If I Stay

Thursday night I went to the first screening of If I Stay.  I have been looking forward to this movie ever since I finished reading the best-selling book.  Like most young adult fiction, I began reading If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, because I noticed that quite a few of my students were reading it.  I, like my students, was drawn into the story of Mia's choice between dying of injuries sustained in a devastating car accident, which kills her parents and younger brother, or fighting to survive in order to stay with her boyfriend, Adam.  The love story between Mia, a classical cellist, and Adam, the lead singer in an up-and-coming rock band, is quite poignant.  The cello and guitar become a metaphor for their love: two unlikely instruments can make beautiful music together.  (The novel specifically mentions Nirvana's live performance of "Something in the Way," which features the cello and is one of my favorite songs by that band).  I liked the movie adaptation but I should tell you that I am a sucker for melodramatic teen romances (I loved the Twilight movies).  I guess I am just a 15 year old girl at heart!  The movie is pretty faithful to the book (I guess Yo-Yo Ma was unavailable to film the concert Adam takes Mia to on their first date) and follows the same sequence with the events of the crash interspersed with flashbacks of Mia's life and relationships.  Chloe Grace Moretz gives a very affecting performance as Mia, especially when she learns that Teddy is dead.  Jamie Blackley is not only easy on the eyes as Adam, but he also provides all of the vocals for Adam's band Willamette Stone.  Very impressive.  Most of the other performances are pretty bland and don't ring true but Stacy Keach (Mia's Grandpa) had me sobbing when he begs Mia to fight but gives her permission to go if she needs to (bring Kleenex).  One of the best features of this movie is the music (I downloaded the soundtrack before I left the theater).  I really enjoyed all of the cello pieces Mia plays, such as the instantly recognizable Bach Cello Suite No. 1 and the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto in A Minor, and, as previously mentioned, I am a fan of the fictional band Willamette Stone (I'm very partial to "I Want What You Have").  The soundtrack also features The Orwells, Beck, and Sonic Youth.  I have had Beck's "Morning" on repeat since I saw the movie!  I recommend this movie to 15 year old girls (and 15 year old girls at heart) everywhere!

Note:  My summer has been book-ended by movies based on young adult fiction!  I saw The Fault In Our Stars the day school got out.