hi guys I think I made a bit of a big brain move but like hear me out
because the entire movie of stay is just a dream sequence of Henry’s final moments I feel like the personalities of Lila and Sam are projections of Henry’s idea of life and what it means to live. we don’t get to know Henry that much throughout the movie but I think it’s obvious he was still depressed in real life, along with the dream sequence.
Sam is empathetic and wants to save Henry but he doesn’t know how, his actions are from the stereotypical neurotypical individual (for example, immediate resort to a psychiatric hospital visit and “fixing” Henry just through medication), giving me the idea that Sam’s actions throughout the movie are a representation of Henry’s struggle with understanding his depression and his want to live but not knowing how to stay alive basically; he represents a more logic based side of Henry’s ideas
Lila however shows the more emotional side of his ideas of life; she’s more in tap with Henry and even asks Sam to talk to him because she will understand him more. this whole theory of mine literally came from the fact that the movie focuses a lot on Lila’s past attempt, which leads me to think that Lila’s attempt is a reflection of a possible attempt done by Henry himself which he survived. (Also the brain does that thing where your life flashes before your eyes in order to find a method of survival, and bc Henry survived his past attempt, his brain projected the attempt onto Lila, trying to survive the way she did.) Lila shows a more emotional view on why Henry wants to keep living. As an artist, Henry knows, “there’s too much goddamn beauty.”
anyways yeha it just makes more snese for Sam and Lila to be projections of Henry’s ideas on life, considering the real sam and Lila were the ones trying to save Henry’s life.
henry letham you beautiful tragedy.
