A young girl who goes through a difficult experience begins to see everyone's imaginary friends who have been left behind as their real-life friends have grown up.
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The film began development in 2019, with Krasinski set to write and direct and Reynolds attached to star. The rest of the cast joined between October 2021 and January 2022, and filming took place in New York City between August and May 2023 of that year. IF was released theatrically in the United States by Paramount Pictures on May 17, 2024. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $176 million worldwide.
IF is a 2024 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.
Twelve-year-old Bea lives in her grandmother Margaret's apartment in New York while her father awaits heart surgery at the same hospital where her mother died of cancer years ago. She bristles at his playful antics, insisting he can handle the situation with maturity. One night, Bea goes out to buy a charger for her mother's old camcorder and sees an unknown creature following her into her grandmother's house. The next day, she sees the animal again, accompanied by a man. Bea follows them to a nearby house where a man named Kal acquires a large furry purple creature named Blue. He also meets another creature, named Blossom, and faints. She awakens in Cal's apartment where she discovers that he is working with imaginary friends, nicknamed IF, to place them with new children because their original children have grown up and forgotten them. Reluctant at first, Bea finally decides to help Cal.
The next day, Cal takes Bea to Memory Lane Retirement Home, a retirement community for IFs who live under the swings in Coney Island. There, he introduces Bea to Lewis, an elderly teddy bear who heads the facility. He encourages Bee to use his imagination to redesign the facility, much to Cal's dismay. BA tries to match one of the IFs with Benjamin, a young patient at the hospital. She, Cal, and Louise audition for IF, but he can't see any of them. Feeling unmotivated, Bea talks to Lewis on the Coney Island Pier. It gives her an idea that maybe IFs don't need new babies, but to reconnect with their old ones.
While talking to her grandmother, she sees a picture of her as a young dancer and recognizes Blossom in the background of the picture. Realizing that Blossom is her grandmother's IF, Bea decides to test Lewis's idea. Playing one of her grandmother's records inspires Margaret to dance and she remembers Blossom, which inspires Bea with hope. Following a tip, Bee, Cal and Blue find Jeremy, Blue's original child, who is now trying to start a business. Eating a fresh croissant in front of Jeremy, Bea reminds him of her childhood home above her parents' bakery; Blue remembers enough to give Jeremy the confidence he needs for a business presentation.
The next day, Cal takes Bea to Memory Lane Retirement Home, a retirement community for IFs that lives under the swings in Coney Island. There, he introduces Bea to Lewis, an elderly teddy bear who heads the facility. That prompts Bea to use her imagination to redesign the facility, much to Cal's dismay. BA tries to match one of the IFs with Benjamin, a young patient at the hospital. She, Cal, and Louise audition for IF, but he can't see any of them. Feeling uninspired, Bea talks to Lewis on the Coney Island Pier. It gives her an idea that maybe IFs don't need new babies, but to reconnect with their old ones.
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