Stay - quick review (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Director Marc Forster follows up "Finding Neverland" with a strange, trippy little film called "Stay. You can see his directorial style all throughout the film, and the scene transitions are pretty fun and interesting, but the storyline is flawed in some ways, and the story isn't as interesting as the directorial effort that went into the film. Visually, it's a film that requires a couple of viewing to soak up all the information within the camera frame, but I would think the subsequent viewings would also command some focus because of the deficiency in the storyline itself.

The acting was good, proficient, but since the film comes across as a directorial exercise, that's why the acting feels secondary to the material, and I don't find fault in the choices made by the main trio of Ryan Gosling, Ewan McGregor, and Naomi Watts.

I recommend it as a matinee if you're in the mood for taking in the visuals that this film offers.

I give it 2.75 stars, or a grade of B-.

 

[Elizabeth S]

This film is bound to divide a lot of people between the "Love it" or "Hate it" camps. The style and editing was often imaginative and clever, and the film is engaging enough to fill your head with questions -- it certainly makes you think. Some people will find the explanation emotionally satisfying; others may find it an anticlimactic cop-out.

I give it :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star: .

 

[Oswald Pascual]

Artistacally cool looking, great acting, a little slow paced, so so editing, and a horrible let down at the end. I expected more with this director of "Monsters Ball, Finding Neverland" and this cast. I was initially drawn to the story on the trailer, but I thought the trailer was totally misleading on what this movie was about. The movie I think leads you in many directions that are left open when the movie ends. Yes this creates things to talk about, but when you see and understand the ending you find out that you went for that ride, and most of it had little or no pay off.

Ozzie

I vote STAY away from this one.

 

[Alex Spindler]

Out of curiousity, what didn't you feel was resolved?

 

[Elizabeth S]

Couple of comments here as well:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=244562

(Threads merged)

 

[ChrisBEA]

I had a distinct deja vu to seeing Usual Suspects
at the end.

 

[JohnRice]

My feeling is that a lot of people are overlooking the real meaning in the movie and just focusing on "what happens" in the end. I think it has a grand idea, but the execution is messy. Screenwriter David Benioff knocked it out of the park with his first produced piece, 25th Hour, but he has been a bit of a disappointment since. Forster has done 2 fabulous movies, but this one feels like a first attempt, not a third, or maybe it's his 5th. So much talent involved here, but that doesn't always achieve its potential.

Is it my imagination, or does Ewan McGregor have the most sterile "pronounce every word like he's doing vocal exercizes" American accent? I found it kind of distracting several times. I'm sure if I go back and watch some others where he plays an American I'll realize he has been doing it all along and I just missed it.