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What If...

What If...

What if God gave you a second chance?

2010111 minPGMidcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
Director
Dallas Jenkins
Starring
Kevin Sorbo, Kristy Swanson, John Ratzenberger, Debby Ryan

Fifteen years ago, Ben Walker made a decision to leave his college sweetheart and ultimately his faith, in order to pursue a lucrative business opportunity. Now with a high-paying career and a trophy fiancé, he is visited by an angel, who gives him a glimpse into what his life would look like had he followed his calling.

Where to watch

Where can I watch What If...?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists What If... streaming on Great American Pure Flix via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about What If...?

What If... earns 4 badges, led by Award Winner and Preferred by US Viewers.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is What If... worth watching?

What If...'s Midcredits score is the 64th percentile of all films, from 4.5K ratings across 4 sources. 62% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

64th percentile

Better received than 64% of films

65th percentile among Drama64th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)58th
Approval (how many liked it)68th

64 /100

58th percentile of all films

59th percentile among Drama58th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

62% liked it

68th percentile of all films

70th percentile among Drama69th percentile among 2010s
62% rated it 7–1038% rated it 1–6

Critics 43% · Audience 73%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

73rd percentile

4.5K ratings across platforms

76th percentile among Drama76th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$50K
Domestic gross$1M
Worldwide gross$1M

60th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree the film is a religious retread of the 'alternate life' scenario from The Family Man / It's a Wonderful Life.

Fans praised

  • John Ratzenberger's heartfelt, blue-collar angel performance
  • Thought-provoking message about faith, family, and second chances
  • Wholesome family entertainment without preaching

Detractors panned

  • Blatant, uncredited rip-off of The Family Man and It's a Wonderful Life
  • Predictable, recycled plot with no originality
  • Boring, slow pacing with a preachy, hypocritical message

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Sorbo's dual-role conviction; Ratzenberger's angelic warmth; Swanson's grounded performance

Emotional impactDivisive68

Tear-jerking redemption for fans; manipulative and hollow for detractors

EndingDivisive62

Satisfying romantic reunion and spiritual affirmation for fans; forced and preachy for detractors

CharactersDivisive55

Ben's arc from arrogant businessman to loving pastor; Wendy as steadfast spiritual anchor

PacingDivisive47

Slow middle section; fans call it 'thoughtful,' detractors 'boring'

Plot and storyDivisive40

Formulaic 'what if' scenario nearly identical to The Family Man

OriginalityDivisive15

Unoriginal rehash of The Family Man and Capra's formula

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 11 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 26 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is What If... like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
WarmTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its premise of faith and family with earnest warmth, never undercutting its emotional moments.
The rideThe film maintains a gentle, contemplative warmth throughout, with the emotional payoff arriving in the closing act.
StructureThe story follows a conventional beginning-middle-end structure, with Ben's ordinary life interrupted by the angelic visit and the alternate reality unfolding linearly.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film reinforces the value of faith and family, leaving viewers with a warm sense of possibility and reflection on life's choices.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2% (this title)
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Second chance: A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeBen Walker is given a glimpse of an alternate life where he chose faith over career, leading him to rediscover his values and the importance of family.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFaithSociety
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% (this title) · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Faith · 3% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Family bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Ben rediscovering the value of faith, family, and serving others over material success, framed through a divine 'what if' intervention.
StanceThe film celebrates faith, family, and selfless service, affirming Ben's transformation as a positive outcome.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Jeehun Hwang
SettingA small American town where Ben's alternate life as a pastor and family man unfolds.
MusicThe score likely underscores the emotional and inspirational moments without overshadowing the narrative.

Content guide

Is What If... okay for kids?

PG

What If... is rated PG. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (8/100), sexual content at minimal (8/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at minimal (8/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
None / Minimal · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (18 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does What If... have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in What If...?

Cast

Kevin Sorbo
as Ben Walker
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kristy Swanson
as Wendy Walker
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Ratzenberger
as Mike the Angel
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Debby Ryan
as Kimberly Walker
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kristin Minter
as Cynthia
Toni Trucks
as Claire
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Taylor Groothuis
as Megan Walker
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Stelio Savante
as Joel Muller
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kevin Yon
as Charlie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Grant James
as Henryk Zimmerman

Crew

More like this

What are movies like What If...?

Movies like What If... include The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024), Do You Believe? (2015) and The Other Side of Heaven (2001). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, and most are films set in a religious community.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its subject: faith. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with What If...?

2.4K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: soulmates separated. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.