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IF poster
6.5
Paramount Pictures Acclaimed

IF

John Krasinski's 2024 family fantasy — Cailey Fleming and Ryan Reynolds go on a heartfelt imaginary-friends adventure, backed by one of Hollywood's most starry voice ensembles and Janusz Kaminski's gorgeous cinematograph...

2024 104 min PG
Critic6.5
Paramount+ Netflix Prime Video Apple TV

Overview

Bea, a twelve-year-old girl going through a difficult time, discovers she can see everyone's abandoned imaginary friends — and with the help of her mysterious neighbor Cal, she sets out on a magical mission to reconnect them with the children who once loved them.
Story 5.8
Acting 7.5
Direction 6.8
Cinematography 7.5
Music 8.0
Pacing 6.5
Originality 7.0
Emotional Impact 7.0
Overall 6.5

Editorial Review

By FindEdition Cinema Desk

6.5 /10

Heart and imagination

John Krasinski's love letter to childhood imagination works best in its quieter moments — Cailey Fleming is a natural screen presence, and the imaginary friends are colourfully designed and disarmingly sweet, particularly Steve Carell's gentle Blue.

Janusz Kaminski's eye

IF is visually richer than most family films — Kaminski brings a warmth and depth of field to the New York settings that gives the world a painterly, slightly nostalgic quality entirely suited to the material.

Pros

  • Cailey Fleming's charming central performance
  • Extraordinary all-star voice cast
  • Gorgeous Janusz Kaminski cinematography
  • Michael Giacchino's warm score
  • Genuinely emotional family storytelling

Cons

  • Mixed critical reception (49% Tomatometer)
  • Overloaded plot in the second half
  • Underperformed relative to budget at US box office
Verdict A warm-hearted, visually inventive family fantasy anchored by Cailey Fleming's winning performance and a staggeringly starry voice cast — emotionally sincere, even when its plotting loses its way.

AI Review

John Krasinski's 2024 family fantasy — Cailey Fleming and Ryan Reynolds go on a heartfelt imaginary-friends adventure, backed by one of Hollywood's most starry voice ensembles and Janusz Kaminski's gorgeous cinematography.

A warm-hearted, visually inventive family fantasy anchored by Cailey Fleming's winning performance and a staggeringly starry voice cast — emotionally sincere, even when its plotting loses its way.

Stream on Paramount+ or Netflix — perfect for family movie night with children aged 6 and up.

Awards

Annie Awards

Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Live Action Production · Nominated

Kids' Choice Awards

Favorite Family Movie · Nominated

Saturn Awards

Best Family Film · Nominated

Timeline

Release Date
Theatrical Date
Digital Date
Physical Date
Premiere
Festival
Status
Development

John Krasinski wrote the original screenplay during the COVID-19 pandemic, inspired by his children. Paramount Pictures backed the project as a major original live-action family film — a rare category in the modern studio landscape.

Principal photography

Shot in New York City by Janusz Kaminski in 2023. The live-action elements were combined with extensive CGI to bring the imaginary friends to life, with an all-star voice cast recording their roles separately.

Release

Opened in France on May 8 and the United States on May 17, 2024. Digital release June 18; Paramount+ streaming debut July 9, 2024. Later also available on Netflix in the US.

Annie Awards

Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Live Action Production Nominated

Kids' Choice Awards

Favorite Family Movie Nominated

Saturn Awards

Best Family Film Nominated

Production

Development

John Krasinski wrote the original screenplay during the COVID-19 pandemic, inspired by his children. Paramount Pictures backed the project as a major original live-action family film — a rare category in the modern studio landscape.

Principal photography

Shot in New York City by Janusz Kaminski in 2023. The live-action elements were combined with extensive CGI to bring the imaginary friends to life, with an all-star voice cast recording their roles separately.

Release

Opened in France on May 8 and the United States on May 17, 2024. Digital release June 18; Paramount+ streaming debut July 9, 2024. Later also available on Netflix in the US.

Streaming

Cast

Characters

Crew

Videos

Official Trailer

Soundtrack

  1. Original Score — Michael Giacchino
  2. IF Theme — Michael Giacchino
  3. Pure Imagination (from Willy Wonka) — Featured in film
  4. What a Wonderful World — Louis Armstrong (featured)

Trivia

  • The film assembles one of the largest all-star voice casts in live-action/animation hybrid history — including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Blake Lively and Emily Blunt, many of whom are close friends of director John Krasinski and producer Ryan Reynolds.
  • Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski is a two-time Oscar winner best known for his work with Steven Spielberg on Schindler's List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998) — IF marks a rare departure from the Spielberg filmography for Kaminski.
  • Michael Giacchino, who scored the film, is an Oscar winner for Up (2009) and one of Hollywood's most prolific composers, having also scored Ratatouille, Spider-Man: No Way Home and The Batman.
  • John Krasinski wrote IF during the COVID-19 pandemic, inspired by his own daughters and a desire to make a film about the imagination of childhood.
  • Ryan Reynolds co-produced the film through his Maximum Effort production company — the same banner behind his other 2024 hit Deadpool & Wolverine.
  • Louis Gossett Jr. recorded his role as Lewis the IF shortly before his death in March 2024, making IF one of his final film appearances.
  • Despite mixed critical reviews (49% Rotten Tomatoes), audience scores were significantly higher, and the film became a streaming hit on Paramount+ and Netflix after its theatrical run.

Quotes

"You think imaginary friends just disappear when kids grow up? They don't."

"The world is a lot bigger when you let yourself believe."

Goofs

  • The Brooklyn Heights neighbourhood exteriors change between shots in several street scenes.
  • Bea's bedroom layout shifts between her first and later scenes in the apartment.

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Recommendations & Alternatives

For higher ratings, consider The Godfather (9.2/10). A similarly themed alternative is Reminders of Him.

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AI Recommendation Insight

John Krasinski's 2024 family fantasy — Cailey Fleming and Ryan Reynolds go on a heartfelt imaginary-friends adventure, backed by one of Hollywood's most starry voice ensembles and Janusz Kaminski's gorgeous cinematography. Similar picks: Shared Cast

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