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What If

What If

Drama · Comedy · Romance · 2013

Medical-school dropout Wallace has 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?

Movie details

What If

“...being friends has its benefits?”

2013 Drama · Comedy · Romance 1h 38m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

Medical-school dropout Wallace has 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?

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over What If?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Am I OK?

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St. Elmo's Fire

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Drama · 1985

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Drinking Buddies

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The Big Picture

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Dowse

Written by

Elan Mastai

Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe

Wallace

Zoe Kazan

Zoe Kazan

Chantry

Megan Park

Megan Park

Dalia

Adam Driver

Adam Driver

Allan

Mackenzie Davis

Mackenzie Davis

Nicole

Rafe Spall

Rafe Spall

Ben

Lucius Hoyos

Lucius Hoyos

Felix

Court is in session

Put What If on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.