IF (2024)

Category:2024 films
IF is an American live-action/animated fantasy comedy film written, produced, and directed by John Krasinski. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, and Liza Colón-Zayas, along with the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., and Steve Carell. Its plot follows a young girl and her neighbor who find themselves able to see imaginary friends.
IF was released in the United States and the United Kingdom by Paramount Pictures on May 17, 2024.
==Plot==
Twelve-year-old Bea moves into her grandmother Margaret's apartment in New York while her father waits for heart surgery in the same hospital where her mother died of cancer years earlier. She chafes against his playful antics, insisting she can handle the situation with maturity. One night, Bea goes out to buy a charger for her mother's old camcorder and sees an unfamiliar creature, following it back to her grandmother's building. The next day, she sees the creature again, accompanied by a man. Bea follows them to a nearby house where the man, Cal, retrieves a large furry purple creature named Blue. She also meets the other creature, a butterfly-like being named Blossom, and faints. She awakens in Cal's apartment where she learns that he has been working with imaginary friends, nicknamed IFs, to place them with new children as their original children have grown up and forgotten them. Initially reluctant, Bea eventually decides to help Cal.
The next day, Cal takes Bea to Memory Lane Retirement Home, a retirement community for IFs housed underneath a swing in Coney Island. There, he introduces Bea to Lewis, an elderly teddy bear who is the head of the facility. He inspires Bea to use her imagination to redesign the facility, much to the chagrin of Cal. Bea tries to match one of the IFs with Benjamin, a young patient at the hospital. She, Cal, and Lewis audition the IFs, but he is unable to see any of them. Feeling unmotivated, Bea talks with Lewis on the Coney Island pier. He gives her an idea that maybe IFs do not need new kids, but rather to reunite with their old ones.
Talking with her grandmother, she sees a picture of her as a young dancer and recognizes Blossom in the background of the picture. Realizing Blossom was her grandmother's IF, Bea decides to test Lewis' idea. Playing one of her grandmother's records inspires Margaret to dance and she remembers Blossom, instilling Bea with hope. Following a tip, Bea, Cal, and Blue find Blue's original kid, Jeremy, now a grown man trying to launch a business. By eating a fresh croissant in front of Jeremy, Bea reminds him of his childhood home above his parents' bakery; Jeremy remembers Blue enough for Blue to give Jeremy the confidence he needs for a business presentation.
That evening, Bea arrives at Margaret's to find her hastily preparing for a return to the hospital because there's been a complication with her father's treatment. Bea rushes upstairs to Cal, who comforts her. When Bea says she does not want to say goodbye to her dad, Cal advises her to tell him a story instead. At the hospital, a nurse reassures Bea that her father will be all right. She tells him a story about realizing she was pushing herself to act like a grown-up when she's just a child who still needs her father. He wakes up and they hug each other. When Bea goes outside his room, she sees that all of the IFs are gone.
Bea goes upstairs to thank Cal, but no one answers his door. The landlady shows Bea that the door opens into an old storage room. After her dad is released from the hospital, he and Bea pack up to go home. Bea finds an old picture she painted of herself, her parents and a clown named Calvin. She suddenly realizes that Cal is her own IF, forgotten after the death of her mother. She thanks him for helping her and tells him she'll always need him. This allows Bea to see Cal and the IFs again, and they reunite. After Bea and her father drive off, Margaret asks Blossom if the two of them should go inside, causing Blossom to realize Margaret can see her.
Some time later, Cal begins reuniting the IFs with their original kids, now grown up. Benjamin meets his IF, a cartoonish dragon with glasses. Bea and her father return home.
== Cast ==
== Production ==
===Development===
In October 2019, Paramount Pictures outbid Lionsgate and Sony, among others, to win the rights to Imaginary Friends, a project developed by John Krasinski and Ryan Reynolds, with Krasinski set to write and direct it. In May 2021, Krasinski's Sunday Night Productions and Reynolds's Maximum Effort signed first-look deals with Paramount. In October 2021, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Fiona Shaw joined the cast. In January 2022, Steve Carell, Alan Kim, Cailey Fleming, and Louis Gossett Jr. joined the cast, with the film retitled IF. The film reunites Krasinski and Carell, who both starred in The Office (2005–2013). In August 2022, Bobby Moynihan was added to the cast. The voice cast and premise were revealed in April 2023 at CinemaCon 2023.
In April 2024, a month before the film's release, more voice cast members were announced with one of them being Reynolds' wife, Blake Lively.
===Filming===
Principal photography began on August 31, 2022, with Janusz Kamiński as cinematographer, and wrapped by early May 2023.
===Visual effects and animation===
Animation director Arslan Elver and VFX supervisor Chris Lawrence worked alongside John Krasinski on set and during pre and post production. Framestore provided the film's visual effects and animation.
===Music===
In January 2024, Krasinski revealed that Michael Giacchino had composed the score for the film.
== Release ==
IF is scheduled to be released in theaters by Paramount Pictures on May 17, 2024. It was originally scheduled for November 17, 2023 and May 24, 2024.
== See also ==
*Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
*Happy!
*Harvey
== External links ==
*
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== References ==
Category:Films starring Cailey Fleming
Category:Films starring Ryan Reynolds
Category:Films starring Fiona Shaw
Category:Films starring Alan Kim
Category:Films starring Liza Colón-Zayas
Category:Films starring Bobby Moynihan
Category:Films starring Steve Carell
Category:Films starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Category:Films starring Louis Gossett Jr.
Category:Films starring Emily Blunt
Category:Films starring Matt Damon
Category:Films starring Maya Rudolph
Category:Films starring Jon Stewart
Category:Films starring Sam Rockwell
Category:Films starring Sebastian Maniscalco
Category:Films starring Christopher Meloni
Category:Films starring Richard Jenkins
Category:Films starring Awkwafina
Category:Films starring John Krasinski
Category:Films starring Blake Lively
Category:Films starring George Clooney
Category:Films starring Matthew Rhys
Category:Films starring Bradley Cooper
Category:Films starring Amy Schumer
Category:Films starring Keegan-Michael Key
Category:Films starring Vince Vaughn
Category:2020s children's comedy films
Category:2020s children's fantasy films
Category:2020s American animated films
Category:2020s English-language films
Category:Films with opening credits
Category:2020s fantasy comedy films
Category:2024 comedy films
Category:2024 computer-animated films
Category:2024 fantasy films
Category:American animated comedy films
Category:American fantasy comedy films
Category:American films with live action and animation
Category:Films about imaginary friends
Category:Films directed by John Krasinski
Category:Films produced by Andrew Form
Category:Films produced by Ryan Reynolds
Category:Films scored by Michael Giacchino
Category:Films with screenplays by John Krasinski
Category:Magic realism films
Category:Maximum Effort films
Category:Paramount Pictures animated films
Category:Paramount Pictures films
Category:Films