aldora: Movie Review: If I Stay

If I Stay

Based on Bestselling Novel

Movie Name: If I Stay
Main Cast:
Chloë Grace Moretz as Mia Hall
Jamie Blackley as Adam Wilde
Mireille Enos as Kat Hall
Joshua Leonard as Denny Hall
Rating: ☻☻☻☻☺

Wondering which good movie to catch over the weekends or after work?

I would recommend you guys to watch "If I Stay" if you are sentimental enough to appreciate films that tend to invoke a tear or more...

Movie Trailer

Sypnosis

*Warning!: Spoiler Content Alert - Read at your own risk

Adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Stay_%28film%29#Plot

Mia Hall (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her family are getting ready to go on with their normal day activities when it is announced on the radio that school has been cancelled. Mia's dad Denny (Joshua Leonard) is a teacher and as a result of the snow day doesn't have to go to work. Mia's mom Kat (Mireille Enos), a travel agent, decides to call in sick and along with her family decide to visit Mia's grandparents who live on a farm. It's also revealed that Mia once dated an older, popular up-and-coming rock-star named Adam Wilde (Jamie Blackley), whom she broke up with months back.

The story then flash-backs to Mia's early life with a rocker dad who was in a band when she was younger, and an inexperienced mom; one day they take Mia to a music class where Mia decides that wants to start playing the cello. After her parents see that Mia is passionate about the cello they hired a teacher to help her play, while Mia's mom is now pregnant with Teddy (Jakob Davies), who, to Mia's belief, was the reason for her father's departure from being in a band.

Years later with an adolescent Mia who is still passionate about the cello is playing at school in the band room where Adam peeks in on her playing, seeing her for the first time, leading him to ask Kim (Liana Liberato), Mia's best-friend, for her name. Adam then asks Mia out on a date to the symphony, where they show mutual affection towards one another.

The story flashes-back to current time with the family driving to the grandparents farm when their car collides with an oncoming truck. Mia now appears to have an out-of-body experience and sees her body laying on the road while paramedics seem to be trying to help her other family members as well. Mia tries to ask a paramedic what is happening, but realizes that no one can see or hear her. Mia, now in the hospital panics as she doesn't know the current status about any of her family members when they take her in for surgery. A comforting nurse (Aisha Hinds) tells Mia that it is up to her whether or not she wants to stay.

The story flashes-back once again to Mia attending one of Adam's concerts with his band Willamette Stone, where she doesn't seem to fit in with anyone. Adam's band is steadily gaining more recognition and gets signed to a label, which starts to put a strain on their relationship due to the travel schedule. While at dinner Grandpa suggests that Mia should apply to Julliard, an idea which she initially rebuffs, but ends up further researching. She eventually lands an audition in San Francisco. It takes a while for Mia to tell Adam about her audition and when she does he becomes upset and leaves for a week long gig.

The story now focuses on the surgery of Mia. She sees a doctor speaking to her grandparents who are standing outside of a pediatric room where Teddy lays in a coma-like state. Adam comes to the hospital to see Mia, but is not allowed in as he isn't immediate family. It is then revealed that Mia's mom Kat was pronounced dead on arrival, and her dad Denny died on the operating table. She also later finds out that Teddy died from a subdural hematoma. Grandpa talks to Mia, revealing that her father gave up being in a band because he wanted to give her a better life and be a better father. He also, tearfully, gives Mia his permission to move on from this life if she wants, which influences Mia to decide that she wants to die so that she can join her family on the other side.

The story now flashes-back to Mia at her audition for Julliard, she plays the best she has ever played leading her to think that if accepted she will go. After a short reconciliation with Adam, they talk about the huge possibility of her going to Juilliard, which ultimately leads to them fully breaking up and going their separate ways.

After some time, Mia is considered stable enough to receive more visitors. Mia, who after learning of her immediate family's death, and her grandfather's words, is shown symbolically about to let go, when she hears the music of her favorite composer Ludwig van Beethoven. It is revealed that Adam has come to see Mia and that he is playing his iPod for her. He brings with him a letter Mia receives from Julliard saying that she has been accepted, he also begins to play a song for her, letting her know that he will do whatever it takes to get her to stay, even if it means her not being with him. Mia, after flashing back through all the happy moments in her life, opens her eyes and sees Adam.

My Review

Hooray! This is my virgin article reviewing a movie I've watched!

I can't help it but rave about this movie on my blog because it touched me and I felt that this is one of the best movies ever watched in 2014.

The movie's plot tactfully depicts the out-of-body experience of the female lead - Mia when she was in a comatose state after a nasty traffic accident which made her lose her immediate family members overnight.

There was a saying which says that it is believed that one's soul is wandering out of their body when he / she is asleep or unconscious. If the soul does not find its way to return to the body, the person might end up in a comatose state or even lead to death.

This might sound supernatural but sometimes I really do wonder how does it feel for your soul to leave your body for such a long time.

In the case of this movie, Mia started having flashbacks of the events which happened in the past - be it sweet or bitter and she had to assess for herself whether she should stay in this world to be orphaned. In addition, breaking up with her boyfriend Adam proved to rob her of her willpower to live.

I could very much empathize with the female lead - Mia as I am very much like her in terms of character. We are both introverted, love slow-paced music and feel uneasy whilst mingling in a crowd of people. Sometimes I would wonder how many people actually will bother about me if I am dead.. Or how many of them would actually mourn over my death? Sounds morbid, I know *smirk*

Hence what is the reason for Mia to wake up? The conclusion seems like the only thing that fuels her willpower to live on is love. And love comprises of sacrifices that you make for your loved ones.

Overall I would say that this is a meaningful and touching story not to be missed although the ending was rather abrupt which leaves you space for your own imagination :)