“If I stay,” the movie theater will be flooded (with my tears)

I’ve been known to cry during many movies, but this time, I wasn't crying — I was waterfalling. I didn’t even have time to wipe my tears  away because I was too engrossed in my new favorite movie, “If I Stay.”

This heartfelt movie centers around Mia Hall (played by Chloe Grace Moretz), a teenage girl who, after experiencing a deadly car accident, has an out-of-body experience while she lies in a coma. Her previous memories and present day events help her choose whether or not she should fight to stay alive or pass away.

“If I Stay” is a Nicholas Sparks’ movie made for teens. The film allows busy teens to just feel sappy and carefree for two hours and temporarily forget their daily lives, which can be hectic and worrisome.

Following the trend of emotional dramas, “If I Stay” is sure to capture the interest of thousands of young adults across the world. Within a week of release on August 22, the movie already made a domestic total of $20 million.

This isn’t surprising because director R.J. Cutler knows how to play with people’s emotions and, although he pulled some risky moves, he executed them successfully.

For instance, almost all of the actors in the movie aren’t famous, and in most cases, an unknown cast fails to attract attention. I admit, I certainly wasn’t excited to watch “If I Stay” for precisely this reason, but I discovered that the new actors brought fresh performances to the screen.

For example, Moretz now has a chance to be remembered for something other than her performance in “Carrie,” a famous horror film. By showing the right amount of enthusiasm and not overreacting, Moretz incites the audience to sympathize with her. I found myself putting myself in Mia’s shoes and deciding whether she should choose to live. In fact, I even formed a mental pro and con list.

In addition,  Mia’s relationship with her love interest, Adam (played by Jamie Blackley), is realistic because it isn’t ideal. Adam isn’t Mia’s perfect boyfriend, and he comes with his fair share of flaws. In fact, I will even go so far as to say that Adam is a jerk, but in a way, isn’t everyone? True love is hard, if not impossible, to find, but couples like Adam and Mia  stay together nevertheless.

The movie does a good job of recognizing that love is not just a romanticized and a flawless notion; it takes effort to work at a relationship. The actors in “If I Stay” exchange long and meaningful looks and hold hands without looking stiff, which convinces the audience of their on-screen chemistry

I do admit that the movie has flaws— Mia always plays the cello perfectly, but she doesn’t attend classes or have a teacher —  but it wasn’t until the end of the movie that I noticed these minor imperfections.

“If I Stay” is a faithful adaptation of the book right down to getting every character’s hair color right. Although the movie makes it look as if Adam is solely the reason why Mia wants to stay alive, we see she actually has strong bonds with her other friends and family. It just so happens that Adam’s promise of staying with her gives her hope for the future. Who can blame her for staying alive because of him?

So the movie does prove a bigger point in saying that even when you think you are alone, there is going to be someone for you down the future.

The director didn’t mess around with the script and tones of the book. It made me feel like I was rereading it. We all have parents and siblings whom we love, and the movie makes viewers appreciate them even more. The emotional rollercoaster I went through was amazing. For those out there who don’t mind crying in public, “If I Stay” will sure stimulate your tearducts.