IF

This Pixar-ish fable by John Krasinski falls a little short of the films it resembles.

Bright, imaginative and visually charming with wonderful creature designs, IF wears its very big heart on its sleeve.

I am slightly iffy about IF.

There’s a cartoonish side for the kids and a nostalgia tug for adults. It has a decent twist at the end and the final credits sequence, which includes the invisible Keith, is worth hanging around for.

Every beat of IF is writ large, making for an unnatural viewing experience, one where charming moments are frustratingly loud, drowning out the film as a whole.

Despite a star-studded voice cast and a terrific lead in Cailey Fleming, this big-hearted animation-live action hybrid doesn’t feel magical like the Pixar films it aspires to emulate.

IF tries to wow us with celebrity voices and visual gags about melting marshmallows, but never quite settles into itself.

The movie adopts a safe and comfortable narrative for children while featuring deeper themes of loss, grief, hope and love.

This is a film aimed at the young and easily impressionable, and how unabashed it is about the way it courts those viewers works in its favor. Until it really doesn't.

It may be slightly lacking in terms of laughter, aiming for the heartstrings instead, but given the dearth of quality family entertainment recently, <i>IF</i> is a welcome tonic.