Three years after I finished high school, I was at a friend’s house and her parents had finished up watching Stay. They had that hands in the air–well, where’s my payoff? Why did I just sit through - reaction. And I hadn’t been paying close attention to them or the movie that was a blip of scene and then credits, so I took that as there’d been a watery ending–which it wasn’t.
I’ve continued to cry during that ending enough times to have lost count.
Stay never hid numerous signs, they were given as gifts through the movie, of where it was going or what it was. It told/warned along the entire way what was happening and what the end was extremely likely be.
The point was in the experience: in this painful, taut, excruciatingly detailed world created by Henry’s gifted, guilt-ridden, shouting, hurting, grieving, hyper aware and intricate mind. There was still love and humor and caring in Lila and Sam; so much humanity and character and duality all around. All that vivid life and intricacy and function brought within that struggling mind that even held fading Henry in it.
We haven’t even gone into the frickin’ pretty transitions and engrossing detail that they go to in conveying Henry’s fading. The movie is straight up beautiful to watch.
I’m thankful I decided to rent it one night whatever months or short few years later. I’ve never bothered much with buying dvds, since it’s rare that I *love* a movie to that degree, but, yes, I own Stay. It’s gorgeous and there is a lot that’s resonated in me with it over the years.
Obviously, I recommend watching it. Relax, watch the thing, keep your mind open, so you can soak it in. And, uh, make sure to hydrate and have tissues at hand.
Don’t rely on other peoples’ standards to rule what is art to you and when or why or how you enjoy or create it.
It’s bonkers how I almost never saw this movie that’s so important to me. I was 21 when it came out in 2005. I’m wondering how the rewatch experience is going to be after I’ve found this peace with myself in ways I’d struggled with since…well, it’s taken about 33 years to get here.
snowghoul
annaxmalina
vaporwave
andulkaphoto
blakekathryn
yousharknotpass
