"What if I told you imaginary friends are real? And when they're kids grow up, they're forgotten."
An "If" is the imaginary friend a child has when they are young. It is a comfort and a companion to get them through the growing up years. But where does the imaginary friend go when it is used up. Apparently, the word "imaginary" needs to be changed.
Bea, played by Cailey Fleming, is a 12 year old girl who lost her mom at a young age. Now her father (John Krasinski) is sick too. Bea moves in with her grandmother to stay near the hospital. Soon she starts seeing everyone's former Imaginary Friends. She is guided by Ryan Reynolds. They are sad and need to be reunited with their formers. Some of those "friends" are pretty creepy.
The film, written and directed by Krasinski, aims to be kind of like a live action "Monsters, Inc". It's really an idea that can only work in animation since it takes out that sense of reality that makes it look too silly. The plot just seems like an idea that has difficulty finding a believable footing.
It might work for young kids, for me it just seems forced and overly sentimental. It's easy to watch since Krasinski obviously handled it with care, and Reynolds seems to enjoy his role. But for me that just isn't enough.