Chloë Grace Moretz’s ‘If I Stay’ Is an Underrated Teen Romance Drama

It has already been over a decade since one of the most heartbreaking teen romantic drama movies was released. Based on Gayle Forman’s book of the same name, Warner Bros. brought If I Stay to theaters in 2014. It follows a young teenager, Mia, who is caught up in the awkwardness and mysteries of first-time love when a sudden, tragic event changes her life forever. Her parents and little brother were killed in a horrific car crash while she was left severely injured and in a coma.

Taking a slightly supernatural approach, Mia has an out-of-body experience and relives all the beautiful and difficult moments again, as she is forced to decide whether she wants to return to a world without her family but with her first love or join her family in eternal peace. While the story is surely captivating, the movie starring Chloë Grace Moretz as the main character has stirred up some unpleasant emotions.

Exploring themes such as loss and grief tied to the many ups and downs of first-time love between teenagers and the separate endeavors to find oneself, If I Stay tackles topics that might hit a sore nerve. Uncertainties stemming from high school, first relationships, and sudden, world-shattering loss can cause discomfort; there is no denying that. However, this is much more than merely a movie about uncomfortable situations and the pain of not knowing how to deal with certain scenarios. The book-to-movie adaptation has received some harsh criticism, but If I Stay certainly didn’t deserve its 36% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

If I Stay

Release Date

August 22, 2014

Runtime

106 Minutes

Director

R.J. Cutler

Writers

Shauna Cross

Producers

Brad Van Arragon, Denise Di Novi

‘If I Stay’ Tackles an Important Taboo Topic

Warner Bros.

Even though the subject of death often causes some understandable discomfort, it is crucial to address it. In one way or another, it is a theme that often features in drama movies. The main objective is to create tension and an emotional connection between viewers and characters. Of course, death, loss, and grief generate suspense and tension, which is an essential part of any drama movie about love and loss. Apart from the obvious, including such heavy themes is also intended to resonate with the audience and spark an inner conversation. The intention is to bring viewers closer to uncomfortable topics and start talking about something that is still predominantly regarded as taboo.

Death is inevitable. Shocker, right? Yet talking about it still creates discomfort. If I Stay was at the receiving end of the criticism caused by this discomfort. The drama movie dives straight into the agony of losing a loved one or even an entire family. No one wants to deliberately put themselves into what it would feel like, but If I Stay does exactly that. It opens up to the “what ifs” and puts a random teenage girl in an unimaginably distressing situation. The movie accurately portrays grief, as it grounds all the emotions in reality, and the pain comes across throughout the entire runtime.

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If I Stay focuses on all the facets of how a young teenage girl deals with the miracle of surviving a terrible car crash, but simultaneously learning that her mother, father, and brother are no longer there. The most touching scenes, which make If I Stay one of the saddest movies, depict Mia struggling to fight for her survival and simply wanting to be with her family. She can’t let them go, and she doesn’t even want to see what life would be without them. Her dreams and ambitions don’t matter to her anymore in light of the horrible events.

However, there are moments of hope and strength, which fall so naturally into the reality of grief and moving on. Viewers are taken on a journey through Mia’s life, but they are also joining her as she comes to terms with what life will be like in the future. She is visibly going through the various stages of grief, which holds a tremendous amount of meaning for those who have already experienced it and those who likely will one day.

‘If I Stay’ Features a Real Depiction of a Teenage Relationship

Warner Bros.

Mia and Adam are still teenagers. There are so many awkward moments between them that it is sometimes slightly hard to watch, but the truth is that it is accurate. Teen relationships and awkwardness go hand in hand, and If I Stay remains true to that. The two teens often feel helpless and don’t know how to interact with their love interest yet. This is exactly what makes the development of their relationships more relatable and gives meaning to this book-to-screen adaptation.

Showing the potentially embarrassing and occasionally difficult sides of teen relationships is important because this honest depiction can be helpful to teenagers watching the movie. The tumultuous relationship between Mia and Adam, including their first kiss, first fight, first reconciliation, and so much more, is an opportunity for teens to feel seen and understood. It could even help them navigate their feelings within relationships and gain a better understanding of what they are going through.

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Both Mia and Adam come across as annoying at various times throughout the movie. However, the reason for this is not a lack of acting skills or poor writing. It is because these two main characters are teenagers after all. They are teenagers experiencing their first relationship, learning how to handle certain things, including effective communication.

The conflicts in If I Stay, which many would consider unnecessary or ridiculous, align with what many teens experience: jealousy, uncertainty, and the fear of being left behind. The list goes on, and many of these feelings find their way into adulthood as well. If I Stay offers an accurate depiction of what a teen romance can look like and shows how it can develop. If I Stay is available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV+.

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