IF Review: John Krasinski Resurrects the Inner Child in All of Us

John Krasinski is five features deep into his directing career and has made a point of not succumbing to a checkbox that defines his voice.

Moving from the thrilling duo of A Quiet Place and its sequel, Krasinski momentarily shelves horror for a foray into nostalgia with his new film IF, led by Cailey Fleming as Bea.

Bea was just a young girl when she lost her mother. Now, on the cusp of adolescence, at 12 years old, her father is facing heart surgery. Bea goes to spend time with her grandmother, played by Fiona Shaw, where she discovers on the top floor a place that exists somewhere between the real and the imaginary.

While a wholesome family film on the surface, IF grapples with the complexities of coming-of-age while also discussing how grief often manifests as us shutting down parts of our memory to feel "safe" and move on before we are ready.

As an "adult" at twelve, Bea is vocal about no longer being interested in her childhood hobbies. She tells her grandmother she doesn't paint anymore, and behaves like a mother to her father, whose inner child is alive and well, something Bea struggles to understand.

Throughout IF, Krasinski is clearly in conversation with many classic movies and, at one point, includes them directly within the film to deepen the context of Bea's experience. Watching a filmmaker so lovingly wear their influences on their sleeve is endearing. It feels warm and familiar because of it and invites audiences of all ages to be part of the fun.

From the opening montage, Krasinski sets his manifesto: he will use his movie to resurrect the inner child in all of us. Over the 104-minute runtime, he reminds us of what movies can be and how they hold the magic to take us to places we have long forgotten.

Enter Ryan Reynolds, who plays the secret softy Cal, who is helping a small group of long-lost imaginary friends on their mission to not be forgotten.

A host of imaginary friends facing the same fear live a little while away under a dilapidated amusement park ride in a retirement home, and Bea and Cal set out to rehome them all. However, along the way, they learn something more important, which is where Krasinski's magic kicks in.

Movies such as IF are hard to market. Who are they for? What do they want to say? Have people lost touch with the family movie genre, and should we continue to make them at all?

Krasinski makes a strong case for the necessity of play in cinema, and the product is a heartwarming tearjerker that provides not only an enjoyable film that works for all the family, but one that asks you to reconnect with who you are and what you may have lost in the transition from childhood to adulthood.

We need more films that feel like a warm hug, which are also thoughtful and pay attention to detail. Jess Gonchor's costume design is a highlight. It does a subtle but beautiful job of aiding the narrative while giving each character their own personality and style.

While the screenplay has its faults, and the film glosses over things it would benefit from diving deep into, IF does a marvellous job of rejuvenating forgotten memories and allowing you to escape life's troubles for a little while.

To say too much is to spoil the fun, so the best thing to do is go in with an open heart and let Krasinski sweep you up in his magical, musical daydream.