I, like so many kids, grew up creating imaginary worlds in which everything — from the places we loved and even the people we called our friends — was only real inside of our minds.
They were fiercely loyal, unrivalled in their adoration and ultimately, some of the most genuine friendships I could have had. But then, almost out of nowhere, I outgrew them and left them behind with the other wonderful parts of childhood.
In the new fantastical animation film IF, director, actor and writer John Krasinski takes on the challenge of imaginary worlds and begs the question: What if imaginary friends were not just inside of our heads? What if they were... real? And what if we didn't need to leave them behind at all?
Better yet, where do our imaginary friends go when we no longer 'need' them? And do we ever really stop needing them?
Watch: The official trailer for IF. Post continues after video.
The creature feature film by Krasinski — who was also one of the brilliant minds who directed the post-apocalyptic horror A Quiet Place — was inspired by his own children to create the movie.
"IF is a movie that I made for my kids because I don't think they're allowed to see A Quiet Place. Emily [Blunt] 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 previously 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 realise that you never stopped being a kid."
John Krasinski and Ryan Reynolds on the set of IF. Image: Paramount Pictures Australia.
Starring as Bea's dad, we get to see him take on a new role where he, along with Bea, explores the meaning of friendship and if we ever really outgrow the people we loved the most as kids.
The new Paramount Pictures film, in cinemas from May 16, takes on the concept of imaginary friends with Bea (The Walking Dead's Cailey Fleming) who is magically given the ability to perceive all the weird, wacky and loving creatures that children who have grown up have abandoned after a traumatising situation.
Sadly, many of the imaginary friends she comes across were created by individuals when they were just kids and then forgotten about.
In IF, Bea takes it upon herself to reunite the IFs she meets with their missing friends. The live-action film blends real life with a world that really needs to be seen to be believed.
It also makes us ask: what is the value of friendship?
In IF, both Bea and her upstairs neighbour Cal (Ryan Reynolds) are tasked with finding new friends for the IFs which include a purple creature, a humanoid ladybug, a flower and even a burnt marshmallow — who are all played by an A-list cast.
Image: Paramount Pictures Australia.
Many would unmistakably recognise Golden Globe-nominated star Reynolds from the billion-dollar film franchise Deadpool, which brought in more than $152 million at the Box Office during its opening weekend in February 2016.
He's also starred in The Proposal, Free Guy and The Adam Project.
Alongside him is Cailey Fleming as Bea, who might only be 17 years old, but has been in some of the most-watched films and TV shows including Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens and The Walking Dead.
Together, Fleming, Krasinski and Reynolds explore the meaning of imagination and friendship — and how imaginary friends represent a time capsule for our future aspirations.
IF also includes a bunch of familiar voices of actors we have all watched and loved over the years including Steve Carell (The Office), Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place), Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born), Matt Damon (Oppenheimer), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) and Louis Gossett Jr (The Color Purple).
The whimsical film, backed by a star-studded cast, promises comedy, fantasy and important themes that don't need to be trivialised to be understood. And we’re sure every member of the family can watch IF and take something away from it.
The trailer shows plenty of humour, heart and adventure, making IF look like a classic film in the making that will restore your faith in humanity, show the value in friendship and will make you believe in the make believe. Again.
IF is exclusive to cinemas from May 16. See it first this Mother’s Day, get your tickets here.
Feature Image: Paramount Pictures Australia.