What age is IF appropriate for?

9 alone, 8 with a parent; 7 in France. The whole movie, watched in full: what's in it, and how to talk about it with your child.

Why is IF not recommended under 9?

What's in it: a father in hospital, a dead mother; a few screams and two silences; four mild words. The detail, fact by fact, is in the zinema guide, which reads the work itself (images, sound, dialogue).

zinema · movies · what age

IF: what age is it for? 9 alone, 8 with a parent

9 alone, 8 with a parent.

Movie · 2024 · 1 h 44 · comedy, fantasy, family

YRS

The trailer

Alone, or with you

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not yetwith an adult, or to talk about afteralonethe sweet spot

Alone from 9; from 8, with an adult or by talking about it afterwards.

The sweet spot: around 9-10, when you still have an imaginary friend or have just forgotten him, and can watch a sick father. Why a sweet spot?

In France, zinema would say 7.

Watch the trailerContinue in zinemathen where to watch it, in zinema · more trailers, and where to watch films · Where to stream itWhere to watch

What it's about

After discovering she can see everyone's imaginary friends, a girl embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten imaginary friends with their kids.

Why 9

A father in hospital, a dead motherThe little girl's mother is dead, her father is waiting for heart surgery; she is afraid of losing him, cries often, and the film speaks of death in a child's words. No violence.
A few screams and two silencesImaginary creatures that startle, a giant bear, a gunshot sound in a game; nothing that frightens for long.
Four mild wordsMild swearing in English; a couple in bed in a memory, tender.

What the movie brings

A film about what we lose as we grow up, which makes parents cry as much as children.
A twelve-year-old girl who has to be strong for her father.
Ryan Reynolds and creatures drawn by children.

Watching it together

Before

Say beforehand that the father is in hospital and that everything ends well; the dead mother is mentioned from the start.

After

at 9 and up

Bea says she is too old for imaginary friends: at what age do you stop imagining?

See the facts

A moment that calls for a parent●●● · suggestedmeasured

Long dark scenes, night, storm●●● · shownmeasured

Pace●●● · shownmeasured

A weapon shown or used●●○ · suggestedmeasured

A weapon shown or used●●○ · shownmeasured

Abandonment, separation, confinement●●○ · shownmeasured

Humor●●○ · shownmeasured

Illness, disability, old age●●○ · shownreading

Kissing, romantic gestures●●○ · shownmeasured

Tense music or sound●●○ · shownmeasured

Visible injury, blood●●○ · saidmeasured

Alcohol●○○ · saidmeasured

Alcohol●○○ · shownmeasured

Creature, monster, strong villain●○○ · shownmeasured

Density of dialogue●○○ · shownmeasured

Disaster, destruction, war●○○ · shownmeasured

Fighting, brawls●○○ · shownmeasured

Frightening imagery●○○ · shownmeasured

Insults, hurtful words●○○ · shownmeasured

Swearing●○○ · shownmeasured

Visible injury, blood●○○ · shownmeasured

For the same age, on zinema

Tadeo Jones y La Lámpara Maravillosa 7, 6 with a parent
LEGO ONE PIECE 7, 6 with a parent
Les Vacances du Petit Nicolas 7, 6 with a parent
Les 12 travaux d'Astérix 7, 6 with a parent

The latest guides

Astérix & Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre 7, 6 with a parent
Les Blagues de Toto 7, 6 with a parent
Le Petit Nicolas 7, 6 with a parent
The Iron Giant 7, 6 with a parent

A zinema reading from September 20, 2026 · the whole movie, watched in full · the age by zinema's rules for the US and France, and a human reading · report an error · how this guide is made