What If, 2013
Directed by Michael Dowse
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, Megan Park, Adam Driver, Mackenzie Davis and Rafe Spall.
SYNOPSIS:
Wallace, who is burned out from a string of failed relationships, forms an instant bond with Chantry, who lives with her longtime boyfriend. Together, they puzzle out what it means if your best friend is also the love of your life.
In a market that is becoming extremely saturated, some filmmakers amongst the crowds of many trying a make a romantic comedy have now played a new trump card: the quirky card. With the said card, it allows characters to become a little more accessible, a little more relatable and a little more nuts. But despite its success as a rom-com sub-genre, the “quirk” has jumped the shark a little, and like the words “from Nicholas Sparks” has become far to commonplace. The latest on the conveyor belt, What If, tries to re-energise the quirk, with mixed results.
Daniel Radcliffe plays Wallace, a Brit living in Toronto with his sister (Jemima Rooper) and her son, who has just found out his long-term girlfriend, has cheated on him. Seeking refuge in his friendship with Allan (Adam Driver), Wallace soon meets his cousin, Chantry (Zoe Kazan). The sparks fly, and the two strike up a bond. The kicker: Chantry lives with her boyfriend (a horribly wasted Rafe Spall), and it soon becomes clear that if Wallace wants to remain her friend, he will have to bite his tongue. But this is a rom-com after all, and things are never as simple as that.
It’s always hard to be overly critical with romantic comedies, as for the most part, they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do to please its substantial audience: to take two people, whether destined to be together or not, and take them on a roller-coaster of emotions through which the two will realise their true feelings. On that level, What If succeeds, and should be considered a success. Indeed, there are many laughs to be had here, and with a cast that perform excellent throughout (bar the aforementioned Spall), it’s very easy to like/love, What If.
And when it’s funny, it’s great fun. Radcliffe makes for an engaging central figure, even if actions are somewhat questionable, and with Kazan the two make for a decent enough couple. There chemistry seems genuine enough, and through their ups and downs, you continue to root for them, even if it looks more and more unlikely as the film progresses. But it says something about the true quality of a romantic comedy when the supporting couple, in this case Mackenzie Davis and the excellent Adam Driver, are the more enduring and entertaining of the two, and would have made for a much more entertaining film on the
But while it tries to be different and give us a unique look at love in the modern age, it still lands on the typical beats: can men and women be friends, awkward situation between “friends”, speeches designed to secretly tell the person you like you like them ‘more’ than they think. But the most annoying part of What If is that damn quirk factor, but while it is nowhere near as excruciatingly annoying as other films in the same vain, it does overpower the film one too many times, and dampens the comedy.
What If can be considered a moderate success overall. While it does “everything on the tin” in terms of a rom-com and its traditions, it at the very least stays clear of being too overly schmaltzy, and tries to have an original voice. The dialogue is decent enough throughout, and it’s directed just fine, but the real saving grace are the leads, who all play their part in making the film entertaining whilst you are watching it unfold.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★
Scott Davis
Originally published August 19, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
