Stay

I have seen a number of mystery movies lately that I simply couldn't tolerate. Stay is surprisingly not only functional but I would even say excellent. It has excellent coordination of music, camera, film effects, and acting performances, and has atmosphere and a meaningful well-constructed screenplay. In terms of the genre, only some early Lynch films have had such an impact on me, but compared to them, Forster's drama has a more rational point. It's the kind of film that is worth seeing not only twice, but it's even possible to enjoy many scenes from the film better with knowledge of what is going to happen, and it's possible to watch it many times over. The casting of top-notch and well-known actors paid off, and this is simply a genre delight where only two scenes bother me because reveal more than is necessary. Overall impression: 95%. (13/04/2011)

The interesting formal style, along with perfect acoustics and the typical minimalism of Marc Forster, is placed in front of a rugged and confusing script, where the final twist is by far the most unnecessary. The characters are played decently and Ryan Gosling's performance is very surprising, showcasing truly excellent talent. The slightly confusing editing can be easily overlooked, and you can indulge in the excellently arranged production design and the meticulously crafted technical aspect of the film. Unfortunately, the attempt to achieve a true “Lynch-style” somehow did not succeed. Forster is too restrained and proper as a director and person. It is a solid and intricate piece, but it does not bring innovation in any aspect. (09/09/2006)

Stay is, in my opinion, Forster's best film to date since Stranger Than Fiction. While it's a pretty dense "psycho" in the end, it doesn't have much in common with Lynch, or rather I would say nothing at all. The directorial inventiveness is decent in Forster's work, but compared to, say, Aronofsky's brilliant Requiem for a Dream, it falls quite a bit short in this regard. :) Still, I’m giving about 90% for the quality of the form and for the rather good script. The cast is also very likable. (05/01/2010)

Before you die you get to a world where you can be who you want to be... A visually compelling, disturbing drama where everything you thought was real falls into time loops and evasive replies by the main protagonists. The ending rather unnecessarily removes the irrational charm of the whole mosaic, but even so it’s very tolerable. Excellent McGregor, excellent Gosling. (20/10/2012)

One of those “is this reality or is it a dream?” games the relies mainly on how smart the screenwriter is and on the talent and feeling of the director, because it can very easily become a dud that doesn’t make any sense. Fortunately, this one turned out well. I will study Forster and will keep an eye on him for the future. (26/07/2010)