Et (beaucoup) plus si affinités

What a great movie to see as an escape from the mindless explosions in so many "Hollywood" movies. The characters were great. It was very funny! And it was touching. It would probably be in the "chick flick" category, but that's an unfortunate way to pigeonhole this movie. Spoiler alert!!! (I just want to be on the safe side.) I would classify this movie as an updated version of When Harry Met Sally. Daniel Radcliffe is excellent, as is the rest of the cast. We went to a sneak preview a few days ago and I was kind of shocked to read that it was made last year(2013) and "might have a Valentine 2014 release". What the heck happened? I am glad it has a release date for next month(8-2014) I am going to spread the word via Facebook and texts. Great movie.

This film tells the story of a man who is mending his broken heart after finding out his ex-girlfriend cheating on him. He meets a lovely lady with a boyfriend. They want to stay as friends but they both want more than just friends.

It sounds like a promising story, but I find the resultant film boring and annoying. The dialog and the plot made my eyes roll in exasperation so many times because they are so stupid and unbelievable. Am I really supposed o be entertained by the mean and horrible supporting characters, called Allan and Nicole? Or is it that interesting to see the two people in the spotlight just meandering their way through their life? I watched the whole film and it did not get better. I was so disappointed by this film, and could not wait for it to end.

"I will look, if you'll look"

-Chantry

It's been a long while since i first heard of the this film, it was more than a year ago when it premiered at Toronto. God damn it's been a year and this year's edition is already gone. It's the biggest film festival of the year, of all the pictures that were there i have now seen a massive fifty, which tells a lot about the Festival's quality (since most were good). Though more than done a year ago, the film has only been recently released with a nice warm embrace from critics and audiences. I didn't expect one of the year's best but still hoped it would be a worthy romantic comedy.

What If is Directed by Michael Dowse and it stars Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, Rafe Spall, Megan Park, Adam Driver, Jemima Rooper and Sarah Gadon. "WHAT IF is the story of medical school dropout Wallace, who's been repeatedly burned by bad relationships. So while everyone around him, including his roommate Allan seems to be finding the perfect partner, Wallace decides to put his love life on hold. It is then that he meets Chantry an animator who lives with her longtime boyfriend Ben. Wallace and Chantry form an instant connection, striking up a close friendship. Still, there is no denying the chemistry between them, leading the pair to wonder, what if the love of your life is actually your best friend?"

Well What If does end up being a worthy romantic comedy i guess. This meaning that's entertaining and charming enough to be worth a watch, no questions asked but i don't really know if it can be much more. I did have an overall good time with it, the movie has enough laughs and the stars are quite brilliant too, the thing though is that i felt as though i had already seen it. This is a fine time at the movies but it does feel way too predictable and overly familiar.

It makes me sad not to really like this feature because, you know, i actually really wanted to. Mainly because of the two leads who are quite charismatic and have a good on screen chemistry, but also because it's so clear that the film's intentions are good and that made me overlook some flagrant flaws. And the movie has many of those.

I'm having a battle within me right now, a battle between my cynical and cold side who thinks (and rightfully so) that this picture is way too familiar and foreseeable and the other side of me who was quite entertained and charmed by these characters and performances. In the end i think i met somewhere in the middle. Because albeit this is always an enjoyable film to be watching, i did get some moments where i couldn't help but to roll my eyes. It's full of clichés and it's a shame. Full of sub-plots (and the premise too) and supporting characters that felt way too conventional and plain. I mean really the supporting characters though amusing, are little more than card board pieces in the movie's screenplay.

So yeah the film is basically saved by it's two lead performances from Potter Daniel Radcliffe and Ruby Sparks Zoe Kazan. I really liked both here and i thought they were also good together on screen. Radcliffe plays his characters well, never makes him too weird or annoying, he gets the right tone of his character. Zoe Kazan is just so cute...i mean how could you not like her. Big blue eyes, i had already liked her in the better and more original Ruby Sparks and she once again charms the screen.

What If is undeniably a pleasant movie going experience but unfortunately it does fall short from being much more than that. The two lead performances and a screenplay that ha some funny gags in it, elevate a material that's overall not that great and was made with an approach that wasn't really that inventive. Still i had a good time and i would feel a bit guilty giving a negative score to a film that didn't impress but didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth either.

Rating:C+

it clearly appears that Daniel Radcliffe has completely got out of the harry potter's net so easy , i reckon it was only a year ago when he was just recognized as Harry, he's so freaking talented i'v seen him in Horn ,, gosh ... his reactions when he's irritated in the scene is priceless .. anyhow , the movie is great with new idea in romance, the comedy is fair but still when the romance presented it heightened the whole movie to a deeper level. the plot goes complicated more and more then things just get easy to be predicted until the end which is nice if i might say. casting Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan and Adam Driver was prosperous, changing the rhythm of the scenes from funny to sad to funny to awkward to funny to romantic .. and so on was amazing directing and amazing writing . Hope to see more of these movies with a bit more comedy tho ;) especially for Mr.Radcliffe .

What If asks a basic question if a friendship between a boy and a girl could lead their relationship to something romantic. It isn't an idea that we haven't heard before, of course, but for some reason the movie does feel a lot fresh. It offers one thing that we don't always see in a romantic film lately: an ultimately likable on screen couple. They may not be a typical stale supermodel looking pair, the uniqueness it highlights to these characters are their personalities and their problems. It may not make their personal situations any complex, but it still is a memorable little romcom that shines through its humor and performances.

The film is best when it only settles with its two leads starting to build their connection into friendship until it gets serious. What makes this love story so genuine is their conversations as friends pouring out their honest views toward something, like love or their lives. Following its central plot would make the clichés visible, but by just looking through the world of these characters is what helps it show its own color. It also sells well when they reveal each of their issues, it sometimes takes them as one of its jokes, but whenever it gets compellingly heavy, it usually resolve those situations too easy. It's probably because it wanted to focus more on its sweetness, but it does still deserve some depth at the unthinkable fate of the "friendzone".

The depth is instead placed on the actors. There is an undeniable charm to be found in Daniel Radcliffe, even though his character is struck with a cynical side personality and Zoe Kazan brings much of the soul to the connection of every person her character jumps right into. Both of them spark a strangely admirable chemistry that makes the witty screen writing sound more lively. It just embraces the awkwardness of their desires. The direction makes it real simple, though it does pull off a little hipster-y animation when it shows their abstract feelings, but most of the time it just let it linger at the very meaningful moments.

The most important thing What If needs is gumption at portraying how doomed the both are from ending up with each other, but it still is a worth a watch for its often delightful environment. Its strongest appeal is just the two stars tagging you along in their world of an uncertain luck. Not sure what kind of people would leave the theater having sudden thoughts of word magnets and art-driven animation, or nachos and Fool's Gold Loaf, but to be sure this film has its distinction as a romantic comedy. Overall, it's all pretty nice.