“What If” is a charming romantic comedy. Both Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan are perfectly cast and both talents feed off each other’s awkwardness. Recommended!
© 2013 F Word Productions Inc., PCF F-Word The Movie Inc. and Fastnet Films. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: What If
DATE OF FILM RELEASE: 2013
DURATION: 98 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: 2:35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish
COMPANY: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
RATED: PG-13 (Sexual Content Including References Throughout, Partial Nudity and Language)
RELEASE DATE: November 25, 2014
Directed by Michael Dowse
Written by Elan Mastai
Based on the Play “Toothpaste and Cigars” by T.J. Dawe and Michael Rinaldi
Executive Producer: Jeff Arkuss, Mark Costa, Michael Dowse, HArtley Gorenstein, Elan Mastai, Ford Oelman, Jesse Shapira, Patrice Theroux
Producer: David Gross, Macdara Kelleher, Andre Rouleau
Associate Producer: Jonathan Loughran, Marlinda Walcott
Music by A.C. Newman
Cinematography by Rogier Stoffers
Edited by Yvann Thibaudeau
Casting by Ronna Kress
Production Design by Ethan Tobman
Art Direction by Mark Steel
Set Decoration by Mary Kirkland
Costume Design by Lea Carlson
Starring:
Daniel Radcliffe as Wallace
Zoe Kazan as Chantry
Megan Park as Dalia
Adam Driver as Allan
Mackenzie Davis as Nicole
Rafe Spall as Ben
Lucius Hoyos as Felix
Jemima Rooper as Ellie
WHAT IF is the story of medical school dropout Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe), who’s been repeatedly burned by bad relationships. So while everyone around him, including his roommate Allan (Adam Driver) seems to be finding the perfect partner (Mackenzie Davis), Wallace decides to put his love life on hold. It is then that he meets Chantry (Zoe Kazan) an animator who lives with her longtime boyfriend Ben (Rafe Spall). 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? The ensemble romantic comedy costars Megan Park and Oona Chaplin.
In 2013, the Irish-Canadian romantic comedy “The F Word” (retitled to “What If”) was an adaptation based on the T.J. Dawe and Michael Rinaldi play “Toothpaste and Cigars”.
Directed by Michael Dowse (“Goon”, “It’s All Gone Pete Tong”) and written by Elan Mastai (“Alone in the Dark”, “The Samaritan”), the film premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and was the winner for Adapted Screenplay at the Canadian Screen Awards.
The film stars Daniel Radcliffe (“Harry Potter” films, “A Young Doctor’s Notebook”), Zoe Kazan (“Ruby Sparks”, “Fracture”, “Revolutionary Road”), Adam Driver (“Frances Ha”, “Inside Llewyn Davis”), Mackenzie Davis (“That Awkward Moment”, “Smashed”, “Breathe In”) and Megan Park (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager”, “Diary of the Dead”).
“What If” revolves around two people. Wallace (portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe) is a medical school dropout and currently living with his sister and nephew in Toronto. He hasn’t been the same since catching his girlfriend having an affair with his Anatomy teacher and literally has stayed at home for nearly a year until his friend Allan (portrayed by Adam Driver) invites him to a party.
At the party, despite being bored, he meets Allan’s cousin, an animator named Chantry (portrayed by Zoe Kazan) and immediately, the two become caught up in a discussion. While Allan manages to meet a woman named Nicole (portrayed by Mackenzie Davis), Wallace and Chantry continue to have a fun and healthy discussion.
When the two leave the party and walk home, Chantry gives Wallace her phone number but also tells him that she has a boyfriend.
One day, as Wallace goes out to the theater to watch “The Princess Bride”, he happens to see Chantry at the theater. And from that moment on, the two begin hanging out like best friends and enjoying each other’s company.
While it is obvious to Wallace’s friends that he is in love with Chantry, Chantry often wonders if her five-year relationship with Ben (portrayed by Rafe Spall) would last, after he moves overseas for six months to work for the United Nations. But during this time together, both Wallace and Chantry begin hanging out with each other more and more and seeing how much they have in common.
But will Wallace ever let Chantry know how he truly feels for her or will he hold back, knowing that she has had a long relationship with another man?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“What If” is presented in 2:35:1 anamorphic widescreen and English 5.1 Dolby Digital. It’s important to mention that if you want the best picture quality for “What If”, you will want to purchase the Blu-ray version of the film. Otherwise, the DVD quality is very good as one can expect on DVD. There are no major artifacts with the DVD version and audio is dialogue-driven and is crystal clear.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“What If” comes with the following special features:
- Blurred Lines – (3:57) A brief featurette with the cast talking about their character.
- Opposites Attract – (3:51) A brief featurette with the cast discussing working each other.
Not too often do you find a charming romantic comedy that revolves around one-sided love and the exploration of finding someone with similar interests but yet committed to another relationship.
“What If” is that type of film and what makes it work is the chemistry between its two main talent, Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan.
Radcliffe plays the role of the awkward Wallace. A medical school dropout who literally shut himself off from the world after catching his then-girlfriend kissing his anatomy teacher. Breakups are traumatic and for Wallace, he had a full year of staying at home with his sister and nephew and is willing to go out to a friend’s party.
And it’s the party where he meets his friend’s cousin Chantry. It was love at first sight for Wallace and both enjoy talking with each other and finding so much in common with one another. But both are awkward and quirky. As Wallace loves his time with Chantry, Chantry loves spending time with Wallace, despite having a boyfriend (who is more often busy with work with the United Nations).
Often bypassing promotions at her job, Chantry is an animator who somewhat rides on the beat of her own drum. And when these two are together, there is an instant connection, magic. But for Chantry, she has invested five years of her life with this one man and for Wallace, his one-sided love is obvious to his friends, but being a gentleman (but also receiving a warning from Chantry’s boyfriend, Ben), he chooses not too act on his feelings for Chantry. Just be there as a friend.
But as it was explored in the popular romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally”, a man and a woman can’t be friends…Â Unless both are in relationships.
Can Wallace and Chantry be friends? Wallace knows there is a connection, Chantry knows there is a connection as well and both don’t act upon it because Chantry is in a relationship.
The romantic dilemma which has plagued many people who are invested in relationships and meet someone that automatically throws their thoughts out of the window and makes them realize, what if the person you are destined to be with, is that person that makes you laugh, that makes you smile but most importantly, you have that instant connection! And this is the premise of “What If”, a charming comedy.
If there is one fault in the entire film, it’s how various friends are utilized.
Allan is the type of friend who comes off as a jerk to Wallace and you have his girlfriend Nicole. When together, .both act as if they are out of this world and people you would never think to see the more reserved Wallace being around. While Chantry’s friend, Dalia’s is perfectly fine for support and is there to listen to her friend.
“What If” looks and sounds good on DVD but for those who want better picture quality, you definitely want to go for the Blu-ray version of the film. You also get two short featurettes for special features.
Overall, “What If” is a charming romantic comedy. Both Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan are perfectly cast and both talents feed off each other’s awkwardness. Recommended!
