Based on Gayle Forman’s best-selling YA novel, If I Stay follows the formula that most YA movie-adapted books follow. The film work by R.J. Cutler, (directed The September Issue and A Perfect Candidate) is possibly the downfall in the film with it’s unrealistic portrayal of the events.

In a tale of love, loss, tragedy and the unknown, Chloe Grace Moretz, Moretz puts her young acting skills to the test. While she is only 17, in If I Stay, and did a decent job. Her role produced bits and small sparks of drama and tears to the audience. 

The film follows Mia (Chloe Grace Moretz) who is a shy, cellist. Her parents were both rockers and she often feels out of place in her family. Her dad was in a band called Nasty Bruises.

One day, a boy appears at the window in the band room. Mia is so deep in song, that she does not realise the boy. The boy’s name is Adam (Jamie Blackley) and he is part of a major band. Adam is a bad-boy rocker, but he is like many of Johnny Depp’s characters and is kind. All at once, they fall in love. Mia goes to all his concerts, and they live a fairytale type of lovestory.

All of that changes, when Mia additions to go to Juilliard. Adam goes to New York for his band and they both feel torn between music and relationships. Mia doesn’t know what to do. She loves music, but she also loves Adam. They break up and are both heart-broken.

Mia and her family are driving on a cold winter day. A out-of-control, car comes out of nowhere and hits the family. Mia has an out-of-body experience. She sees her family on the ground…and even herself! There is chaos and panic as Mia realises what just happened. She hops into the ambulance with her body. No one sees her. They only see her unconscious body.

Mia watches all her love ones arrive to help their hurting family. Her mother and father have both passed. Mia has bad injuries, but her brother only has minor injuries. Throughout the next few days, she waits in the hospital. The nurse tells her that she has the power to stay and fight, or leave this world.

Mia finds out that her brother has died due to a rip in his brain, that the doctors didn’t detect. Her world is slowly ending. All of her immediate family has died, and she doesn’t know if life is even worth it any more. She thinks of all the good times that they had together and what her brother will never get to do.

Finally, her friends can come and visit her. They tell her how much she means to them and her grandpa tries to convince her to stay. Mia is faced with a tough decision. Should she stay and be reminded of the past, or go and be free to the unknown?