User reviews

The summer of 2014 hasn't seen as many strong independent films like last year. However, in the final days of the summer movie season comes Michael Dowse's "What If", a smart and charming romantic comedy. It's a well written film about Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) who becomes friends with Chantry (Zoe Kazan) who is with her long time boyfriend Ben (Rafe Spall). Wallace and Chantry develop feelings for each other and struggle with what to do. It sounds cheesy and boring, but don't miss this film.

Elan Mastai's script is sharp and never over extends it hand. It combines several kinds of humor, from slapstick to witty. Mastai's screenplay balances all these humors well while also getting to the heart of the situation. The film has depth and mature conversations about romance and what to do when stuck in a love triangle.

The film is also well cast. Radcliffe feels very natural in the role. It's nice to see him play an everyday man instead of some epic famous character. Radcliffe is good at both and this film proves it. He also has good chemistry with Kazan. Radcliffe and Kazan are balanced well with Adam Driver's Allan and Mackenzie Davis' Nicole. Driver is hilarious and steals the scenes. All of them fit their parts very well and give the film its charm.

The story can be predictable and maybe a bit forced at times, but its heart warming and grows on you. It uses artistic and visual motifs well and feels well rounded and complete. The film also has a nice indie rock soundtrack that fits right in. "What If" seems like a nice blend between " (500) Days of Summer" and "When Harry Met Sally...".

The romantic comedy genre seems to be criticized a lot. There are plenty of junk films in it, but "What If" is a gem. It's well written and acted and is able to balance many kinds of humors to please many people. "What If" is a romantic comedy done right. It is a nice little treat at the end of a blockbuster filled summer.

'What if' is about Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe), a heart broken medical school dropout who meets Chantry (Zoe Kazan), an animator and Wallace's love interest. The moment they meet, Wallace is in love. Unfortunately for him, Chantry is already in a serious relationship and just wants to be friends.

Like most movies of this genre, you can for the most part guess how this movie progresses. However, that didn't really matter as the movie was fun and quite enjoyable. Most of the jokes were witty and didn't feel forced. All the relationships in the movie were enjoyable to watch as well. All the actors did a great job as well.

At the end, I had a good time watching this movie. It was a good fun movie.

I went to a screening of the F Word at the Toronto International Film Festival and I can say I had a good time (I can also say that Daniel Radcliffe is much much shorter in person than what you would expect.) I wasn't sure what the story was or what type of movie it would be and from the director of Goon and Fubar, I probably wouldn't have expected a romantic comedy, but as it turns out it was and I quite enjoyed it.

The film tells the story of Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) and Chantry (Zoe Kazan) who meet at a party when Wallace finally gets over being dumped over a year ago and goes back into the world. He soon finds out that Chantry has a boyfriend but the two of them decide they'll give a go at being friends. Both characters are somewhat awkward and seem to have little friends outside of Allan (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Mackenzie Davis). Their best friends are common friends but for some unknown reason they had never met before, probably due to Wallace being somewhat emotionally unstable and completely shut off in his apartment for months on end.

The film is predictable overall but still brings some fresh moments. I absolutely love Adam Driver and he plays more or less the same character he plays on Girls but it was great to see him here. The characters are lovable in their awkwardness and shyness and you do hope for them to get together. They're also quite believable. Wallace was in med school but dropped out (still because he got dumped honestly, Wallace can't really handle being dumped) and now works at an alienating low end job, while Chantry has that girl next door look and works in an animation studio, with pressure to accept a promotion she's not sure she wants.

The film is cute for sure, but also really funny at times. I'm not a huge fan of Daniel Radcliffe to begin with, having seen him only in the obligatory Harry Potter series and the Woman in Black but he was quite good, and different. It's a bit slow but I can't say that was an issue for me. Toronto is featured a lot as the film was shot and takes place there (for once, they're not pretending it's New York) so it was great to see the city.

While there is no release date set, the director said the movie should come out around Valentine's Day so by all means, if you're looking for a fun comedy to watch, go see it. It's way better than most movies that come out for the holiday and it's one I believe both women and men will enjoy.

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.

It doesn't use an original idea nor does it stay clear from the usual RomCom tropes and the plot is sort of predictable. But even though it has all the ingredients for a derivative flick it feels fresh and is quite entertaining. Mainly it's because of Radcliffe and Kazan, the more original dialogues and by staying clear from slapstick comedy. Also the story by itself feels convincing as a whole and the characters stay consistent and relatable for the most part. Though, by the end you also recognize that they slandered a lot of potential by going the usual RomCom route. It could have been better by doing a few things differently, which I'm not going to name here to avoid spoilers.

Bottom line, if you like RomComs then you will probably like this one. If you don't like the genre at all you may still find this one bearable enough to sit through it next to someone.

"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+

Good topic is being ruined by a cliched end. We see an approach to cheating in a relationship yet it is poorly written. If you're expecting to see characters' psychological development as things happen along the movie, you're at the wrong place. This movie is based on dialogues including sarcastic jokes, and some glances of main characters to each other. The comedy part of the movie is quite amusing; although, there are some scenes that has no suspense, you just know what is going to happen exactly!

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 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.

Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) and Chantry (Zoe Kazan) meet at a mutual friend's party and instantly bond with one another. Chemistry between them is flawless and spontaneous – but she has a boyfriend, which leaves recently heart-broken Wallace in the 'friend-zone'.

Containing much witty dialogue, quirky references and probably redefining the entire term awkward – 'What If' seems firm and fresh in style, yet is typically conventional in story, hindering on the exact narrative of Harry Met Sally actually ...

Lead star Daniel Radcliffe, seems as if he is still trying to get to grips with genre post HP and distancing himself after trying a mixture of features; Woman in Black, Kill Your Darlings, and upcoming horrors; Horns and Frankenstein. Nonetheless, he seems concrete in his first Rom- Com performance and we want to see more.

Also interesting to see him play a Brit in an American/Canadian film, rather than putting on an accent like a baffled Hugh Grant we are used to in this Richard Curtis-esqe movie. We see great potential ahead of him and are going to go ahead and call it that Dan' will win an Academy award before 2018 is out.

Alongside Radcliffe stars Zoe Kazan in an equally exceptional performance (her best yet), and co-starring upcoming Star Wars actor Adam Driver for even more humour – the film is solid. A film coming from the director of both Goon and Fubur, set our expectations low, but it impressed and entertained by taking and old story and remixing it with an indie feel.

'What If' arrives in UK cinemas on the 20th August 2014.

Aug 28, 2019 To me, it started as a date movie, and then ended up being entirely different, something more. What If Dowse does not seem like a complete fanatic for the mushy gushy romance that Hollywood is infamous and criticized for. He doesn't particularly love the idea of a rainy Saturday evening with warm coffee in bed and Meg Ryan on TV. And maybe that's why, that's the only reason why this film works. I am going to skip way ahead now and give you an example of a scene that basically comes at the end of the film. No spoilers, but there is a scenario in the film where even someone "outsider" as the director Michael Dowse from this world, has to drop all his guards and give in to that ultimate date movie scene. And even though he tries with incredible slow camera work and other parlor tricks, he fails to conjure the audience as any other Hugh Grant film would and does. Danielle Radcliff as Wallace and Zoe Kazan as Chantry are the only ones driving the scene to home for us. Another reason why the film succeeds is the safe and secure fall of the film, after Dowse pushes it away from being starry eyed. And this push lands on a pillow whose origin is from that very awkward feeling of running away and bumping into crass slapstick humor. And holding that side of the line is Adam Driver and Mackenzie Davis as a raunchy couple outdoing themselves in each scenario leading our lead couple into trouble- that silence in the car is the highlight of the film. They are the textbook supporting cast of the romcom genre, their goofiness sculpts into a deep prosperous enlightening theme. What If is the most spookiest name I have ever heard of a film especially considering the fact that, to this day, I don't get the title, at all.

I watched this movie on a flight and found it pretty enjoyable. It's fairly staple Rom Com script.

Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) and Chantry (Zoe Cazan) become best friends, but do they want more than to be just friends. Chantry has a long term boyfriend Ben who she is very close to, so it seems they will remain just good friends regardless of whether Wallace wants more.

This is pretty much by the numbers rom com storyline. They've been churning these out for years and will continue to do so. It seemed pretty unlikely that Wallace and Chantry would have been best friends and the relationship between them doesn't really ring true. It's pretty watchable though and a good way to pass a couple of hours.

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.

The F Word also called What If is a romantic comedy about a man named Wallace who can't quite decide when friendship ends and love starts and that puts him at odds with the already in a relationship Chantry. The story follows both as they continue their friendship but you forever see that chemistry throughout and I mean you really want him to say something to her. The movie is a satisfactory watch, it is far from great but it still walks down a well trodden line at least with some quirkiness and some fun characters too. The movie can feel a little too niche at times but manages I feel to make itself fun and bubbly and manages also to add in enough romance within the laughs to not make it over the top going for laughs.

Daniel Radcliffe plays Wallace and he does an OK job but I did feel he can be just a little shaky at times. Ever since Harry Potter I have always wanted Radcliffe to do well and really find something that can bring him to a different phase of his career away from the wizarding world, this isn't it but it gives us signs that he is well on his way to having a great career in his post teenage years. Chantry is played by Zoe Kazan who does the same kind of job that Radcliffe does, neither really eclipse each other and that is good because the chemistry runs well through that, we see enough of both characters lives and emotions and it makes them more accessible to us on a connecting level. I liked the addition of Rafe Spall as the partner of Chantry, he gives a funny performance and mixes things up well, I felt he was going to be a little funnier at first but all in all he is still a well made character and played well by Spall too.

Michael Dowse directs and I can't say he does a fine job but he still manages to create something alright, I wasn't too keen at times in the way he makes the movie look but he at least gets the pacing right. The movie is written well and even won a Canada Screen Award for best screenplay, I wouldn't say the script is anything special or new but it does run along nicely as a piece and really tries hard to make something work between all involved. The movie can in it's style seem a little too entwined with the modern day "Hipster" society through such things as Chantry and her friends knitting, Wallace and his friend Allan (Adam Driver) looking through antique shops and the general use of alternative and indie music although the feeling does not take anything from this as a movie.

As Rom-Coms go this doesn't stack up all that well with other one's, in fact it is basically the same as many others although this movie does at least try to be original in its humour and that I can credit it for. The laughs aren't massive in this I have to also add although I think many people will see this as charming comedy rather than the laugh out loud type, they talk about faeces a lot for some reason but it still feels charming though. So in the end this movie is one that probably won't rank high on many peoples lists of great romantic comedies but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a watch, it's actually not a bad movie at all and if you're the kind of movie viewer who is a hopeless romantic or just loves romance, this is pretty fun.

Good chemistry between the leads and cute story, but a bit formulaic to give anything higher than a 6.

Was this film funded by Tourism Canada? Lol. I swear, the entire time I thought I was watching what was essentially a video postcard. They really went out of their way to get as many landscapes in as they could and the word Toronto was either mentioned of seen at least 10 times. Otherwise a pretty mediocre romcom with some non-sensical scenes thrown in, (like why was the sister an evil witch for no reason? We're talking serious mental illness-like behavior and it's never mentioned how mean and rude she is. Also unlikely her friends would be friends with her. If you're in quarantine and have seen everything on Netflix, give this one a go.

This is an OK movie. I wanted to love this movie. I was hoping for a little indie darling of sorts. Maybe something a little quirky. However, the problem is, I just did not find either of the two main characters to be all that appealing. No matter how hard I try, Daniel Radcliff just does not do it for me. He certainly does not make a good lead in a romantic comedy. I felt like he was just trying waaaay to hard to be so nerdy he is likable. The jokes were almost always close to funny in this, yet none of them were homeruns. The romance was similar. It was almost close to romantic, but no homerun. Daniel Radcliff and the girl were almost close to likable and relateable, and realistic, but not quite. The end (no spoilers here) was almost great, but not quite. In the end, the movie is almost good, but not quite.

This is a wonderfully fun rom com featuring Radcliffe and Kazan as a pair of quirky and charming friends dancing around their attractions to each other.

Really, in a lot of ways it's a run of the mill rom-com, it doesn't deviate from the standard formula all that much. What elevates it is the performances of Radcliffe and Kazan. Their chemistry and just the enjoyment of seeing them interact and talk makes this better than average to me.

This is a romantic comedy for people who hate romantic comedies.

The story is similar to a lot of rom-coms: Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe), a young man with a history of failed relationships, become the platonic friend of Chantry (Zoe Kazan), who is living with a long term boyfriend. He falls for her, and has to decide how to proceed. The background of their respective friends' love lives provides humour and contrast. But this film is a notch above other films in the category.

First, it's actually funny. The quips and banter between characters, particularly between the two main characters, is clever and often hilarious. In fact, the dialogue is the best part of the movie.

Second, the plot is not completely full of contrived, unlikely situations designed to either get the couple together or put them in a "comically" embarrassing predicament. There are a few, but they are not too outlandish and make sense as part of the story.

Third, the ethical issues involved in romantic decisions, such as becoming attracted to someone already committed to another person, are not glossed over. Wallace even refers directly to the attitude (common in rom-coms) that being in love somehow excuses any kind of bad or dishonest behaviour. Wallace has been cheated on himself, and feels it is important to stick to his principles. Chantry's boyfriend is not merely an obstacle to the couple's happy ending; he is a nice person who can be hurt by disloyalty. The movie doesn't treat love as a game, and that's refreshing.

Fourth, it's possible for the audience to understand exactly what the couple see in each other - something I find rare in most romantic comedies. Wallace and Chantry are both charming, clever, funny people who make a connection on many levels, and it's easy for us to imagine them happily together, and to cheer them on.

A very well done, enjoyable and truly romantic movie.

Watched this one rainy afternoon and really enjoyed it. The dialogue was fast paced and made me laugh. I thought casting was great with the two leads very well suited. Was a great charming film that had a feel good factor

Have you ever watched a film that was pretty good but easily could have been better? Well, that's my reaction to What If, a new DVD release which stars Daniel Radcliffe (yes, THAT Daniel Radcliffe). It's a pretty decent little romance, but the film also sure looks like the script could have used a decent editing, as sometimes the dialog is needlessly offensive--with ample references to feces and the like. Additionally, while the two leads (Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan) are both very likable, some of the supporting characters are absolutely ridiculous, as no one talks or acts like some of these folks.

The film is much like the premise behind When Harry Met Sally. In other words, it questions whether a man and woman can be just friends and stay that way. In this case, Wallace meets Chantry--a woman who is engaged and living with another man. They agree to only be friends, but as the film progresses, you see them spending more and more time together and they obviously have some chemistry.

The film has lots of sweet and amusing moments between the leads-- and the clever script and nice acting work together well most of the film. But at other points, this chemistry is obscured by needless distractions--which I talked about above. All in all, however, the good does outweigh the bad and the film will be an interesting experience to folks who love Radcliffe--which these days seems to be practically everyone.