Adam Williams
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If I Stay

August 27, 2015
Picture
Photo courtesy of power106.com
Mia (Chloe Grace Moretz) had everything going for her.  A wonderful, supportive family, an audition for admission into Juliard, and found her true love in local rocker and high school friend, Adam (Jamie Blackley).  

And then it was all taken away.

Following a head on crash that took the lives of her parents and younger brother, Mia is left in a coma, just barely hanging on.  What's worse for Mia is that she can see everything happening to her.  An out of body experience becomes a horrifying realization for Mia as she has to decide whether or not she wants to live or not.  Hence the title.

Told through flashbacks leading up to the crash and in real life through Mia's out of body experience, If I Stay is an emotional story about a girl who has to make the biggest choice of her short life.  Does she fade away into the light and join her family, or does she fight and stay alive for those that she still has physically on this planet?

Closing Thoughts

PictureChloe Grace Moretz, Jamie Blackley/Photo courtesy of io9.com
These types of films are guilty pleasures of mine.  The high school, teen dramas are always something I've greatly enjoyed.  Maybe it's because I lived the polar opposite life that's usually portrayed.  I never had any amazing adventures or a great group of friends.  I did love a wonderful girl, though, so I guess that makes up for it.  Past aside, these stories always mean more to me because they take place during possibly the most formative times of our lives.

With all of that being said, If I Stay is a great installment in the teen drama catalog.  I thought the story was told in a very interesting way, and to be completely honest, I wish I had thought of a story like this to write about.  The connection and chemistry between Moretz and Blackley was fantastic and believable about 99% of the time.  There were times when their real life ages, 18 and 24, respectively, creeped into my head and drew me away from the story, but when fully invested in the film, it does not become too big of an issue.

Speaking of the main actors, Chloe Grace Moretz is an absolute star.  I said it in my Carrie piece, but I believe she will rule Hollywood for female actresses for many years to come.  Jamie Blackley delivered an excellent performance and was captivating as a rocker.  Mireille Enos, Joshua Leonard, and Liana Liberato also fulfilled their roles perfectly, especially Enos of The Killing fame.  

I loved the locations of the film and the storytelling method.  The pacing could have used a bit of work through some better editing and some of the lines were cringe-worthy, granted I don't know if I'm part of the target audience for the film.

If they follow the Adam and Mia story with a second feature film derived from the second Gayle Forman novel, "Where She Went", I would surely be intrigued and would need to check that out as well.  That novel is told from Adam's point of view several years later.  

Overall, I thought the film was emotional, well done and had great acting.  It is a film worth watching or revisiting if you've already watched it before.    

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  • Home
  • My Books
    • Rest Easy, My Pounding Heart
  • About
    • Book Update
    • Taking a Powder
  • Sports
    • NHL >
      • The Pensimist Podcast
      • Pittsburgh Penguins >
        • 2018 Pittsburgh Penguins Trade Deadline Projections
        • Pittsburgh Penguins 2016 Off-Season Blog
        • 2016 Penguins Trade Deadline
        • 2015 Pittsburgh Penguins Offseason
        • Pens Interested in Kessel?
        • The Magnificent Malkin Drama
        • Reaction to Pens Trade Deadline Acquisitions
        • Penguins Lose Dupuis For Six Months
        • Pens, Fleury Agree to Four Year Extension
        • Penguins Training Camp Thoughts
        • A Look At Potential Penguins Lines
        • New Penguins, New Numbers
        • Penguins Sign Steve Downie
        • Penguins Head Coach, Free Agency, Trade Updates
        • Penguins Head Coaching Prospects
        • Penguins Free Agent Wishlist
        • Penguins New Look...So Far
        • Pens New GM, Neal Wants Out?, WBS to Game 6
        • Shero out as Pens GM; More Change to Come
        • Pittsburgh Penguins: What's Wrong?
      • Game Reviews/Recaps >
        • 2014-15 Game Reviews >
          • PENGUINS, JOHNSTON WIN FIRST GAME OF SEASON
          • PENGUINS SURGE PAST MAPLE LEAFS
          • STARS OUT IN FORCE, DEFEAT PENGUINS
          • PENGUINS DOWN UNDEFEATED ISLANDERS
          • FLYERS FLY PAST PENGUINS
          • LATE SURGE PUSHES WINGS PAST PENGUINS
          • FLOWER BLOOMS AGAINST PREDATORS
          • COLD START LEADS TO HOT FINISH: PENS ROMP 8-3
          • PENGUINS BLANK DEFENDING CHAMPS
          • PENGUINS SWEEP HOMESTAND
          • PENS RUN WILD OVER MINNESOTA
          • SHOOTOUT IN WINNIPEG FAVORS PENGUINS
          • CROSBY, PENS CRUISE TO SEVEN STRAIGHT
          • RANGERS END MULTIPLE STREAKS IN 5-0 DRUBBING OF PENGUINS
          • PENS CLOSE OUT ROAD TRIP WITH TOUGH FOUGHT WIN
          • UNUSUAL FINISH GIVES PENGUINS THE REDEMPTION WIN
          • BENNETT, FLEURY LEAD PENS OVER CANADIENS
          • OKPOSO, ISLANDERS WIN SHOOTOUT OVER PENGUINS
          • ISLANDERS SWEEP HOME AND HOME SERIES
          • FLOWER PICKS UP FIFTH SHUTOUT WIN VERSUS RIVAL DEVILS
          • ORPIK, NISKANEN HAUNT PENGUINS IN RETURN
          • PENGUINS END 2014 WITH NEEDED VICTORY
          • CROSBY'S OT WINNER PUSHES PENGUINS PAST HABS
        • 2014-15 Game Recaps >
          • Game 1: Anaheim Ducks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 2: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
          • Game 3: Dallas Stars vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 4: New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 5: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 6: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings
          • Game 7: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Nashville Predators
          • Game 8: New Jersey Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 9- Los Angeles Kings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 10: Buffalo Sabres vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 11: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Minnesota Wild
          • Game 12: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Winnipeg Jets
          • Game 13: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres
          • Game 14: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
          • Game 15: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
          • Game 16: New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 17: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens
          • Game 18: New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 19: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders
          • Game 24: New Jersey Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 35- Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 37- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
          • Game 41: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens
      • Fantasy Hockey Team #1- The Last of Us
      • Fantasy Hockey Team #2- Canadensis Malsby
      • 2014-15 NHL Bold Predictions
      • 2014 NHL Free Agent Frenzy
      • NHL Free Agency Predictions
      • 2014 NHL Draft Winners and Losers
    • Wrestling >
      • 2016 WWE PPV Reactions >
        • WWE Royal Rumble
        • WWE Fastlane
      • 2016 WWE PPV Predictions >
        • WWE Royal Rumble
        • WWE Fastlane
      • 2015 WWE PPV Reactions >
        • WWE Royal Rumble
      • 2015 PPV Predictions >
        • WWE Royal Rumble
        • WWE Fast Lane
        • WWE Wrestlemania 31
      • 2014 PPV Predictions >
        • WWE Survivor Series Predictions
        • WWE Hell In A Cell Predictions
        • WWE Night of Champions Predictions
        • WWE SummerSlam Predictions
        • WWE Battleground Predictions
        • WWE Money In The Bank Predictions
        • WWE Payback Predictions
      • The Shield >
        • Dean Ambrose- Best in the World?
        • R.I.P. The Shield
        • Dean Ambrose
        • Believe In The Shield
      • Wrestling Articles >
        • Macho Madness: Randy Savage's Long Overdue Induction
        • NXT R Evolution Predictions
        • Fantasy Booking Kevin Owens Debut
        • Sting Strikes at Survivor Series
        • Let the Madness Begin: Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt
        • Knockouts Outshine Divas
        • The Wyatt Family and What's Next...
        • Main Event and Smackdown Spoilers- September 9, 2014
        • Brock Lesnar: How Will He Be Booked?
        • "Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name is Paul Heyman" DVD Review
        • Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon
        • What's Wrong with WWE Countdown
  • TV
    • TV on Netflix >
      • Your Lie in April
      • Low Winter Sun- Netflix Binge
      • Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp- Netflix Binge
      • The Killing- Netflix Binge
      • The Red Road- Netflix Binge
      • Flashpoint- Netflix Binge
      • Archer- Netflix Binge
      • The 100- Netflix Binge Watch
      • Mixology- Netflix Binge Watch
      • The Spoils of Babylon Review
      • Boss on Netflix
      • Baby Daddy- Netflix Binge Watch
      • Sons of Anarchy- Netflix Binge Watch
    • We're on in 3, 2, 1...Welcome to Sports Night
    • Hidden Gem- Hidden Palms
    • The Day I Met Austin St. John
    • Mountain Monsters
  • Film
    • Netflix Pix >
      • They Look Like People
      • Queen of Earth
      • Toad Road
      • Compliance
      • Motivation 2: The Chris Cole Story
      • If I Stay
      • They Came Together
      • Wet Hot American Summer
      • Three Night Stand
      • Rich Hill
      • Save The Date
      • Live at The Foxes Den
      • Wish You Were Here
      • Goon
      • Liberal Arts
      • Dragonfyre
      • Jugface
      • Adore
      • Forgetting the Girl
      • Awful Nice
      • Grand Piano
      • The Dirties
      • We Are What We Are
      • A Teacher
      • The Lifeguard
    • Reviews >
      • The Dust Storm
      • Bokeh
      • Something Real and Good
      • Nightcrawler
      • The Lonliest Planet
      • The Skeleton Twins
      • Girl Most Likely
      • Bad Turn Worse
      • Starry Eyes
      • Mean Creek
      • White Bird in a Blizzard
      • Come Back To Me
      • The Don Cherry Story
      • Breathe In
      • Bridgend
      • Silent House
      • Not Waving, But Drowning
      • The Sacrament
      • After The Dark
      • Blue Ruin
      • BENT
      • Sharknado 2
      • Carrie
      • Brick
    • Back To Action? New Power Rangers Film
    • "Where Does He Go At Night?" Donnie Darko
  • Music
    • Top 10 >
      • Top 10- Ligeia Songs
      • Top 10- The Saddest Landscape Songs
      • Top 10- Emmure Songs
    • Reviews >
      • Classic CD's >
        • Classic CD- Chevelle "Wonder What's Next"
        • Classic CD- The Modern Day Saint ...And Tomorrow We Will Have Nothing
        • Classic CD- Emmure "Goodbye to the Gallows"
        • Classic CD- The Fray "How to Save a Life"
        • Classic CD- The Saddest Landscape "All is Apologized For. All is Forgiven"
        • Classic CD- Ligeia "Your Ghost Is A Gift"
      • Slaves- Routine Breathing
      • Angus and Julia Stone- Angus and Julia Stone
      • We Came As Romans- We Came As Romans
      • Pianos Become The Teeth- Keep You
      • Keyes- Wandermere
      • Heart In Hand- A Beautiful White
      • Slaves- Through Art We Are All Equals
      • Volumes- No Sleep
      • La Dispute- Wildlife
      • Pianos Become The Teeth- The Lack Long After
      • Heart in Hand- Only Memories
      • Emmure- Eternal Enemies
  • Personal
    • Lyrics >
      • To Madison (Kirsti)
      • On That Wintry Night
      • The Slumbering Tongue
      • Room 147
      • Illusion of Night
      • "I Never Thought I'd Catch A Writer With No Words"
      • Delay
      • The Ballad of Brendan Wayne and Mikela Austen
      • Roam
    • Stories >
      • ...And It's like We Never Existed >
        • 1. Introduction
        • 2. Rest Easy My Pounding Heart, Pt. 1
        • 3. Rest Easy My Pounding Heart, Pt. 2
        • 4. Waiting For Answers
        • 5. Midnight Murmurs and Pinky Promises
        • 6. Rest Easy My Pounding Heart, Pt. 3
        • 7. To Madison (Kirsti)
        • 8. Quiver
        • 9. Rest Easy My Pounding Heart, Pt. 4
        • 10. Running in Circles from the Squares
        • 11. Foundations
        • 12. Carlisle Nights
        • 13. Rest Easy My Pounding Heart, Pt. 5
        • 14. The Storm in Between Separate Sets of Sheets
        • 15. Ruminating on Repeat
        • 16. Starlit Skies Filled with Solemn Sighs
        • 17. What We Knew Is Not What We Know Now
        • 18. These February Nights
        • 19. Conclusion
  • Contact