“You have this explosion of the imagination – but it wouldn’t work if it hadn’t come from somewhere quite profound”: Cailey Fleming and Fiona Shaw on IF

Did you ever have an imaginary friend? No? Are you sure? Or maybe it’s just that you don’t remember…

And so the scene is set for the new family film from actor turned actor/writer/director John Krasinski. It’s quite the pivot from The Quiet Place, but this time around, he was compelled to make something his whole family could watch together, and so he looked to his own kids for ideas. Seeing how they would get lost in magical worlds seemingly out of reach from the adults around them, but also seeing how the pandemic dampened that imaginative spirit and replaced it with real-world worries and anxieties, his latest feature celebrates all that is marvellous about the power of the imagination – but also that you can in fact always return to it, no matter your age.

With a seamless integration of CGI animation with live-action that recalls the impeccable Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, an all-star cast that features Ryan Reynolds, Krasinki and Fiona Shaw, plus the voices of Steve Carell and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the movie takes its audience on a whimsical adventure via its young protagonist (Cailey Fleming) whose grief at losing her mother, and worry about also losing her father, has forced her to grow up too quickly. Discovering she has a special gift to see all the abandoned imaginary friends (or “IFs”, get it?) opens the door to reigniting her childlike wonder and that of the adults she knows (think The Sixth Sense but more family-friendly…). It’s both brimming with nostalgia for parents and frolicking fun with its oddball cast of quirky characters for the kids, with a beautiful look and feel to its New York setting and retro aesthetic. Reynolds gives a standout turn, bringing his trademark humour to the tale but with a surprising amount of earnest sweetness too. You’ll leave the cinema with a tear in your eye, a smile in your heart and wondering if you’re cool enough for Phoebe Waller-Bridge to be your IF too…

The Upcoming had the chance to step on set to chat with Shaw and Fleming, who reflected on the film’s balance of humour and heart, rooted in themes of loss and grief. They shared insights into their characters and their relationship, the joy of working with Reynolds and Krasinski and the film’s celebration of imagination.

Sarah Bradbury

IF is released nationwide on 17^th May 2024.

Watch the trailer for IF here: