What If

Right now you can watch What If in Australia on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels, and in the US on Kanopy and Hoopla — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 2,088 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Daniel Radcliffe sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels.

What If is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. What If gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. 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. Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2013. The timing in What If is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, What If respects your intelligence. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Daniel Radcliffe sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.