Stay
Stay
Score: 9/10
This is a few years old, but I recently caught it on HBO and literally got in my car, went to the local used DVD place, and picked it up. I watched it early in the morning while eating breakfast and by the time the movie had ended, I realized I’d only eaten half my bowl of cereal in the two hours because I became so intrigued by what would happen.
Stay is yet another amazing film by one of our best directors today, Marc Forster, who directed a few others that I really enjoy like Stranger Than Fiction and Finding Neverland. This movie in particular falls perfectly into my favorite genre of movies. I don’t know specifically what genre that is, but the surrealist type of movie with amazing cinematography and has you thinking throughout and then well after the movie. Movies that come into my head when thinking of Stay are ones like Donnie Darko, Memento, Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind, and Mulholland Dr. Each of those movies I’ve watched more times than I can count and even now I get excited to watch them again just talking about them. Most times I walk out of these movies with a huge smile on my face while the person I dragged along with me walks silently, wondering why in the world I enjoyed it so much since it was so confusing, and in their minds pointless. I sit with them for half an hour or so explaining it, telling them all the clues they missed, and by the end they smile too and all of a sudden love it.
I had no idea this film would be one of those “thinking films” I love so much, but I glad to say it shines and is right up there with most the ones I mentioned before. Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, and Ryan Gosling are all great in it. The plot is impossible to explain without giving away spoilers, but it’s basically the story of a psychiatrist who meets a student who says he is going to kill himself in three days. As the doctor tries to change the boy’s mind, his pursuit of this goal, and ultimately in the attempt to simply find the boy before he kills himself lead him into a world that becomes more and more confusing. People change, things start repeating themselves, and the dead suddenly appear. I will say no more, but what happens after that makes you re-evaluate everything you thought you just watched.
It’s truly an amazing film and one that cemented my love for Marc Forster’s movies. His upcoming movie is The Kite Runner, based on the best selling novel, and I can’t wait for it. I doubt it’ll be a much a thinker as Stay, but neither was Stranger Than Fiction and I still loved that movie as well. If any of the above review intrigued you, or you know of the similar movies I mentioned above, then find a way to watch this movie. I found the DVD for $5 and if after the first viewing you’re still confused, just watch the special features as they explain everything.
Such a good movie.
