From the twisted mind of horror master John Krasinski, director of A Quiet Place, comes a terrifying tale about the nightmares of childho-
Oh? It’s a kids’ movie? Rightio. Feels like a missed opportunity, though.
How to watch IF in the UK
IF hits UK cinemas on May 17.
IF (2024)
What is IF about?
Not to be confused with the antiauthoritarian 1968 banger If… by British director Lindsay Anderson, this IF stands for “Imaginary Friends”, and it turns out a young girl, Bea, has the power to see all the imaginary friends who have been abandoned by their now-grown creators. Teaming up with her neighbour, Cal, who possesses the same ability, she sets out to reunite the friendly figments with their former child companions—and, reading between the lines, probably pair them off with new kids. Will a few life lessons be learned along the way? More than likely. We’d bet folding money it’s all about trauma, especially given there’s no cast listing for Bea’s mum.
The cast of IF
Cailey Fleming of The Walking Dead is Bea, Ryan Reynolds is Cal, Krasinski pulls double duty as Bea’s dad, Fiona Shaw is Bea’s grandmother, and Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Bobby Moynihan are in support.
But the voice cast is pretty amazing—remember, there’s a a whole panoply of weird and wonderful creatures of the imagination in this thing. So, expect to hear (deeeeep breath) Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Sebastian Maniscalco, Christopher Meloni, Richard Jenkins, Awkwafina, John Krasinski (again!), Blake Lively, George Clooney, Matthew Rhys, Bradley Cooper, Amy Schumer, Keegan-Michael Key, and Vince Vaughn.
IF trailer
Interesting choice of song, fellas.
Why we’re excited about IF
Vibing like a safer Drop Dead Fred (Rik Mayall RIP—gone but never forgotten) with a hint of that one character in Disney’s Inside Out, IF isn’t necessarily exploring uncharted territory here, but the fact that Krasinksi’s a bit of a gun behind the camera, and the cast alone pretty much guarantee that parents will enjoy themselves while their sprogs goggle at the colourful characters.
