Kids

IF: Sometimes Imaginary Friends Can Be Of Help

by Alexa Villano
June 4, 2024

If brings adults and teens to the time when they confine to their imaginary friends, who gladly listen to them

As kids, did you ever have an imaginary friend? This is the theme of the movie IF, written and directed by John Krasinski and stars Ryan Reynolds.

Photo from Paramount Pictures International

Bringing the magic back in IF

We’ve been in that position of having imaginary friends. Bea (Cailey Fleming) returns to her childhood home to be with her grandmother and visit her sick dad (Krasinski) in the hospital. As she goes through her closet, she sees the camcorder and box of art materials kept in her closet. The camcorder had footage of her late mom while the art materials served as a reminder of the times she used to draw.

One evening, she heard noises above the apartment and wondered who they were. After following to a home, Bea meets Blossom (voiced by Phoebe Walker Bridge) and Cal (Reynolds). Bea soon discovers that Cal is trying to reconnect the Ifs to their human friends. She agrees to help them one by one and soon finds her connection to Cal.

With a star-studded cast behind the voices of the Ifs, the film brings back the days of teens and adults when they confined their dreams and wishes to their imaginary friends. We forget the childhood in us. There is nothing wrong with visiting it again and again.

The closeness of family and friends

If not only talks about friends. It talks about the love of family like Bea and her dad. Afraid she might also lose him like her mom, her dad assures her he will always be by her side.

The movie also reconnects adults to their childhood. They get so busy growing up that they set aside what they enjoy. Sometimes, an imaginary friend is okay to be with. After all, adults were kids themselves once.

So the next time you’re called out for being childish, it’s okay. Returning to your IF sometimes calms and reconnects you with your inner childhood.

Wondering whether to catch it or not? Here’s the trailer to help guide your decision!