If I Stay: The Movie

If I Stay is an American romantic drama film directed by R. J. Cutler, based on the novel of the same name by Gayle Forman. Mia Hall played by 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 visit Mia’s grandparents who live on a farm. It is also revealed that Mia is dating an older, popular up-and-coming rock-star named Adam Wilde (Jamie Blackley ).

The story flashes back to Mia’s early life with a rocker dad and an inexperienced mom; one day they take Mia to a music class where Mia decides that she wants to start playing the cello. After her parents see that Mia is passionate about the cello they hire a teacher to help her play. Kat is shown pregnant with Teddy (Jakob Davies) whom Mia believes is the reason for her father’s departure from his band.

Years later, an adolescent Mia is still passionate about the cello and 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, about her. Adam then asks Mia out on a date to a cello recital, 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 appears to have an out-of-body experience and sees her body lying on the road while paramedics are trying to help her and her family.

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 does not know the current status of any of her family members when they take her in for surgery. A sympathetic nurse ( Aisha Hinds) tells Mia that it is up to her whether or not she wants to stay. In the present day, Mia undergoes surgery. It is then revealed that Mia’s mom Kat was pronounced dead on arrival, and her dad Denny died on the operating table. She later finds out that Teddy has died from a epidural hematoma. The story goes on and ends happily with Mia waking up, having decided to stay.

I have to say, I’m impressed with the flashback device employed in If I stay. It makes the audience eager to know what happened and is going to happen next. I would really love to read the book though. Though, I have to say the movie was based mainly on the American lifestyle. The only African person in the movie was the nurse. Also, if I stay’s ending was predictable. Movie lovers are suckers for happy ending so I knew Mia would choose to stay right after the nurse talked to her. All the same, If I stay is a great, lovely, touching movie which everyone should watch!