Stay

Forster plays Lynch and with a gradually escalating plot, interesting visuals (occasionally delicious cuts between locations) and hand in hand with the growing confusion in the viewer's head, he moves towards the climax, the big reveal that clarifies nothing at all and forces many interpretations, namely: a) the twist is so trivial it hurts, b) it's so sophisticated that nobody gets it, c) Forster is just taking the piss. For me it's a), and while Lynch’s movies are exciting in their bizarreness even after repeated viewings, Stay is a one-shot mess. And by the way, Gosling was excellent, Mc Gregor did his standard and Watts is just there for decoration. (30.03.2006)

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)

A picture that immediately captures you with its great visuals and then with its powerful story. It gradually turns into a good example of a Lynch-style movie where you have no idea where you stand, who is who, etc. The excellent cast just goes to enhance the overall impression. But unlike movies by David Lynch, Stay has a clear message... And that it where its downfall lies. The message luckily isn’t served up absolutely word for word, but it doesn’t leave much room for the viewer to make up his own mind. I can shake the feeling that, if it weren’t for the final scene, this movie could have been a beautiful experience overflowing with “dreamy" magic, despite being incomprehensible. This way it remains just a showcase for Forster and, in a way, a trick on the viewer, because the cheapest explanation is always correct. In the end, this is just an over-combined variation on Jacob’s Ladder. (09.04.2006)

Perfect atmosphere full of paranoia, fear, mystery, and confusion supported by a great soundtrack. I am giving it a practically neutral review because even though the movie absorbed me and didn't let me breathe throughout the entire duration, I expected the climax on the bridge to provide me with some answers, but as it often happens with similar movies, it turned out to be the complete opposite. I understood the main plotline in my own way, perhaps incorrectly, and the secondary one (Henry's father) almost not at all. However, the visual aspect, full of camera tricks, is enough to rate it this high in my opinion, even though the ending cooled down my enthusiasm a bit. (24.04.2006)

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)

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)

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)

Marc Forster has made a film so strange and atypical that the actors don't really know what they're playing. Of course we have to approach Stay differently than other films. We can absolutely ignore any genres. Stay is like a dream, and that's how it should be seen. Just as everyone can find something different in their dream to explain what it came from, so too everyone can interpret this film in their own way. Disregard the spoileroid concoctions of the distributor, what the film is really about is pretty much up to the viewer. Even that alone is enough for an absolute rating, and even if it isn't, the visual gore definitely makes up for it. (01.08.2009)

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)