Movies
Honestly, who isn’t in this movie?
When a young girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) goes through a traumatic experience, she suddenly learns that she can see other people’s imaginary friends, or IFs for short. The forgotten imaginary friends who were left behind when children grew up or moved on. This is the story behind John Krasinski’s new fantasy film IF, a film packed with so many incredible actors voicing a variety of IFs that it’s sort of unmissable. Not to mention Ryan Reynolds is there in the flesh as Cal, a fellow human who can also see those forgotten IFs. Even if they do drive him up the wall.
This film is a real departure for Krasinski, a family-friendly feature completely unlike his directorial debut The Quiet Place, and there’s a reason for it. He wants his two daughters, 9-year-old Hazel and 7-year-old Violet, both of whom he shares with wife Emily Blunt, to be able to enjoy a movie he’s made.
“IF is a movie that I made for my kids because I don’t think they’re allowed to see A Quiet Place; Emily calls it PG-40, ‘You’ll get to see it when you’re 40!’ So I had to make a movie that they could see, and I’m really, really excited about it,” Krasinski told Collider. “For me, it was just about what if we could tell a story about these time capsules? Imaginary friends are adorable and all those things, but they’re also time capsules of your hopes, dreams and ambitions when you were the most fertile of a brain, and it never goes away. I think we’re told that we’re adults instead of what if you realize that you never stopped being a kid.”
And so, Krasinski brought in a super talented cast to give life to these forgotten IFs. All of whom are not scary, really, but as Cal calls them in a trailer for the film, “Worse. They’re desperate.”
Steve Carell voices Blue
Steve Carell voices the character of Blue in IF, a big nervous imaginary friend who is actually purple but, as Blue explains it, his kid was color-blind.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge voices Blossom
Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge voices a dancing butterfly named Blossom, who is best known for her “devilish style, adorable accent.”
Louis Gossett Jr. voices Lewis
Legendary actor Louis Gossett Jr. voices Lewis, a wizened teddy bear who wears suspenders and button-down shirts and looks like a sweet grandpa if your grandpa was a bear.
Emily Blunt voices Unicorn
Krasinski’s wife Emily Blunt voices an excitable, affectionate unicorn aptly named Unicorn, so I guess her kid wasn’t that creative.
Matt Damon voices Sunny
Matt Damon voices a sunflower named Sunny, and remains a bit of a mystery. As sunflowers so often are.
Amy Schumer voices Gummy Bear
Amy Schumer voices Gummy Bear, a sweet (if flatulent) gummy bear who is eager to please but farts when she’s nervous.
Christopher Meloni voices Cosmo
Law & Order: SVU star Christopher Meloni voices the vaguely aggressive Cosmo, a trench coat-wearing spy on the lookout for... well, just about anyone.
Sam Rockwell voices SDog
Sam Rockwell voices a cape-wearing dog named SDog, who cracks jokes and apparently plays the cello.
Keegan-Michael Key voices Slime
Keegan-Michael Key voices Slime, a character who is just that. Slime. But he also appears to be an anxious fellow who feels like he’s “falling apart.”
Sebastian Maniscalco voices the magician mouse
Comedian Sebastian Manscalco voices the acerbic and irritated magician mouse, and it’s pretty hilarious to see an adorable mouse filled with so much angst.
Richard Jenkins voices the wooden art teacher
Academy award-winning actor Richard Jenkins voices the wooden art teacher. Another mystery, but this art teacher looks friendly, at least.
Matthew Rhys voices the ghost
The Americans’ Matthew Rhys voices a ghost like the kind kids pretend to be. Under a sheet with a little crown and everything.
Bradley Cooper voices a piece of ice
Bradley Cooper’s IF is Ice, just an ice cube in a glass constantly in danger of being consumed by one of the other IFs.
Jon Stewart voices a space robot
Jon Stewart voices a reasonable-sounding robot much like the talk show host himself.
Maya Rudolph voices Ally
Maya Rudolph voices a pink, sweet-looking alligator named Ally.
Blake Lively voices Octocat
Blake Lively’s character of Octocat is truly adorable. A cat dressed in an octopus costume, presumably for eternity.
George Clooney voices a spaceman
We can only imagine that Jon Stewart’s robot and George Clooney’s spaceman are imaginary friends to the same child. Because they are definitely from the same realm.
Awkwafina voices Bubble
Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina voices Bubble, a literal bubble with eyeballs who is completely see-through and, if we know Awkwafina, completely hilarious.
John Krasinski voices Marshmallow Man
Director John Krasinski adds his own voice to the mix as Marshmallow Man. An homage to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters, perhaps? We’ll have to wait to find out.
IF premieres in theaters across the country on May 17. As it’s rated PG, it should be a good watch for the whole family. Especially with this amazing cast of actors bringing these forgotten imaginary friends to life.
