Chloe Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley star as Mia and Adam in “If I Stay,” a film adaptation of Gayle Forman’s novel.
Rising star Chloe Grace Moretz does her best in the life-and-death teen romance as Mia Hall of “If I Stay.”
Directed by R.J. Cutler, best known for “The September Issue,” “If I Stay” centers on the popular young adult novel written by Gayle Forman.
The film examines musically gifted Mia Hall’s grim conundrum as to whether or not to keep living. To back up a bit, the film sets up the premise that Mia and her family are involved in a car crash, leaving Mia comatose.
This predicament drives the movie, showing glimpses of her past and what she has to live for—if she chooses to live. Between flashbacks and her current state of demi-ghost in the present, Moretz’s performance gets emotionally riveting once she learns her brother dies from his injuries.
A driving force of this movie-aside from her continuing debate over her life””is the thread of passion for music throughout. Mia’s dad (Joshua Leonard) was in a rock band and met her mother (Mireille Enos) at a rock concert. Then we have Mia, whose passion for cello shines through among other things, including her “I love Yo-Yo Ma” sticker.
What she looks forward to is getting back to the growing relationship she developed with Adam Wilde, played by English actor Jamie Blackley. On a side note, “If I Stay” can be called Blackley’s breakout role as he demonstrates genuine chemistry between him and Moretz.
The love they have for one another is touching even if their relationship consists of the cliché roles in the high school popularity ladder, i.e. invisible girl and popular guy. What they share is music.
Unfortunately, Moretz’s performance left more to be desired in comparison to her action packed roles.
Although this tearjerker is aimed towards young adults, older romantics will be provided with enough enjoyment until another Nicholas Sparks movie hits the big screen.
Hopefully by then, screenwriters will have come up with a better tragic romance.
In short, even without having read the book, it was engaging enough to keep the viewer interested in the outcome of Mia’s fate.