There are experiences in movie theaters that are magical. IF (Imaginary Friends) gave me one of those. From the very first minute, you know you’re in front of a story that will stay with you and bring both tears and smiles. However, critics have disagreed with audiences: on Rotten Tomatoes the gap between critics’ and audiences’ opinions is 49% vs. 88% respectively.
Perhaps being a highly anticipated film from The Office alum John Krasinski, creator of A Quiet Place (considered one of the best horror franchises in recent times) did not help IF to have its own space to surprise those critics who always expect more. But without a doubt, IF is one of the most creative, original and fresh family films made in recent times.
Krasinski wrote it with his daughters in mind and the imaginative land they were always immersed in as they played. However, when that world changed during the pandemic, brought down by the fears of the real world, the idea was transformed to give hope, thinking that those magical places of joy will always exist.
This sweet children’s story touches the hearts of kids and awakens the inner child in adults, whether they remember their imaginary friends or not. But it is not a conventional children’s story, instead it has a tone more similar to Inside Out with deep messages that work very well among adults and older children who can follow the story better.
In other words, the colorful fantasy world connects with reality through a more reflective story about the journey to the teenage years.
Bea (Cailey Fleming) had a difficult childhood, her mother died of a terminal illness and now her father must undergo surgery for his “broken heart”. Although she no longer considers herself a kid, her father (Krasinski) tries to keep the imaginative world awake and joyful, something noticeable in Bea’s manner that offers that special air of playfulness. Along the way, Cal (Ryan Reynolds) helps introduce her to the secret world of IFs, as they team up to match imaginary friends with humans, because what if these beloved imaginary friends are left without purpose in the world and no one else can see them?
Another of the main characters is a big, hairy, purple, sentient monster named Blue. Krasinski thought of Steve Carell when writing him and his former boss on The Office couldn’t say no. Krasinski didn’t have to convince the actors about the idea, they were all more than happy to participate. As a result, important names in the industry such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Emily Blunt, Sam Rockwell, Jon Stewart came to the credits to lend their voices to these endearing IFs. But the most unusual is Brad Pitt, who does not act or lend his voice to the film, but is credited as Keith, an invisible imaginary friend — as a nod to Deadpool 2 where Pitt had a very brief appearance as The Vanisher.
To create these characters, Krasinski recalled his own imaginary friend, Sam Brace, a film lover who accompanied him on his adventures to video stores when he was 8 years old and helped him reinterpret iconic scenes. In addition, the director investigated the psychology behind imaginary friends, which can become coping mechanisms for everyday life, turning this fantasy space into a sacred one.
IF is a reminder that the magical world will always be there to sustain us and Krasinski and the cast took the job very seriously, inviting the audience to stay connected to their imagination, their inner child and their ability to wonder. The audience didn’t misjudge — many people comment on the tears the story produced and others connect with the scent of fantasy. The story is full of sweetness, love, imagination and joy, some much-needed words today for both adults and those children who are growing up too fast surrounded by an absorbing technological world.
For me, having had a large dose of the real world that week, I left the theater that day feeling lighter, with that good vibe that comes from the power of the imagination. Krasinski has undoubtedly become an influential creative in the industry to keep an eye on because every day he delivers interesting, unique and captivating stories that stand out in Hollywood because of his distinctive voice.