If I Stay (film)

''If I Stay'' is a 2014 American teen romantic drama film directed by R. J. Cutler and based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Gayle Forman. The film stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Joshua Leonard, and Stacy Keach.

It was released on August 22, 2014, grossing $78.9million worldwide against a budget of $11 million. The film received mixed reviews, with the Rotten Tomatoes consensus calling it "more manipulative than moving", although Moretz's performance was praised.

Plot

Seventeen-year-old aspiring cellist Mia Hall and her family hear an announcement on the radio that school has been canceled due to high levels of snow. Since Mia's father Denny, a teacher, does not have to go to work as a result, her mother Kat, a travel agent, decides to call in sick to work so that the whole family can visit Mia's grandparents, who live on a farm.

As a child, Mia's parents recognized her interest and passion for the cello when she took her first music class, and hired a cello teacher for her. Kat soon after fell pregnant with Mia's younger brother Teddy, who Mia suspects is the reason for her father's departure from his rock band. Years later, an adolescent Mia met Adam Wilde, a popular student and up-and-coming rockstar, while in the music room at school, and they soon began dating. Their relationship became strained when Adam's band Willamette Stone was signed to a label and Mia completed a successful audition at Juilliard. After discussing the future of their relationship, the two broke up on mutual terms, both not wanting to hinder the other other's ability to achieve their dreams.

In the present, the Hall family's car suddenly collides with an oncoming truck. Mia then sees her family's unconscious bodies lying on the road, while paramedics rush to their aid. When Mia tries to ask what is happening, they do not acknowledge her, and she realizes she is having an out of body experience. Mia follows the ambulance to the hospital, where her physical body is taken in for surgery. A sympathetic nurse whispers to Mia's unconscious body that it is up to her whether she wants to fight to stay alive.

As Mia undergoes surgery, she sees a doctor speaking with her grandparents, who are standing outside of a pediatric room where Teddy lies in a coma-like state. Adam arrives at the hospital to see Mia, but is not allowed in as he is not an immediate family member. It is then revealed that Kat was pronounced dead on arrival and Denny died on the operating table. Mia later finds out that Teddy has died from an epidural hematoma. George talks to Mia's body, revealing that when her father first discovered her talent for playing cello, he decided to sacrifice his career and sell his drum kit so he could fund her own future in music. He tearfully gives Mia permission to move on from this life if she wants to. Mia then decides to join her family on the other side.

After some time, Mia's condition stabilizes enough to receive more visitors. She is about to allow herself to succumb to her injuries, but stops when she hears the piece she performed at the cello recital she had attended with Adam, who is sitting next to her and playing the song for her on his iPod. He has also brought Mia's acceptance letter from Juilliard, and promises to do anything she asks of him if she stays. He then begins to play her a song he has written about her. Mia, after recalling all the happiest moments in her life, squeezes Adam's hand and opens her eyes, and he calls out her name.

Cast

* Chloë Grace Moretz as Mia Hall
* Jamie Blackley as Adam Wilde
* Mireille Enos as Kat Hall
* Joshua Leonard as Denny Hall
* Stacy Keach as George Hall
* Aisha Hinds as Nurse Ramirez
* Lauren Lee Smith as Willow
* Liana Liberato as Kim Schein
* Aliyah O'Brien as EMT
* Jakob Davies as Teddy Hall

Production

In December 2010, it was announced that a film based on the novel '' If I Stay'' was in the works at Summit Entertainment and that Dakota Fanning, Chloë Grace Moretz and Emily Browning were in talks to play Mia. Catherine Hardwicke was attached to direct, but was replaced by Brazilian filmmaker Heitor Dhalia, who also left the film later. On January 24, 2013, Moretz was officially cast to play the lead and R. J. Cutler was announced as the new director of the film. Trevor Smith was brought on as associate producer. The shooting of the film began on October 30 in Vancouver.

In January 2014, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros. were announced to be distributing the film and the release was set for August 22.

Music

The music was composed by Heitor Pereira. The soundtrack was released on August 19, 2014 by WaterTower Music. It peaked at number 54 on the ''Billboard'' 200 in the United States, and number 77 in Australia.

Vancouver-based alternative rock band Hawking appeared in the film numerous times as Willamette Stone.

All the songs for Adam Wilde's band Willamette Stone, including the cover of The Smashing Pumpkins' song "Today", were produced by indie rock producer Adam Lasus.

Reception

Box office

As of November 20, 2014, ''If I Stay'' has grossed a worldwide total of $78,396,071 against a budget of $11million.

''If I Stay'' opened at #3 to 2,907 locations in North America behind ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' and ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', which were in their fourth and third weeks respectively. On its opening day the film earned $6,827,007 earning it the top spot for the day.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 36%, based on 137 reviews, with an average score of 5.0/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Although Chloë Grace Moretz gives it her all and the story adds an intriguing supernatural twist to its melodramatic YA framework, ''If I Stay'' is ultimately more manipulative than moving." On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 46 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.

In his review for ''The New York Times'', A. O. Scott praised Moretz's acting.A.O. Scott
In Limbo, and in Love
''The New York Times'', August 21, 2014. He added that the "music is both the best and the corniest part of ''If I Stay'', which makes excellent use of the classical cello repertoire." Writing for '' Variety'', Justin Chang criticized Moretz's acting, explaining that "she comes off as a bit too self-assured to play the nerdy misfit."Justin Chang
Film Review: 'If I Stay'
''Variety'', August 13, 2014. Anthony Lane of ''The New Yorker'' wrote a critical review of the movie, saying, "The saddest thing about 'If I Stay' is that it affords Moretz so little opportunity to be non-sad." In the ''Los Angeles Times'', Olivier Gettell summed up that critics saw the film was "clunky and uninspired."Oliver Gettell

''The Los Angeles Times'', August 21, 2014.

Accolades

Home media

''If I Stay'' was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 18, 2014 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (under license from MGM).

References

External links

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{{Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Drama

2014 films
2014 romantic drama films
2010s ghost films
2010s teen drama films
2010s teen romance films
American ghost films
American romantic drama films
American teen drama films
American teen romance films
Films about death
Films about music and musicians
Films about road accidents and incidents
Films based on American novels
Films based on young adult literature
Films directed by R. J. Cutler
Films scored by Heitor Pereira
Films set in California
Films set in Portland, Oregon
Films shot in Vancouver
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
New Line Cinema films
Warner Bros. films
2010s English-language films
2010s American films
English-language romantic drama films
Teen Choice Award winning films