What If Reviews

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this flick but since there was a decent cast involved, I thought I might as well check it out. Well, eventually, it turned out to be a decent romantic-comedy, no more and no less than that. I have to admit that I was actually fairly impressed by Daniel Radcliffe who, in my opinion, delivered here his best performance so far. On top of that, he had a really nice chemistry with Zoe Kazan and it was just so refreshing to see a relatable couple who didn't look like some gorgeous top-models. Furthermore, there was a strong supporting cast, especially Adam Driver and Mackenzie Davis. And yet, to be honest, the whole thing didn't completely convince me. The main issue, I guess, was that, even though the concept had some potential, it could have been better developed. First of all, I think it was a mistake that Wallace fell in love with Chantry right from the start. In the same way, Chantry's relationship with Ben was weak right from the very beginning. Basically, it should have started with the two characters being actually available, having a great time together and, yet, they would rather stay friends. However, slowly, they would discover that their relationship might go deeper than only platonic friendship but, on the other hand, since they love their friendship as it is, they would be scared to ruin it. I think it would have worked better this way because, the way it was handled in this movie, you just spent the whole duration waiting for Wallace to finally reveal his feelings and for Chantry to finally break-up with Ben which was too predictable and not really satisfying. Anyway, to conclude, in spite of its flaws, it was still not bad at all and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre. 

Initial Thought: Well I remember seeing the trailer and thinking it looked decent. The cast also caught some interest from me. I figured I would go ahead and see what it has to offer.

Characters/Acting: It has a mixture of British, Canadian, and American actors. I have to say that is a broad horizon. Whenever a film incorporates different cultural backgrounds I'm always more intrigued. Besides that we got Daniel Radcliffe, Adam Driver, and Rafe Spall. Interesting note is that Rafe Spall's father Timothy Spall was in the Harry Potter series. It's good to see Jonathan Cherry still acting. He was probably one of the best things about Final Destination 2. I have been aware of Zoe Kazan for awhile, but this is the first time seeing her skills. There are quite a few actors related to other actors in this besides Rafe Spall. Oona Chaplin is Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter. Lucius Hoyos is related to Canadian Degrassi teen star Ricardo Hoyos. I kind of adored the characters here. Allan kind of reminded me of myself if I was more of an asshole. I think Zoe and Daniel were awkwardly adorable together.

Story: The age old question of can men and women be just friends is revisited here. It doesn't really bring anything new to the table. I was honestly pretty bored. I mean everything happens quite predictably. The beach scene and the ending were pretty cute though.

Directing/Writing: Michael Dowse also directed Goon which I've seen. That one was pretty entertaining. He also did a few others only Take Me Home Tonight being the familiar one. Apparently this is based off of a play by T.J. Dawe and Michael Rinaldi called Toothpaste and Cigars. Rinaldi has written episodes of Fringe and Once Upon a Time. Dawe is only noted for this movie. Elan Mastai isn't renown for good movies with Alone in the Dark and The Samaritan under his belt.

Final Thought: I was pretty disappointed with this. I was hoping it would have something fresh. Instead it's full of romance cliches and crude jokes. I mean I thought the main characters were cute together, but that really is it. It was also pretty boring. Don't waste your time here unless you're an avid follower of Daniel Radcliffe or something.