Now available on digital, and coming to 4K Ultra/Blu-ray August 13, 2024, is the family friendly film, IF.
IF stars Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, and Cailey Fleming. Many people might recognize Miss Fleming from her role as Judith Grimes on AMC’s The Walking Dead. She also played a young Rey on Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In addition, the film stars the voice talents of Steve Carell and Phoebe Waller Bridge.
Young Bea used to have a vivid imagination, one she shared with both her parents. After the loss of her mom, Bea forgot about a part of her imagination – her imaginary friend.
While staying with her grandmother while her father is in the hospital, Bea meets some rather extraordinary beings, which they affectionally referred to themselves as “Ifs”. “If” stands for Imaginary Friend. One If she befriends is called Blue (voiced by Carrell) and the other is Blossom (voiced by Waller Bridge). She also meets Cal, an adult who can see all the Ifs, and whose job it is to help them.
With Cal’s help, Bea embarks on a magical journey to help the Ifs reconnect with their kids, who have long since forgotten about them. If they don’t reconnect with them soon, they will disappear forever. This task is easier said than done, considering many of the “kids” are now grown adults.
Join Bea, Cal and the Ifs on their magical journey by purchasing or renting IF. Look for it on a streaming services (Vudu, Amazon, Googly Play…). Or be sure to look for the movie on Ultra 4K/Blu-ray on August 13, 2024.
I received a free digital code in order to watch the movie for this review.
I watched this film with my husband. I knew it wouldn’t be his “cup of tea,” but honestly, he watched the movie from beginning to end and barely glanced at his phone. In fact, he LAUGHED at various parts throughout the film (things the If’s did). I was impressed.
I really like Ryan Reynolds. I have yet to see a film he stared in that I didn’t enjoy.
I have only seen Miss. Fleming on The Walking Dead. It was interesting to see her move on to star in a major motion picture. She definitely can act, and I think she was a good choice for this film. For me though I couldn’t help but think of her as “Judith.” That has nothing to do with her or the film. It’s just that I’m a fan of The Walking Dead.
The IF characters really “stole the show” if you ask me. Not only were they cute, but they were really funny too.
One of the IFs is an older bear named Lewis. Lewis was voiced by the late Louis Gossett Jr., who passed away earlier this year (March 29, 2024).
In doing some research on the film, I learned that this film has A LOT of stars who voiced characters in this film. The main voices are Carrell and Waller Bridge, but other actors who voiced characters in this film include George Clooney, Blake Lively, Bradley Cooper, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Jon Stewart, Maya Rudolph, Sam Rockwell, Sebastian Maniscalco, Chris Meloni, Richard Jenkins and Awkwafina. Just let that sink in for a moment. All I can say is “WOW!”
This film was produced, and directed by John Krasinski. Let’s just say he has A LOT of great friends in Hollywood. Not only that, it’s clear that Mr. Krasinski is multi-talented.
I think many of us once had an IF growing up. I didn’t have an invisible IF, but I did think that some of my stuffed animals were real. My two favorites are a raggedy old gray “think” I call “Pal” and the other is a worn out brown dog I call “Bridget.” I still have them to this day, and I’m in my 50’s.
I think this movie really makes people think back on their own childhood and how remarkable and wonderful having an imagination can be. Sadly, I think many children today lack the same imagination due to spending too much time of video games and smartphones. Technology is destroying children’s imaginations. That breaks my heart.
Fans who purchase the film on Digital*, 4K Ultra HD, or Blu-ray will have access to over 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus content to explore the whimsical world of imaginary friends. See how each IF came to life, hear how filmmakers made the imaginary feel real, go on location in New York from Brooklyn Heights to Coney Island, and don’t miss the hysterical gag reel.
Bonus content is detailed below:
- The Imagination Behind IF—Hear from writer and director John Krasinski plus the cast and crew as they dive deeper into the process of bringing their imagination to life on screen.
- Imagining Imaginary Friends— Take a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of each imaginary friend.
- Giving IFs a Voice— Meet the all-star cast responsible for voicing each character. Hear from Steve Carrell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and more!
- Blending The Real and the Imaginary— Join John Krasinski as he incorporates a practical filmmaking approach to make the imaginary feel real.
- Tina Turner Forever!— Experience the reimagining of the iconic 80s Tina Turner music video as John Krasinski recreates this legendary sequence with the IFs.
- The Imaginative World of IF— From Brooklyn Heights to Coney Island, go behind-the-scenes with the cast and crew and experience the magic of New York City like never before.
- Gag Reel— You won’t have to imagine the hilarious antics on set once you check out this gag reel!
- Learn to Draw Blue from IF— Learn to draw the loveable and cuddly “Blue” in this fun, interactive tutorial.
Below you’ll find the film’s theatrical trailer for your enjoyment. The film is no longer in theaters.
Here are some fun FREE activity pages you can download, print out and enjoy with your family. Simply click on the link (“IF Activity Sheets”) below the image.
IF is released by Paramount. You can learn more about this film and other great tiles by visiting Paramount Movies online at ParamountMovies.com.
Be sure to follow Paramount Movies on social media to keep up-to-date on new movie releases. All of their links can be found on the bottom of their website.
Did you see IF when it was in theaters? If so, what did you think about the film? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts. I always love to hear from readers.
Kimberly
*I received a free copy of this film in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.