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IF

IF

A story you have to believe to see.

2024104 minPGMidcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Director
John Krasinski
Starring
Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw

After discovering she can see everyone's imaginary friends, a girl embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten imaginary friends with their kids.

Where to watch

Where can I watch IF?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists IF streaming on Paramount+ and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about IF?

IF earns 8 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is IF worth watching?

IF's Midcredits score is the 59th percentile of all films, from 286K ratings across 6 sources. 56% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

59th percentile

Better received than 59% of films

68th percentile among Comedy61st percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)56th
Approval (how many liked it)61st

63 /100

56th percentile of all films

64th percentile among Comedy56th percentile among 2020s

Critics 46 · Audience 64

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

56% liked it

61st percentile of all films

68th percentile among Comedy61st percentile among 2020s
56% rated it 7–1044% rated it 1–6

Critics 50% · Audience 85%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 7 noms overall

90th percentile

285K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$110M
Opening weekend$34M
Domestic gross$111M
Worldwide gross$191M

Returned 1.7× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a sincere, original family story that prioritizes emotional impact over tight plotting or consistent comedy.

Fans praised

  • Emotional depth that resonates with adults reconnecting to their inner child
  • Strong lead performance from Cailey Fleming as Bea
  • Creative and imaginative visual design of the IFs and their world

Detractors panned

  • Tonally confused, lurching between heavy grief and whimsy without cohesion
  • Pacing is sluggish, with long stretches that drag and bore both kids and adults
  • Script is underdeveloped, full of plot holes and inconsistent internal logic

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive73

CGI integration of IFs is well-done and believable; designs are creative; some flat composites noted

Acting72

Cailey Fleming carries the film with genuine emotion; Reynolds subdued but effective; Krasinski endearing; mixed reviews on child actor's stiffness

Emotional impactDivisive72

Many viewers cried, especially at the grandmother's dance and ending; detractors find it unearned and manipulative

EndingDivisive68

Twist recontextualizes the film, providing emotional catharsis; predictable for some, but satisfying overall

OriginalityDivisive68

Refreshingly not a sequel/reboot; concept evokes Foster's Home and Pixar, but stands as its own take

CharactersDivisive60

IF designs are charming and creative, but character writing is thin; many IFs underused; adults feel one-dimensional

Plot and storyDivisive42

Premise intriguing but execution is messy, slow, and full of logical gaps; twist saves some but not all

PacingDivisive30

First act is very slow; middle meanders; final act picks up but too late for many

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 10 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 11 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is IF like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Funny and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to laugh and feel something too.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Funny and bittersweet.

Moods
WarmJoyfulMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: middle
Warm humor
Register
WarmWhimsical · 2% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film is sincere and heartfelt, treating its fantastical premise and emotional themes with earnest warmth rather than irony.
The rideThe film holds a consistently warm and gently emotional register, with the melancholic weight concentrated in the middle when Bea confronts loss and helps the IFs.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional beginning-middle-end structure, following Bea's discovery of the IF world and her quest to help them.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering sweetness mixed with the ache of loss, yet ultimately instills hope about the enduring power of imagination and connection.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows Bea as she helps imaginary friends reunite with their original children, a mission that is also a personal journey of coping with grief and growing up.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Coming of age · 5% of filmsFamily bondsGrief · 6% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centres on Bea learning that growing up does not mean losing imagination or connection, especially in the face of grief over her mother's death and her father's illness.
StanceThe film celebrates the enduring power of childhood imagination and the bond between parent and child, affirming that growing up does not require letting go of wonder.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalMagical realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Michael Giacchino
SettingA New York apartment building and a Coney Island retirement home for imaginary friends
MusicGiacchino's score underscores the whimsy and emotional beats with warm, melodic themes.

Content guide

Is IF okay for kids?

PG

IF is rated PG: “Rated PG for thematic elements and mild language” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (9/100), sexual content at minimal (11/100), language at mild (32/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (8/100) and frightening material at mild (22/100). Overall it is heavier than 10% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 28 other countries
  • UKU
  • CanadaG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany0
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanG
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • CzechiaU
  • Hong KongI
  • IDSU
  • IsraelAll
  • LTV
  • MexicoA
  • Netherlands6
  • Norway6
  • PRPG
  • SingaporePG
  • SKU
  • South Africa7-9PG
  • SpainA
  • SwedenBtl
  • Taiwan0+
  • THG
  • TürkiyeGenel İzleyici Kitlesi
  • UA0+
  • VIPG
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 3% of all filmsHeavier than 10% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 9%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 18%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 63%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 14%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 20%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 63% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does IF have?

MovieCove's classifier found no content warnings in IF's parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

Cast and crew

Who is in IF?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Cailey Fleming
as Bea
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Ryan Reynolds
as Cal
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Krasinski
as Dad
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Fiona Shaw
as Grandmother
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Steve Carell
as Blue
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
as Blossom
Louis Gossett Jr.
as Lewis
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Alan Kim
as Benjamin
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Liza Colón-Zayas
as Janet
Bobby Moynihan
as Jeremy
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like IF?

Movies like IF include Onward (2020), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014) and Pete's Dragon (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, most are family adventures, and most are fantasy films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its world: magical realism. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with IF?

3.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: child. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.