There are many fabulous things about If I Stay, but we want to share the top four things book lovers will appreciate about the film.
The adaptation of If I Stay has remained faithful to the source material and created a movie that will appeal to books lovers. We’ve chosen the four things that readers will appreciate seeing come to life on the big screen. Warning: If you have not read the book, some of the items are spoilers!
The Music
If I Stay is filled with music. Mia lives in the world of classic music. In the novel she loves Yo Yo Ma and plays amazingly complicated pieces. In the movie Mia’s music comes alive. It is the background to all the craziness at the hospital and the soul of the film.
It also beautifully contrasts with Adam’s music, which highlights the flashback sequences. In the novel you know that Adam and Mia’s music is very different, but in the movie you can hear and feel the difference. It adds to their characters in a way you can only imagine in the book. The soundtrack features music by Willamette Stone, which is Adam’s band in the film. A fun fact is that Jamie Blackley is actually playing and singing all the songs by Willamette Stone.
Gramps’ Speech
Quite possibly the most gut wrenching moment in the film comes from Mia’s Gramps. In the book, Gramps’ speech to Mia about letting her go is heartbreaking, but actually seeing it is a whole other level. Stacy Keach plays Gramps, and his moment with Mia, which can be partially seen in the trailer, is the ultimate ugly cry moment (one of many). There are other scenes between Keach and Moretz that are sweet, but this scene stuck with me long after the film ended.
Mia’s parents
Mireille Enos and Joshua Leonard play Mia’s parents in the film and it feels like they leapt from the page and landed on the screen. Every scene they are in is perfect. You can see their love of family and how well they convey that on screen. They may be the adults, but they still have a playfulness about them. Mireille Enos and Joshua Leonard embody the ex-punk rockers turned parents so much you’ll wish they were real. They would be super fun to hang out with.
Halloween
One of the really fun scenes in the book is Halloween when Mia tries her hand at being a punk rock girl. At first Mia is concerned about how to dress, but quickly decides that with her mom’s help she can do it. For Mia it is a chance to be someone different and see if Adam would prefer her to be more part of his world. For Adam, who is dressed as Mozart, it is a time for him to express how he feels about Mia no matter how she is dressed. It is a pivotal moment for the couple and it is beautifully brought to life on screen.
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