Kernel Rating (out of 5):
MPAA Rating: PG-13 Length: 98 minutes
Age Appropriate For: 15+. The film is a romantic comedy that revisits the genre question of whether men and women can be only friends, so it has a lot of talk and jokes about sex; some kissing, implied sexual content, and people skinny-dipping seen from behind in the dark of night (so you see the outlines of bodies, but no details); some cursing and discussion of parents’ infidelity and death.
The largely charming romantic comedy ‘What If’ is at its best when it not being overly quirky, and when stars Zoe Kazan and Daniel Radcliffe are able to interact like normal people. Their banter is infectious, and their performances elevate the film.
By Roxana Hadadi
People keep talking about how the romantic-comedy genre is dead, but films like “What If” give the cinematic category hope. Buoyed by strong performances from leads Zoe Kazan (who has been bouncing around this genre for a while (in films like “Ruby Sparks”) and Daniel Radcliffe (moving nicely on from his years as Harry Potter), “What If” is a mostly charming film about that constant question: Can men and women be just friends? Sure, “When Harry Met Sally…” tackled that issue quite well decades ago, but there is more work to be done—and “What If” does a good job.