If I Stay
Directed by R.J. CutlerStarring
Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Jamie Blackley, Mireille Enos, Stacy Keach
In UK Cinemas August 29th
by Laura Patricia Jones
The recent trend of ‘young adult’ films based on novel adaptations that give wayward teens inner strength, romanticism and hope are the latest craze next to loom bands. The next installment in the sleepover series to rival ‘The Babysitters Club’ is an adaptation of Gayle Forman’s best selling novel If I Stay fronted by the exceptionally talented Chloe Grace Moretz alongside the dreamy Jamie Blackley.
Mia Hall (Moretz) thought the hardest decision of her life would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at top performing arts school Julliard or to follow the path to be with the love her life, Adam (Blackley). But a snow day family drive that takes a wrong turn changes everything right there as Mia witnesses herself in a coma to choose her destiny. Caught between life and death for one long day, Mia must choose her fate.
Mia is a simple girl who happens to be an incredibly talented cello player born to totally cool local rockstar parents. Adam is like so cool, but incredibly misunderstood, plays in a band and falls for Mia, what are the chances right? Oh to be a lovestruck teen …
As with the dangers of this genre, it’s easy to find yourself crying in parts and cringing in others. The first half is stronger than the second and Moretz is incredibly believable, giving a strong performance throughout for a character maturer than her own fifteen years at the time of filming. There are many touching emotive scenes that will leave even the biggest cynic feeling slightly pre-menstrual, but the meat of the film is that dodgy stage in between lamb and mutton – part rite of passage tale part out of body experience that for anyone post teen just reeks of mawkish sentiment. However for it’s target audience this film is the 2014 version of The Notebook for teens. It will headline at girls nights in and be the coveted sleepover DVD for any female over 12. Take your little sister along to an Orange Wednesday and you’ll be in her good books for the next year.
