movie is now playing in theaters.
First Featured Image | Official Poster Credit: ©Paramount Pictures