6/10

A man (Daniel Radcliffe) just broken up with his cheating girlfriend meets a girl (Zoe Kazan) at a party, and the two hit it off creating a friendship that develops into more. The catch is that Kazan has a boyfriend, and Radcliffe must keep his crush to a minimum. First of all, we have seen this film a lot, but director Michael Dowse takes What If into territory that keeps it from becoming predictable. Credit is definitely due for the chemistry he creates between Radcliffe and Kazan. Daniel in particular continues to break away from the Harry Potter typecast as an actor who did suspense/horror in The Woman in Black, and now doing comedy in What If. The sharp dialogue between he and Zoe is what keeps the film pushing well beyond a second act that drags a little bit. The film also has a soundtrack that is full of the emotional tones that our characters are going through. It’s an instrumental splash of indie rock music mostly conducted from Carl Newman of the rock band The New Pornographers. One track in particular called “Beach Bummer” collides a dreamy piano with an electric guitar that reminds us of looking up at the stars on a warm summer night. What If isn’t just about setting the mood with the music in the scenes, but the romantic genre scenes it creates. I admit that some of the cliches are a bit corny at times, but i am happy that the story never goes in the direction it seems like it will. There are many opportunities for our two main characters to hook up, but it never happens. If this were another romantic comedy, you could almost write the script yourself based on seeing any five of these films at any point in your life. What If differs itself from those films because it pushes our characters a little further for a possible hook up. The ground work they lay with their chemistry simply isn’t enough to convince these two that they belong together. I always appreciate a movie that is simple enough, but throws serious obstacles at it’s characters that leaves you thinking if they will ever be the same. So what is the problem with What If that leaves it with only a 6/10? The tone of this film overall has troubles distinguishing whether it’s a romantic comedy or a simple comedy. I would normally think the former, but this movie has some roll your eyes scenes with slapstick comedy reminiscent of a Farelly Brothers movie. It seems completely out of place, and i would be OK with this film being just a romantic comedy. Besides that, it just doesn’t seem like Dowse cares about any characters who aren’t his protagonists. From the guy who brought us one of the big surprises of 2012 in Take Me Home Tonight, it seems like he still doesn’t know how to build his supporting characters for anything other than granting a funny reaction for the main character to look at them like they are alien. They serve as cheap eating silverware for a main course that feels too rich to eat with fork or spoons. What If is one of those films that starts strong during the first act and loses a little steam during the second. It builds a relationship that the audience can get behind and cheer for. Perhaps most importantly, it showcases Radcliffe as the A-list actor he was destined to become. He can’t be limited to just one genre, and that is said about only the best of actors. It’s a cute film that is easy to forgive on it’s biggest of faults, but What If will never have you asking questions on what might have been. It’s answers are satisfying enough for a perfect date night. The ladies will love the chemistry, and the men will love the relatable situations to being single and wanting something you just can’t have. What If is going on my recommended list. Enjoy