Movie Review: If I Stay (2014)

 

Information film

Genre	:	Drama, Thriller
Directed by	:	R.J. Cutler
Producer by	:	Denise Di Novi Alison Greenspan
Screenplay by	:	Shauna Cross
Starring	:	Chloë Grace Moretz (Mia Hall), Mireille Enos (Kat – Mia’s mom) Lauren Lee Smith (Willow) Liana Liberato (Kim Hall -Mia’s Friend) Jamie Blackle (Adam Wilde), Aliyah O'Brien (EMT) Joshua Leonard (Denny Hall - Mia’s dad) Jakob Davies (Teddy)
Released date	:	22 Agustus 2014
Language	:	Inggris
Distributed by	:	Warner Bros Pictures
Based On	:	If I Stay (Novel) karya Gayle Forman

You can watch the trailer in this link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMp896hfp74

Synopsis

Mia Hall is a talented cellist girl. She is 17 years old. Her life was almost perfect. She  has everything she wants. Her family was always there for her. Her boyfriend, Adam , which are cool, handsome, and popular with his rock band.

All the fullness of life that she gained arrived - got lost. A tragic accident befell Mia and her family. Since that time she was trapped between life and death, her spirit out of the body and watch so many peoples around her who are very worried about herself.

But in the end Mia had to make a choice. The option is to live with all the hardships that will she get next or whether to leave this world ...

Plot

Mia Hall (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her family get ready to go  their daily normal activities. When it was announced on the radio that the school will be closed due to snow storm. Mia’s father, Denny (Joshua Leonard), was an English teacher and because of the storm, he didn’t t have to go to work. Mia’s mother, Kat (Mireille Enos), travel agencies, decided to say that her in sick and planned to visit his grandfather in farming. Father, mother, and Mia’s brother planning to go, but Mia actually didn’t want to get out of the house because he wanted to wait for a letter that will come on Friday and waiting news for Adam, her boyfriend, because to night, Adam will performed. But with persuasion form  her parents,  Mia decided to just go.

*Flashback Mia’s life*

Mia was born  from the family of a rocker. Her father has a rocker band and her mother was having the same career with her father. One day they took Mia to music class where Mia decides that she wants to start playing the cello. At that time her parents saw that Mia is very interested in the cello. Therefore they hired a teacher to help her practice. Mia's father saw Mia practicing all day, so he decided to buy a cello for Mia as a gift. When the Mia’s father decided to get out of the band and worked as a english teacher because Kat was pregnant.

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.

When Mia had an accident

* The current time *

Mia family happiness on the way to her grandparents farm already destroyed. When their car was hit by a truck. Mia then woke up and saw his body lying in the street while paramedics tried to help her and her family. Mia tried to ask the paramedics what happened, but she realizes that no one can see or hear. Then Mia followed herself to the hospital. Mia was very panicked because she didn’t know the condition of her family. When Mia taken to the operating room and one of the nurses said, "Mia is up to you, whether you want to go". Mia was immediately saw her father being taken in another room in the hospital. Her father was very severe conditions.

* Flashback*

First time for Mia attend one of Adam’s band concert, Willamette Stone, in which she doesn’t seem to fit. Meanwhile, a lot of similarities between Adam and Mia parents about music make strengthen relationships about Mia and Adam. Mia was trying to join Adam and his friends. Until finallys he was dressed as a rocker and attend Halloween parties with Adam. At that time Adam was very happy because Mia can feel comfortable with his life. One sentence of Adam that makes Mia happy “You don’t need to be someone else, I love you in the past, now, and future”.

Adam’s band should get more recognition and will sign a contract with the label, which began putting a strain on their relationship due to travel schedules. While at dinner, Mia’s Granfather showed that Mia should play for Juilliard, an idea which she initially rejected, but then she tried the suggestion of her grandfather. She eventually auditioned in San Francisco. Mia takes a few moments to tell Adam about the audition and when she does, Adam became angry and leaves for a gig for a week. Their relationship was difficult at that time.

* The current time *
In the present day, Mia undergoes surgery. She sees a doctor speaking with her grandparents who are standing outside of a pediatric room where Teddy lays in a coma-like state. Adam comes to the hospital to see Mia, but is not allowed in as he is not an immediate family member. 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. Grandpa talks to Mia, revealing that her father gave up being in a band because he wanted to give her a better life and be a better father. He also, tearfully, gives Mia permission to move on from this life if she wants, which influences Mia to decide that she wants to die so that she can join her family on the other side.

*Flashback*

Mia at the audition for Juilliard, where she plays the best she ever played, leading her to think that if accepted she would go. After reconciliation with Adam, they talk about the probability would Juilliard, which eventually led to their break up and they separated.

* In critical condition *
After a long time, Mia got desperate and tried to leave this world. Until she heard a recording of the song that is played by the cello in her ears. When Mia returned spatial where she was hospitalized, Adam has been in the side with a letter stating that Mia has been accepted in  Juilliard. After that, Adam sang a song that he created himself to Mia. Adam also promised to give whatever Mia wants if she survived. After the flashback and recall all the happy moments in her life, Mia realized that actually a lot of people who really need it and love her, one of them is Adam. Then opened her eyes and sees Adam as he hovers over her and says,"Mia?"

Adam: "Mia..."

My opinion about this movie:

I think this film is very romantic, and very interesting. Because the flashback storyline and describe the struggle of one's life for the love. Seeing the truth that there are many people who love her and don’t want to lose the figure of the person. When I watch this movie I cried sad and compassionate.