IF: Mixed Reviews and Modest Debut for John Krasinski's Imaginary Friends Film

Brooklyn Heights, New York, USA United States of America
Audiences awarding IF an A CinemaScore and strong exits
Bea's journey to cope with loss and find adventure in Brooklyn Heights
Estimated domestic debut of $31.5 million, lower than initial expectations
George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon, Blake Lively, Emily Blunt, Sam Rockwell and Jon Stewart among stars lending voices to imaginary friends
IF explores the world of imaginary friends and their human counterparts
Impressive voice cast includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Cailey Fleming and Ryan Reynolds
Mixed reviews for IF's heartfelt storytelling and inconsistent pacing
Mixed reviews from critics and audiences for John Krasinski's latest project
Paramount Pictures distributing IF in US, Universal Pictures handling international distribution
IF: Mixed Reviews and Modest Debut for John Krasinski's Imaginary Friends Film

Summer movie season is in full swing with a number of new releases hitting theaters. One of the most talked-about films is John Krasinski's latest project, IF. The film, which explores the world of imaginary friends and their human counterparts, has been met with mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. According to reports, IF earned $10.3 million on its opening day and preview screenings (Source 1). However, the film's projected domestic debut is estimated to be only $31.5 million, significantly lower than initial expectations (Source 2).

The impressive voice cast for IF includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an Art Deco Minnie Mouse named Blossom and Steve Carell as a fuzzy, bulbous character named Blue. Cailey Fleming plays Bea, a 12-year-old girl who can see and communicate with imaginary friends (Source 3).

Bea's journey to find adventure and playfulness after moving back to her grandmother's apartment in Brooklyn Heights is not without challenges. Her mother died of cancer when she was little, and her father is in the hospital for heart surgery. To help Bea cope, Ryan Reynolds plays Cal, an adult man who can also see imaginary friends. They start a 'matchmaking agency' to pair out-of-work IFs with new children (Source 3).

George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon, Blake Lively, Emily Blunt, Sam Rockwell, Jon Stewart and Brad Pitt are among the stars lending their voices to various imaginary friends in the film (Source 4).

Despite its impressive cast and intriguing premise, IF has received mixed reviews from critics. Some have praised the film's heartfelt storytelling and stunning visual effects, while others have criticized its inconsistent pacing and lack of depth (Sources 5-7). However, audiences seem to be responding positively to the film, awarding it an A CinemaScore and strong exits (Source 2).

The film's production budget is substantial at $110 million. Paramount Pictures is distributing IF in the US, while Universal Pictures will handle international distribution (Sources 2, 8).

Another horror prequel, The Strangers: Chapter 1, also opened this weekend. Renny Harlin directed the film and Lionsgate is planning for the release of next two entries in The Strangers series in coming months (Source 3). The production budget for The Strangers: Chapter 1 is only $8.5 million (Source 3).

Despite its lower budget, reviews for The Strangers: Chapter 1 have been terrible, with audiences expressing low sentiment towards the film according to Cinema Score (Source 2). Focus Features' Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black also opened this weekend in just over 2,000 cinemas. The movie is far less commercial in scope than previous biopics and has been skewered by a majority of critics (Source 9).

In conclusion, the summer box office season continues to underwhelm with mixed results for new releases. While IF has shown promise with its impressive cast and heartfelt storytelling, it remains to be seen if it will live up to initial expectations. The Strangers: Chapter 1 and Back to Black have received less favorable reviews from both critics and audiences.


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Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Are the inconsistent pacing and lack of depth criticisms valid?
  • Sources 1 and 2 report different opening day earnings for IF, which is accurate?

Sources

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Box Office: Ryan Reynolds' 'IF' Stumbles With $10.3 Million Opening Day

Variety J. Kim Saturday, 18 May 2024 15:07
  • Unique Points
    • Paramount’s family comedy IF earned $10.3 million on opening day and preview screenings.
    • Production budget for IF is substantial at $110 million.
    • Renny Harlin-directed horror prequel The Strangers: Chapter 1 earned $5.1 million on opening day and previews.
    • Lionsgate is planning for the release of next two entries in The Strangers series in coming months.
    • Production budget for The Strangers: Chapter 1 is only $8.5 million.
  • Accuracy
    • Paramount's family comedy IF earned $10.3 million on opening day and preview screenings.
    • John Krasinski-directed fantasy feature IF is looking to finish closer to $31.5 million this weekend.
    • Reviews for IF have been mediocre, but audience sentiment is positive with a ‘A’ grade on Cinema Score.
    • Paramount will face competition from Sony’s animated The Garfield Movie next weekend.
    • Reviews and audience sentiment for The Strangers: Chapter 1 are not positive, but it still had a strong opening weekend.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

John Krasinski Says Wife Emily Blunt Is Cooler in Their Kids' Eyes: 'Their Mom Was Mary Poppins' (Exclusive)

People Magazine Saturday, 18 May 2024 20:13
  • Unique Points
    • John Krasinski wrote the film IF based on his daughters' playtime experiences
    • Emily Blunt's roles in Mary Poppins and Jungle Cruise have impressed Krasinski’s daughters more than his own role in The Office
    • Violet has an imaginary friend named Ally, a pink alligator that lives under her bed
    • Hazel’s imaginary friend is a marshmallow that lights on fire and goes out, then comes back to life.
    • Emily Blunt appeared in IF alongside her husband John Krasinski, making it a family affair.
  • Accuracy
    • John Krasinski wrote the film IF based on his daughters’ playtime experiences
    • Emily Blunt’s roles in Mary Poppins and Jungle Cruise have impressed Krasinski’s daughters more than his own role in The Office
    • IF received ‘two thumbs up’ from Krasinski’s daughters
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The author makes several statements about the opinions and experiences of John Krasinski and his daughters. These statements are not fallacious as they are reporting facts about what the individuals have said or done. However, there is an instance of an appeal to authority when the author mentions that Emily Blunt was in 'Mary Poppins' and 'Jungle Cruise'. This does not affect the score significantly as it is a minor infraction.
    • Emily Blunt was in 'Mary Poppins' and 'Jungle Cruise'
    • The girls were biased towards Emily Blunt because of her roles in these movies
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

77%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

'IF' review: With imaginary friends like these, you don't need enemies

New York Post Johnny Oleksinski Saturday, 18 May 2024 00:14
  • Unique Points
    • John Krasinski wrote, directed, and starred in a new movie about imaginary friends.
    • Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an Art Deco Minnie Mouse named Blossom and Steve Carell as a fuzzy, bulbous character named Blue.
    • Cailey Fleming plays Bea, a 12-year-old girl who can see and communicate with imaginary friends.
    • Bea’s mother died of cancer when she was little, and her father is in the hospital for heart surgery.
    • The movie explores Bea’s journey to find adventure and playfulness after moving back to her grandmother’s apartment in Brooklyn Heights.
    • Ryan Reynolds plays Cal, an adult man who can also see imaginary friends. They start a ‘matchmaking agency’ to pair out-of-work IFs with new children.
    • George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon, Blake Lively, Emily Blunt, Sam Rockwell, Jon Stewart and Brad Pitt as various imaginary friends.
  • Accuracy
    • ]IF[ received $10.3 million on opening day and preview screenings in one article, but the article does not provide the exact figure for the opening day earnings in another article.
    • The movie titled ‘IF’ features Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an Art Deco Minnie Mouse named Blossom and Steve Carell as a fuzzy, bulbous character named Blue according to one article, but another article mentions that Ryan Reynolds plays Cal, an adult man who can also see imaginary friends.
    • The movie explores Bea’s journey to find adventure and playfulness after moving back to her grandmother’s apartment in Brooklyn Heights as stated in the first article, but the second article does not mention this detail.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains emotional manipulation through the description of Bea's early trauma and her mother's death. The author also uses selective reporting by focusing on the negative aspects of the movie, such as its confusion and lack of logic. Additionally, there is a lie by omission as the author fails to mention any positive aspects or praise for the movie.
    • The whole time I rooted for him to find some logic and clarity.
    • His imagination could use an editor.
  • Fallacies (75%)
    The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the movie as 'schmaltzy family flick that makes less sense the more you think about it' and 'forgettable mush'. He also uses an appeal to authority by mentioning Pixar's 'Up' and Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. in a derogatory way.
    • schmaltzy family flick that makes less sense the more you think about it
    • forgettable mush
    • Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. and The Sixth Sense
  • Bias (90%)
    The author expresses a negative opinion towards the movie 'IF' and its use of imaginary friends, implying that it is schmaltzy and lacks logic. The author also uses language to depict the characters as annoying and odd, such as 'talking ice cube' and 'grease-stained T-shirt cat'. These statements reflect a bias against the movie's premise.
    • A whole movie can’t hang on desperate ‘aww’s forcibly pried out of audience members mouths by talking inanimate objects.
      • Is that supposed to be what childhood is? Who the hell has fond, repressed, pivotal memories of a block of frozen water?
        • The role of the IFs in the plot is terribly confusing, especially what they mean to the stressed-out older characters. For example, Blue helps his now-grown-up partner find confidence before a corporate meeting by grabbing his shoulders. Huh? Turns out all he needed was a massage from Muzzy.
          • The schmaltzy family flick that makes less sense the more you think about it.
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          98%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          If Only We Could Unsee If

          Gizmodo James Whitbrook Saturday, 18 May 2024 13:00
          • Unique Points
            • John Krasinski's bizarre new fantasy film, If, has been met with confusion due to its disregard for cinematic universe rules and inconsistent storytelling.
            • Warner Bros.’ Dune: Prophecy streaming series prequel has released a first look at its take on Dune’s world, based on events from Sisterhood of Dune.
            • X-Men ‘97’s season finale featured an emotional and explosive climax against Bastion and the Prime Sentinels, with potential consequences yet to be seen.
            • Walton Goggins’ mysterious hunter character in Fallout is captivating audiences, despite initially uncertain prospects for the storyline.
            • Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, marks a rare major theatrical release for the acclaimed filmmaker after nearly 30 years.
            • Adam Driver will star in an untitled project from director Wes Ball.
          • Accuracy
            No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
          • Deception (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Fallacies (95%)
            The article contains some instances of informal fallacies, specifically appeals to authority and dichotomous depictions. However, these fallacies do not significantly impact the overall content of the article as they are used in a descriptive rather than persuasive manner. The author is primarily summarizing and reporting on news from various sources, rather than making assertions or arguments that contain logical fallacies.
            • ]If. makes rules, it breaks rules, it starts storylines and never pays them off,
          • Bias (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          97%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          Box Office: ‘IF’ Contributing to Summer Woes With Projected $31.5M Opening

          The Hollywood Reporter Pamela McClintock Saturday, 18 May 2024 16:22
          • Unique Points
            • IF explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl and her neighbor try to reunite them with their previous human pals.
            • The impressive voice cast for IF includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Emily Blunt, Louis Gossett Jr., Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Sebastian Maniscalco, Christopher Meloni, Awkwafina, Blake Lively, George Clooney, Matthew Rhys and Bradley Cooper.
          • Accuracy
            • IF, a family film starring Ryan Reynolds and featuring an A-list voice cast, is projected to have a domestic debut of $31.5 million.
            • Paramount insiders are hopeful that the forecast for IF will improve on Saturday.
          • Deception (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Fallacies (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Bias (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication