Move Over... Chloe has arrived and she is very good

Rating: 9/10 (24 August 2014)

"If I Stay" is a meditative story of what we do when we have to make the ultimate choice. A teen finds herself revisiting important moments of her life at a crucial time, and by the conclusion of the movie has to decide whether she should which one of her beloved she will follow. Chloe is nothing short of sensational here, giving a very sweet, strong, and sensitive performance as the girl who has lived a very good life but finds herself at odds when she meets the young man who could be her soul mate. There's a lot of love and affection in this movie, and it is very painful to see that there are times in life when pain rears its ugly head, and there's not much we can do about it.
Mia (Chloe) is born to a loving pair of free spirits. These two Denny and Kat (Mirelle Enos and Joshua Leonard) are remarkable in their portrayals of two very sweet and loving parents. They show hints of a wild and fun past, but they are able to transition into a mature and nurturing set of individuals who are willing to do everything they can to support their children. It's heartbreaking to see their fate, and we immediately miss them because the characters are probably two of the most wonderful creations of the last decade. It's not that we believe them incredible because we recognize their flaws. It's just that in this film we see their good side, though we recognize they have fears and broken dreams, too, but here the children are the important part of their lives.
The film is about choices and growing up. Mia finds herself a bit insecure and can't see herself getting into Julliard. It's obvious to everyone she has the talent and the passion, the fire and the craft is hers, but she's slow to recognize much of what's obvious, and this includes the arrival of the man who might be her perfect partner, Adam, in a great turn by Jamie Blackley. He loves music, he loves life, and most importantly, he loves her.
Most of the film is spent in the hospital, as Mia watches everyone's reaction to her family accident. She wavers between staying or going. She hears people express their vote of confidence that she'll be able to pull through, and that it's up to her to decide. She's loved by all the people who come in await the turn of events, and things become more intense as the hours pass by, and while she looks back at her life, we understand that this is not an easy choice. The family she knows is now for the most part gone, but there are others who also have plenty of love and affection for her. It's just that if one knows those parents are not going to be around anymore, faith in surviving dims pretty quickly, and it would take a very special individual to give you hope again. So we keep on hoping, waiting, and trusting that the ultimate decision will be the right one, and that no one will be disappointed.
Waiting is painful for all of the parties involved, including us, but we are fortunate to see a great director and some very good actors working on this story. Most impressive is Chloe who can say so much with those expressive eyes of hers. She has already proved herself a physical performer who is not afraid to show the dark side of humans. I can recall her amazing part in "Kick Ass", and she's the one element in "Hugo" that kept me from running out of the theater. Indeed, she's grown up in front of her eyes, but this girl has taken on a very difficult role, and she's given us a full performance, an innocent at first who grows in front of our eyes as she experiences life, and she is lucky to have her immediate family provide her with strength, love, and support, only to have her suddenly, face a cruel turning point in her life all by herself. We know she can handle because there's inner strength and intelligence in this young lady. The question is whether she'll play it safe or she'll continue to meet the challenges of her special life.
This is an interesting film and demands a second viewing in order to fully appreciate it. I want to go back and see more of the quiet moments. To listen to the dialog and the messages in the superb line up of songs, to see the choreography of those family and neighbors reunions long gone from the movies and very welcome in here. Enos' performance is like watching flowers bloom and the rainbows in full display. She's life herself and her eyes are great conveyors of emotion. We believe Mia and her are fully related. She's the muse that inspires love, confidence, and strength. It's a wonderful piece of acting.
We now know that "Carrie", "Kick Ass", and her other turns were not flukes, that she's the real thing. I'm glad she's not involved in any of those silly trilogies, that she's moving on to serious film making and will be able to see more of this young actress. Here's someone who can project real emotions without the need of contrived action backgrounds and silly story lines.