What If

Filmmaker Michael Dowse delivers a cloying, predictably formulaic rom-com starring Daniel Radcliffe (the former Harry Potter star, now a 25-year-old man) as med school dropout Wallace, who has essentially become a hermit--living in the attic of his sister's home—since catching his girlfriend cheating on him. Cautiously venturing out one night, Wallace meets a flirtatious animator, Chantry (Zoe Kazan), at a party given by his blowhard best friend (Adam Driver). Composing cleverly cynical refrigerator-magnet poetry, the pair hit it off immediately, but she's already living with Ben (Rafe Spall), a high-powered United Nations diplomat. So they become sort-of friends, although Wallace's feelings are definitely not platonic. Not surprisingly, after globe-trotting Ben departs for Dublin, Chantry and Wallace become more or less inseparable. What If is coyly sweet and snarky, but never establishes a consistent tone—substituting hip yet trifling banter for real dialogue. Optional. (S. Granger)