If I Stay is a 2014 American romantic drama film directed by R.J. Cutler and based on the novel of the same name by Gayle Forman. The film follows 17-year-old Mia Hall, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, a gifted young cellist who is attending Juilliard after graduation. She finds herself in a coma following a devastating car accident that also claims the lives of her family. While in the coma, Mia wanders between life and death as she remembers her past and must decide whether to wake up from her coma or pass on to the afterlife to be with her loved ones.
The movie opens with Mia and her family driving home from a day in Portland, Oregon when their car is struck by a truck that runs a red light at an intersection. The result is a devastating crash that kills Mia’s mother, father, and little brother instantly. Mia is the sole survivor but finds herself hovering between life and death. This allows her to revisit intimate memories of her life and relationship with her musician boyfriend Adam, played by Jamie Blackley, while watching her unconscious body from above in the hospital as doctors work desperately to save her.
Through her memories, we learn about Mia’s passion for music and her gifted skills as a cellist. She got accepted into the prestigious music program at Juilliard after graduating high school but struggles with leaving her family, especially her little brother Teddy, behind in Oregon. In her current comatose state, Mia is flooded with emotions as she reflects on intimate and meaningful moments with her family as well as her relationship with boyfriend Adam that is somewhat strained due to the long distance between them as she attends school in New York.
One particular memory involves Mia and Adam sharing their first kiss together in a field during a thunderstorm. Other memories show the deep bond Mia shared with her musician parents and little brother Teddy, who looked up to her tremendously. Scenes depicting the family’s love of music and their support of Mia’s talents are genuinely heartwarming. We see Mia grappling with her decision to leave for Juilliard and wondering if she made the right choice even though it was what she always wanted.
Back in the present, doctors work desperately to save Mia’s life. At her bedside, Adam arrives and pleads with Mia to stay alive while recounting all their special memories together. Mia is torn as angel-like spirits begin appearing to her, representing her deceased family members beckoning her to let go and join them in the afterlife. A particularly poignant moment occurs when Mia finds herself comforting Teddy’s spirit, cradling him in her arms as she mourns his death in the accident.
Meanwhile, Adam gets permission from the doctors to play Mia’s favorite songs by Dvorak on his cello in hopes of stimulating a response from her through music. This leads to one of the film’s most emotional scenes as Adam beautifully performs for the unconscious Mia. His heartfelt playing combined with shots cutting between Adam at Mia’s bedside and flashbacks to happy memories of them sharing their mutual love of music together creates an incredibly moving moment that will surely leave few dry eyes in the theater.
As Mia nears her decision of whether to live or die, she reflects on treasured moments and finds herself strangely comforted by listening to audio of loved ones sharing stories about her at a funeral being held for the family. Hearing about the lasting impact she made on others gives her an appreciation of life. She sees herself truly living on through the fond memories of others even if she chooses to pass. This, combined with realizing how much Adam truly loves her and needs her, ultimately gives Mia the will to stay alive, and she finally awakens from her coma.
The film’s conclusion encapsulates the full spectrum of human emotion as tears of joy are shed upon Mia’s recovery but also tears of sadness in acknowledging the losses suffered. Despite overcoming her injuries, Mia still grieves the death of her family whom she visited in spirit while unconscious. Being alive now grants the opportunity to continue honoring their memory rather than joining them prematurely in death.
The film is centered around profoundly impactful themes of life, death, love, grief, memory and family. While the story is fictional, it taps into universal human experiences and fears we all confront about cherishing loved ones and contemplating what we would leave behind. It’s a moving story told through the perspective of a young girl on the precipice of life and death whose memories help her make an excruciatingly difficult choice to keep living despite her family’s tragic end.
Director R.J. Cutler has a proven track record of sensitively handling emotional material in films like The September Issue. Similarly here, he navigates Mia’s journey through flashbacks and memories with care, sincerity and emotional intelligence. At times the pacing can feel a bit lethargic or repetitive as if moments of Mia dwelling in recollection are drawn out somewhat longer than needed.
The flashback scenes and memory aspects are beautifully executed to really draw viewers deep into Mia’s perspective and give rich context to her relationships and life experiences. Shots pay tribute to hazy, dreamlike qualities of recollection. Production design beautifully captures locales central to Mia’s life in Oregon and New York. Yet certain medical aspects regarding Mia’s comatose state aren’t always portrayed with technical accuracy.
Chloë Grace Moretz is absolutely superb in the central role, conveying the full complexity of Mia’s inner turmoil and ability to make us truly feel what she’s going through. Her emotional range holds nothing back. Jamie Blackley has excellent chemistry with Moretz and effectively portrays the lovesick boyfriend fighting to keep the girl of his dreams alive.
Supporting roles including Mia’s parents played by Joshua Leonard and Emily Vancamp and her little brother Teddy played by Kyle Allen are all movingly believable in their limited screen time. The musical performances are superbly handled to really transport one into the realm of Mia’s artistic passion and her connection to loved ones through song.
Overall, If I Stay is a profoundly moving cinematic experience elevated by Chloë Grace Moretz’s remarkable starring performance. While not completely accurate or fast-paced in all aspects, it nonetheless tells a thought-provoking and universally relatable story centered around memory, love and learning to cope with loss by finding reasons to keep living. Director R.J. Cutler and author Gayle Forman’s adaptation of the novel forges a sensitive and emotionally poignant work that will surely resonate long after viewing and prompt contemplation about cherishing loved ones. It will surely bring many viewers to tears but also provide catharsis through the journey of its brave central character.
Andrew Stroud