IF I STAY DVD (2014)

SYNOPSIS: Based on Gayle Forman's best-selling novel, this romantic, emotionally powerful film tells the compelling story of a young woman facing the ultimate choice. Seventeenth-year-old Mia is a gifted musician with a bright future and an adoring boyfriend, Adam. But after a tragic accident, everything changes for Mia in the blink of an eye and she finds herself caught between life and death. Over one fateful day, Mia must make a final heart-wrenching decision that will determine her future: let go and move on to whatever comes next...or stay with the love of her life. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

There are movies made for young people, movies that are made for senior citizens and of course there are those made for the general audience. If I Stay belongs to the first category, young teenage people to be exact.  

Starring one of Hollywood’s hottest young stars, Chloe Grace “kick-ass” Moretz as Mia Hall, a high school student who suffered an out-of-body experience after a tragic car accident. Between Mia’s soul running around the hospital looking for her family members, the story also flashes back on how she met and falls in love with her school’s hottest rocker dude, Adam (Jamie Blackley).   

Clearly this is a movie that doesn’t explain or touches much on the supernatural idea. Its main concern is how to makes the audience weep for Mia’s predicament and root for her waking up from her coma because Adam is waiting to be with his true love once again.

The source material is from a successful YA novel by Gayle Forman and liked Twilight, the movie is heavy on sentimentalism and soft close-ups shots of the two leads and light on everything else. How much you believe in this melodrama depends on how much you believe how the school’s most gifted girl in cello ends up falling head over heels over a future rock star. It’s a tragic love story all right but it’s never quite as emotional as The Fault In Our Stars or even as captivating as Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones.

Brutally speaking, If I Stay is a blatant product made for gullible teenagers who have yet experienced the true meaning of love or hasn’t watched enough romance movies. It’s painfully slow, formulaic despite the trusty performance of Moretz. The only consolation is the rich selection of indie music tracks to stop you from falling asleep. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The director and producer provides an informative track especially for those who are keen on the casting, shooting aspects of it in Audio Commentary by R.J. Cutler and Alison Greenspan.

For something different, the director discusses the music selection of seelctive scenes in Music Commentary by R.J. Cutler.

The rest of the extras include "Never Coming Down" Music Video, two brief Deleted Scenes, Gallery and Theatrical Trailers.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The DVD boasts excellent visual detailing and colours. Dialogue and music quality is clear.


MOVIE RATING:


DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

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