Krasinski's If an over-calculated misfire
Scattered and confused, John Krasinski's If is a misfire from start to finish, a film that promotes itself as a heart-warming fable yet comes off as overcalculated and obvious. Confusing and incomplete, the movie is nothing more than a collection of disjointed ideas that never coalesce into anything fully formed as a narrative.
Bea (Cailey Fleming) is a surprisingly self-assured 12-year-old, considering all she's been through. Having lost her mother at an early age, she's returned to New York City to stay with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw). Where Bea has been and why she's been away from her ailing father (Krasinski) is one of many glaring plot points that are never addressed, but no matter. Dad's in the hospital with "a broken heart." That's what he tells his daughter, displaying a cardboard heart on his chest that has been torn in half. Whether that is his cute way of saying he needs a transplant or something, again I'm not sure. But I will tell you this, good ole dad has more energy than any person I've ever seen in need of a new ticker. Again, we're not supposed to question the lack of logic on display.
While staying with grandma, Bea sees an odd creature traipsing around her apartment building, a pixie-like, animated thing with antennae and Betty Boop eyes. Wouldn't you know it, she's an orphaned Imaginary Figure (IF...get it?). Seems the child that conjured her has moved on with her life and no longer needs her. And just coincidentally, right upstairs in the brownstone where grandma lives, Cal (Ryan Reynolds) is in residence, whose job, I think, is to keep track of all the Ifs who've been abandoned.
If goes horribly wrong because it establishes no rules, coherence being just so much collateral damage in Krasinski's pursuit to wring a tear or three from us. The conflicted tone and frantic pacing – as if this approach would generate the energy needed to pull this sort of movie off – only exacerbates the confusion. Most of what happens is incredibly random, while the characters are woefully underdeveloped, their intentions and history glossed over at every turn. As a result, they lack depth, making it difficult to become emotionally engaged with them.
And in the end, that's the real problem with If. Missed opportunities abound. The pieces for a genuinely poignant film are present, yet Krasinski doesn't take the time to develop them, too anxious to show just what a sensitive filmmaker he is, able to move an audience as well as amuse them. The lack of a solid foundation ensures that all his efforts go for naught. In theaters.
Worthy message in flawed Turtles
Turtles All the Way Down, an adaptation of John Green's latest novel, follows the same formula that made him a successful YA author. As a result, it has similar strengths and faults. The characters are realistic and relatable, their troubles in tune with those plaguing members of Generation Alpha. However, it suffers from an outlandish premise and unrealistic plot twists that detract from the core problems of its characters, ultimately undercutting the power of the story.
Aza (Isabela Merced) is a troubled teen struggling with a case of OCD that, while not debilitating, is certainly preventing her from having a positive high school experience. Through flashbacks we discover she witnessed her father's death at a young age and has internalized this trauma. As a result, she was sent to a camp for children who've experienced the loss of a loved one. There, she met Davis (Felix Mallard), whose mother passed away. Though the two bond over their situations, their backgrounds couldn't be more different as he's the son of a billionaire.
Years pass and they fall out of touch with one another but are then brought back together by unusual circumstances. Davis' father disappears, a reward is offered for information regarding his whereabouts and Aza's best friend, Daisy (Cree), decides they should attempt to find him so they can cash in. Knocking on Davis' door is the key to this venture's success.
Of course, this is where the film jumps the rails. These circumstances are ridiculous and desperate. Curiously, this matter of the disappearance isn't revisited until late in the third act when it's resolved in the most convenient of ways. However, before that occurs, the relationship that develops between the two leads is intriguing. Merced and Mallard are very good together, bringing a sincerity to the stilted dialogue and situations they're saddled with. Even Cree is able to bring a spark to her BFF assignment, managing to provide genuine humor and compassion in a role that could have come off as grating.
Though the movie has more than its fair share of flaws, Green and director Hannah Marks' intentions are sound. Today's youth are suffering from mental health issues that far exceed those of previous generations. The fact that so many are suffering is a crisis that requires greater awareness and the negation of the stigma that accompanies it. While Turtles may fail as a film in terms of its narrative construction, if its message can reach a troubled teen and prompt them to get help, then it's served its purpose. Streaming on Max.
