Can men and women truly interact and be noble acquaintances without the pressure of romantic interest and relations? Many films have attempted to provide us with an answer to this infinitely important question, but few have succeeded. One thing is for certain, however; few men can bear to hear the statement “I think we should just be friends” without slowly self-destructing on the inside.

What If was previously titled The F Word (which implies “friends”, not the other word) when it made its festival circuit, and stars Daniel Radcliffe as Wallace, an introverted and slightly damaged young man who is still recovering from his last big breakup, along with the fact that he dropped out of medical school. One night at his friend Allan’s (Adam Driver) party, he runs into a hip, quirky, young lady named Chantry (Zoe Kazan). After Wallace finds out Chantry has a boyfriend, they agree to be friends. Fortunately for us, these characters do what movie characters often do: get themselves entangled in a bunch of complicated relationship shenanigans.

The screenplay, though fairly predictable, is solid in its heartfelt comedy and earnestness. Adapted from a play by T.J. Dawe and Michael Rinaldi, the script made the Black List back in 2008. The dialogue and cultural aesthetic in the film is somewhat similar to HBO’s Girls, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Radcliffe and Kazan have plenty of hilarious zingers to deliver here, and these clever one-liners will hit home among fellow quirky twenty-somethings. While Kazan’s performance is playful and sweet, Radcliffe shines and proves himself a true comedic talent. The two leads have excellent chemistry together as well, and many film-goers will recall When Harry Met Sally when they hear Radcliffe and Kazan banter on screen.

Radcliffe and Kazan have plenty of hilarious zingers to deliver here, and these clever one liners will hit home among fellow quirky twenty-somethings.

The soundtrack is another standout in the film, as are these small moments where Chantry’s illustrations come to life on the screen in a mystical way. These few moments of magical realism are a nice touch and add greatly to the overall warm feel of the film, but the best part about What If is the undeniably wonderful supporting performance by Adam Driver. The man steals every single scene he appears in, and I daresay he outshines Radcliffe in terms of comedic timing and charm.

What If has a simple, sweet and effective quality about it that makes the film wildly stand out among its other recent rom-com counterparts. With wonderful performances from the cast all around, especially Girls breakout star Adam Driver, the film offers fun and realistic interactions between twenty-somethings and their obsession with dry wit and sarcasm. What If also offers an incredible soundtrack that packs heavy emotion in unexpected moments. The film is incredibly self-aware of its place in the cinematic universe of romantic comedies, and this is yet another plus that makes it worth watching.