If I Stay
After a catastrophic family accident, a gifted teenage cellist must decide whether love, music, and memory are enough reasons to return to life.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melodramatic
- wistful
- romantic
- rainy day
- romantic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found Chloë Grace Moretz committed and the musical elements appealing, but considered the supernatural YA romance clunky, manipulative, and unevenly acted.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mia experiences an out-of-body existence while her body lies in a coma, observing events and weighing whether to remain alive.
Mia’s classical cello ambitions and Adam’s musical career directly influence her future, romance, and sense of self.
Mia must decide whether to pursue Juilliard and her musical dreams or build a future with Adam.
The family car accident transforms a teen relationship and musical coming-of-age story into a life-or-death emotional ordeal.
Films like If I Stay, and why
The Fault in Our Stars
shares a teen romance framework, emotionally heightened family conflict, and a young protagonist confronting life-changing loss
The Lovely Bones
shares supernatural liminality, young love, grief, and a sentimental romantic-drama tone
August Rush
shares a music-centered coming-of-age story, family tension, and earnest adolescent romance
The Last Song
shares melodramatic teen romance, difficult personal choices, and a focus on young musicians
Movie Details
- Director
- R.J. Cutler
- Release Date
- 2014-08-21
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (4366)
Cast
- Chloë Grace Moretz
- Jamie Blackley
- Liana Liberato
- Mireille Enos
- Joshua Leonard
- Stacy Keach
- Gabrielle Rose
- Jakob Davies
- Ali Milner
- Aisha Hinds
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is If I Stay about?
- After a catastrophic family accident, a gifted teenage cellist must decide whether love, music, and memory are enough reasons to return to life.
- What is If I Stay like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of If I Stay as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is If I Stay violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in If I Stay as mild.
- What did critics think of If I Stay?
- Critics broadly found Chloë Grace Moretz committed and the musical elements appealing, but considered the supernatural YA romance clunky, manipulative, and unevenly acted.
- Which films are like If I Stay?
- Films with a similar feel include The Fault in Our Stars, The Lovely Bones, August Rush, and The Last Song.
- How long is If I Stay?
- If I Stay runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch If I Stay?
- In United States, If I Stay is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex.
