What If...
In the movie, If I stay, the main character Mia and her beloved family are involved in a fatal car accident that left Mia in a coma for many weeks and the rest of the family deceased or in critical condition. As Mia lied in her hospital bed, her mind reflected on her past and possible future if she were to wake up. She looked back on her early life with her parents before her brother was born and how crazy it was. She explained how her love for the cello surfaced and how she became the excellent cello player she was. Her life up to the point of the accident had been happy, simple, and content. So, when she’s faced with the decision to continue her life path or abruptly end it to join her family in the afterlife, Mia struggled with finding the right answer. Mia knows there is more to life than her parents. For example, her love, Adam, is desperately waiting for her to wake up and her acceptance letter to her dream school of Julliard waits in the mail. Mia has to decide if her future with Adam and Julliard will be worth it without her parents beside her. If I Stay is a film where the story is told through a teenage girl named Mia to create relatability amongst the youth, incorporates romance, and fits it particular genre of out-of-body films.
The typical character in this particular drama genre have out-of-body experiences where they are able to view their lives from a distance. For example, in the film, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey learns what his life would have been like if he was never born. He was struggling with legal problems and the decline of his business. Life to him became extremely difficult, so he decided to commit suicide. However, an angel came to give him another chance. The angle granted George the ability to review his past and then experience what would have happened if he had never been born in the first place. The purpose of the film was to show the good in life can always outweigh the bad in life.
Similarly in the film, If I Stay, Mia finds herself observing her past life and possible future life when she is involved in an accident sending her in a coma. However unlike George, Mia didn’t decide to end her life in the first place, but she is later faced with deciding to quit fighting and die or fight hard and eventually wake up and continue her life path. Mia was a teenager so it would seem extreme to say there are reasons for her to end her life. However, in the film, the viewer gets to see her relationship with her parents, boyfriend, and other friends. She had a good life and people who loved her, but if she wakes up from the coma, her parents and brother who she adored who no longer be with her. Instead of looking at what could’ve happened, the viewer gets to see more of what would happened. That is what makes the film a little different from the films in its genre because it focuses on the “what could happen” instead of really observing what had already happened. With that being said though, the movie still reviews Mia’s life before so it covers the past like the other films in the genre.
With the particular out-of-body dramas, the plot tends to have a romantic element involved. For example, George is married and when he wishes his life away, he sees his wife end up alone. None of his children would have been born and all the people he had assisted through his company wouldn’t have been helped. All the people around him that he loved were affected negatively without him. Mia experienced love from her parent, friends, and Adam. Her love for Adam have an enormous impact on her final decision to stay or go. In the end, the people who surround the characters and love them really make the story. The character doesn’t always get to hear or see what their loved ones do for them, so when they are on the outside looking in, the character learns a lot. They can see the love from everyone and be reassured that there are people out there who really need them and love them. Mia learned that Adam’s love was real and strong. George also gets to see what the love of others and the love he gives impacts his world. Romance is a common theme amongst this genre because it’s hard to see the true impact of love from others.
Since If I Stay is told from a teenager’s perspective, the story can be directed more to what could happen since Mia has so much life to still live. This increases the relatability amongst the younger movie goers. If I Stay is directed to a younger crowd unlike many of the films it is paired to. Mia is only sixteen and before the accident is just dealing with a high school romance and deciding where to go to college. She hasn’t had a life of regrets and mishaps and a desire to start over because she’s only just begun her life. Teenagers can relate to Mia and her boyfriend struggles and the anticipation of receiving that college acceptance letter. Mia had to decide if her family was the only light in her life leading her to her successful future or if could she manage with other loved ones who surrounded her to help guide her. Many teens face this dilemma as they leave for college or move away for the first time. However, it’s not as nearly extreme as losing both parents and siblings. There is a sense that teens can relate to though because they are on their own and need to create the path for their future. It is a crucial time in life as we decide to branch away and really distinguish ourselves as individuals.
In conclusion, If I Stay reached for a younger audience but displayed the same aspects of the films in its particular genre of out-of-body dramas. Since Mia was only a teenager, she didn’t have the need for second chances. She just needed to find what really mattered in life. The romance in her life really changed her life perspective and aided her in her final decision. Lastly, since she was still so young compared to the other character in the genre, younger audiences are able to connect and relate to Mia. If I Stay managed to incorporate and have an affective romantic element, display a plausible future for Mia, and relate topics to a younger generation.
The typical character in this particular drama genre have out-of-body experiences where they are able to view their lives from a distance. For example, in the film, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey learns what his life would have been like if he was never born. He was struggling with legal problems and the decline of his business. Life to him became extremely difficult, so he decided to commit suicide. However, an angel came to give him another chance. The angle granted George the ability to review his past and then experience what would have happened if he had never been born in the first place. The purpose of the film was to show the good in life can always outweigh the bad in life.
Similarly in the film, If I Stay, Mia finds herself observing her past life and possible future life when she is involved in an accident sending her in a coma. However unlike George, Mia didn’t decide to end her life in the first place, but she is later faced with deciding to quit fighting and die or fight hard and eventually wake up and continue her life path. Mia was a teenager so it would seem extreme to say there are reasons for her to end her life. However, in the film, the viewer gets to see her relationship with her parents, boyfriend, and other friends. She had a good life and people who loved her, but if she wakes up from the coma, her parents and brother who she adored who no longer be with her. Instead of looking at what could’ve happened, the viewer gets to see more of what would happened. That is what makes the film a little different from the films in its genre because it focuses on the “what could happen” instead of really observing what had already happened. With that being said though, the movie still reviews Mia’s life before so it covers the past like the other films in the genre.
With the particular out-of-body dramas, the plot tends to have a romantic element involved. For example, George is married and when he wishes his life away, he sees his wife end up alone. None of his children would have been born and all the people he had assisted through his company wouldn’t have been helped. All the people around him that he loved were affected negatively without him. Mia experienced love from her parent, friends, and Adam. Her love for Adam have an enormous impact on her final decision to stay or go. In the end, the people who surround the characters and love them really make the story. The character doesn’t always get to hear or see what their loved ones do for them, so when they are on the outside looking in, the character learns a lot. They can see the love from everyone and be reassured that there are people out there who really need them and love them. Mia learned that Adam’s love was real and strong. George also gets to see what the love of others and the love he gives impacts his world. Romance is a common theme amongst this genre because it’s hard to see the true impact of love from others.
Since If I Stay is told from a teenager’s perspective, the story can be directed more to what could happen since Mia has so much life to still live. This increases the relatability amongst the younger movie goers. If I Stay is directed to a younger crowd unlike many of the films it is paired to. Mia is only sixteen and before the accident is just dealing with a high school romance and deciding where to go to college. She hasn’t had a life of regrets and mishaps and a desire to start over because she’s only just begun her life. Teenagers can relate to Mia and her boyfriend struggles and the anticipation of receiving that college acceptance letter. Mia had to decide if her family was the only light in her life leading her to her successful future or if could she manage with other loved ones who surrounded her to help guide her. Many teens face this dilemma as they leave for college or move away for the first time. However, it’s not as nearly extreme as losing both parents and siblings. There is a sense that teens can relate to though because they are on their own and need to create the path for their future. It is a crucial time in life as we decide to branch away and really distinguish ourselves as individuals.
In conclusion, If I Stay reached for a younger audience but displayed the same aspects of the films in its particular genre of out-of-body dramas. Since Mia was only a teenager, she didn’t have the need for second chances. She just needed to find what really mattered in life. The romance in her life really changed her life perspective and aided her in her final decision. Lastly, since she was still so young compared to the other character in the genre, younger audiences are able to connect and relate to Mia. If I Stay managed to incorporate and have an affective romantic element, display a plausible future for Mia, and relate topics to a younger generation.