Monday, August 25, 2014

Movie Review: If I Stay

After sitting through a so-so adaptation of City of Bones and a not-so-great adaptation of Vampire Academy, I was a little apprehensive about how the big screen version of Gayle Forman's If I Stay would go. I loved the novel as well as the sequel, Where She Went, and hoped that my last few experiences with YA novels-turned-films would not continue in the same vein.

The trailers for If I Stay did make me cautiously optimistic that fans of the book wouldn’t be let down. Of course trailers can be misleading sometimes, but I’m very happy to report that this was not the case here.

Where to start with how brilliant If I Stay was? ChloĆ« Grace Moretz was simply perfect as Mia. Jamie Blackley was also a standout as Adam. Really, the whole cast was stellar, notably the actors who portrayed Mia’s parents and younger brother, Teddy. You truly got the sense of what a loving, close-knit family the Halls were, which made the tragedy that tore them apart even more devastating.

While there were certainly heartbreaking, sob-inducing moments throughout the film, they were well balanced with some lighter ones. This is an area where I thought the film really shone; the somber shadow that hangs over both the book and the movie can’t be helped, but it doesn’t dominate either of them. Mia’s flashbacks are full of many happy memories spent with her family and Adam. That’s another aspect of the novel that translated very well to the screen: the book’s narrative structure, which alternates between the present and the past. It’s handled seamlessly in the movie, and even having reading the book, I don’t think someone who’s unfamiliar with the source material would find the movie confusing to follow.

I have only glowing things to say about this film. It did not disappoint in any way, and although there were a few minor changes from the book, they were exactly that—minor. Unlike some of the other recent YA adaptations I’ve seen, this one did not make me want to scream, “But that wasn’t in the book!” The script was excellent, and the actors’ performances were all top-notch. Music plays such a central role in the novel, and its importance in the lives of both Mia and Adam is vividly captured in the film.

For anyone who hasn’t read If I Stay, you can feel confident that you’re completely fine if you see the movie first. But—please read the book! For those who already have read it, you can also feel confident that everything you loved about the novel has made its way to the big screen. I truly, truly hope that Where She Went gets adapted, too, because you just can’t leave Mia and Adam here . . . .

10 comments:

  1. I haven't read the book, and at first wasn't really planning to, but after seeing the trailer I am curious about it! I'm glad the film was a great adaptation for you - that is also encouraging, since I can read the book and look forward to watching the film after! :)

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    1. Ally saw it too and hadn't read the book because it wasn't her type of read, but she liked the movie. I hope you love both as much as I did; I'd love to hear your thoughts on them! :)

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  2. I loved the movie. And loved the book! Great review!

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    1. I loved both, too! I can't wait to watch the movie again on DVD!

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  3. I still haven't read the book but I must say that your glowing praise for the film adaptation is very promising. Another one of my favorite bloggers recently read this one too and she loved it, so if I didn't already know I need to read the book, seeing how well the film adapted the material would have done it! We're so rarely fortunate enough to get a film worthy of it's book that this seals the deal for me. Adding this book to my wishlist now, so I can see the film asap! Thanks for the wonderful review Lee ^^ x

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    1. I haven't been this excited about a film adaptation of a book in a while. The movie truly did the novel justice, I think, and I have my fingers crossed that the sequel gets made!

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  4. I have heard great things about the film adaption from the book, and I am definitely eager to get my hands on the book. I am just loathe at the moment to pay over the odds for an e-book when I am so poor, and I have not enough space to buy an actual copy, so I will have to wait for a while. Still, I will definitely try and read the book before I watch the film. Pleased to hear you enjoyed this so much.

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    1. I relate 100% to not having spare cash for books these days. The book and its sequel are absolutely worth a read when you have the chance; I read them back-to-back and was a little wrecked for a few days afterwards, lol.

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  5. Oooh, I was really cautious about seeing If I Stay because I know exactly what you mean about film adaptations recently. I didn't see Vampire Academy (and I haven't read it yet) but I did see both City of Bones and Beautiful Creatures and I didn't think either did the books justice so it's really promising that you enjoyed the film so much!

    Thanks for reviewing, I may now actually go and see the film now instead of waiting for the DVD!

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    1. I loved the Vampire Academy novels and was so disappointed with the movie adaptation. I was wary of If I Stay not translating well to the screen, but I ended up thinking that it was one of the more faithful book-to-film adaptations I've seen. I also definitely think it's worth seeing in theaters! :)

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