Stay (2005/I)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Marc Forster

Writer (WGA):

David Benioff (written by)

Release Date:

21 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

You Can't Stay Between the Living and the Dead.

Plot:

This movie focuses on the attempts of a psychiatrist to prevent one of his patients from committing suicide while trying to maintain his own grip on reality.

Plot Keywords:

Psychiatrist | Suicide | Car Accident | Guilt | Death

Cast

Ewan McGregor	...	Dr. Sam Foster
Ryan Gosling	...	Henry Letham
Kate Burton	...	Mrs. Letham
Naomi Watts	...	Lila Culpepper
Elizabeth Reaser	...	Athena
Bob Hoskins	...	Dr. Leon Patterson
Janeane Garofalo	...	Dr. Beth Levy
B.D. Wong	...	Dr. Ren
John Tormey	...	Custodian / Piano Mover #1
José Ramón Rosario	...	Cabbie / Piano Mover #2 (as José Ramon Rosario)
Becky Ann Baker	...	Paramedic #1 / Butch Cook
Lisa Kron	...	Paramedic #2
Gregory Mitchell	...	Dance Instructor
John Dominici	...	Boy / Young Henry
Jessica Hecht	...	Boy's Mother
Sterling K. Brown	...	Frederick / Devon
Amy Sedaris	...	Toni
Michael Devine	...	Security Guard
Jolly Abraham	...	Young Woman / Intern
Mark Margolis	...	Business Man
Mary Testa	...	Waitress #1
Angela Pietropinto	...	English Woman / Waitress #2
Oni Faida Lampley	...	Daisy / Waitress #3
Jarlath Conroy	...	English Man
Michael Gaston	...	Sheriff Kennelly / Security Officer
Noah Bean	...	Clerk / Student Guide
Isaach De Bankolé	...	Professor
G.A. Aguilar	...	Bicyclyst
Riley G. Matthews Jr.	...	Officer #1
Vito Violante	...	Officer #2
Douglas Crosby	...	Psych Ward Paramedic #1
Blaise Corrigan	...	Psych Ward Paramedic #2
Hank Eulau	...	Noodle Man
Mam Smith	...	Dancer #1
Caroline Leppanen	...	Dancer #2
Joan Chiang	...	Dancer
Ron DeJesus	...	Dancer
Carolyn Dorfman	...	Dancer
Emily Gayeski	...	Dancer
Noel MacDuffie	...	Dancer
Kevin Osgood	...	Dancer
Elizabeth H. Parkinson	...	Dancer
Karine Plantadit-Bageot	...	Dancer
John Selya	...	Dancer
Kyle Sheldon	...	Dancer
Tom Titone	...	Dancer
Pamela B. Wagner	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amber Gristak	...	Accident Witness (uncredited)
Andrew Horne	...	Art Student (uncredited)
Jerry Quinn	...	Old Man in Diner (uncredited)
Conor Van Kay	...	Infant (uncredited)

Directed by
Marc Forster

Writing credits (WGA)
David Benioff		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Carraro	....	executive producer
Guymon Casady	....	executive producer
Eric Kopeloff	....	producer
Tom Lassally	....	producer
Arnon Milchan	....	producer

Original Music by
Asche & Spencer
Tom Scott		(as Asche & Spencer)

Cinematography by
Roberto Schaefer

Film Editing by
Matt Chesse

Casting by
Alexa L. Fogel
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Kevin Thompson

Art Direction by
Jonathan Arkin

Set Decoration by
George DeTitta Jr.

Costume Design by
Frank L. Fleming

Makeup Department
Michal Bigger	....	makeup artist: Naomi Watts
John Caglione Jr.	....	makeup department head
John Caglione Jr.	....	special effects makeup
Joseph Farulla	....	key makeup artist
Francesca Paris	....	department head hair
Sacha Quarles	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Bill Carraro	....	unit production manager
Joe Hartwick Jr.	....	production supervisor
Neri Kyle Tannenbaum	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jude Gorjanc	....	first assistant director: second unit
Kevin Tod Haug	....	second unit director
Eric Richard Lasko	....	additional second assistant director
Alyson Latz	....	second second assistant director
Michael Lerman	....	first assistant director
Marcy Patterson	....	dga trainee
Peter Thorell	....	second assistant director
Jane Chase Wells	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Joseph Alfieri	....	construction coordinator
Anna Baxter	....	art department assistant
Emily Beck	....	assistant art director
Coburn Boyd	....	set dresser
Joseph Garzero	....	chargeman scenic artist
Peter Gelfman	....	property master
Tim Grimes	....	props
Bruce Lee Gross	....	leadman
Jordan Jacobs	....	assistant art director
Michael Kall	....	carpenter
Katie Kemsley	....	scenic artist
James V. Kent	....	assistant property master
Christine Mayer	....	assistant set decorator
Leann Murphy	....	art department coordinator
Randall Richards	....	assistant art director
Daniel Rosenfeld	....	scenic shopman
Michael Scarola	....	key construction grip
Stefanie Schneider	....	senior artist
Holly Watson	....	graphic artist
James Whelan	....	set dresser
Peter Regnier	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Aronoff	....	adr mixer
Courtney Bishop	....	adr recordist
Luke Dunn Gielmuda	....	foley editor
Sean England	....	digital archivist
Diana Flores	....	adr mixer
Erik Foreman	....	adr mixer
Brian Gallagher	....	adr recordist
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Lora Hirschberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
David C. Hughes	....	sound effects editor
Bobby Johanson	....	adr mixer
Ren Klyce	....	supervising sound editor
Brian Magerkurth	....	sound re-recordist (as Brian D. Magerkurth)
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Bruce Nyznik	....	adr and dialogue supervisor
George Peterson Jr.	....	foley recordist
Michael Primmer	....	boom operator
Brandon Proctor	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Alex Raspa	....	adr recordist
Frank Rinella	....	foley mixer
James Sabat	....	sound mixer
James J. Sabat Jr.	....	sound recordist
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Doug Winningham	....	assistant sound effects editor
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer

Special Effects by
Mark Bero	....	special effects coordinator
Wilfred Caban	....	special effects foreman
Joe Gomez	....	mold shop supervisor
Ted Haines	....	lead effects technician: Steve Johnson's Edge FX
Jason Hamer	....	special effects technician: Steve Johnson's Edge FX
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects supervisor (as Steve Kirshoff)
Margaret Prentice	....	lead painter: Steve Johnson's Edge FX
Robert J. Scupp	....	special effects foreman (as Robert Scupp)

Visual Effects by
Christine Albers	....	3D lead compositor: Frantic Films
Christine Albers	....	matte painter: Frantic Films
Krista Allain	....	visual effects coordinator: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Greg Astles	....	digital compositor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Dave Bachelor	....	3D artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Richard 'Dr.' Baily	....	visual effects artist: Image Savant
Richard 'Dr.' Baily	....	visual effects producer: Image Savant
Richard 'Dr.' Baily	....	visual effects supervisor: Image Savant
Christopher Batty	....	previsualization artist
Anna Baxter	....	visual effects assistant
Melissa Best	....	2D lead: Frantic Films
Chris Bond	....	visual effects supervisor: Frantic Films
Jason Booth	....	3D rotoscope lead: Frantic Films
Carole Bouchard	....	executive producer: FX Cartel
Matt Broeska	....	3D matchmoving artist: Frantic Films
Matt Broeska	....	3D tracking artist: Frantic Films
Matt Broeska	....	lead matchmove artist: Frantic Films
Kelly Bumbarger	....	compositor: R!OT Pictures
Don Canfield	....	motion control operator
Chris Capell	....	visual effects producer: FX Cartel
Oliver Cary	....	large format plates
Gusmano Cesaretti	....	visual consultant
Jason Cobill	....	3D special effects lead: Frantic Films
Patrick Coffey	....	digital compositor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Keith Cooper	....	3D artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Carole Cowley	....	visual effects producer
Jon Cowley	....	3D supervisor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Graham Cunningham	....	lead 3D artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Etienne Daigle	....	digital compositor: Merlin Visual Effects
Shane Davidson	....	digital compositor
Angela De Palma	....	visual effects coordinator: FX Cartel
Philippe Desiront	....	digital compositor: Merlin Visual Effects
Conrad Dueck	....	3D supervisor: Frantic Films
Peter Dydo	....	3D artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Guy Efrat	....	location manager: visual effects unit
Karin Eunson-Ross	....	visual effects producer: Frantic Films, Winnipeg (as Karin Ross)
Raymond Gieringer	....	visual effects supervisor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Terri Goddard	....	visual effects production assistant
Annie Godin	....	visual effects coordinator: Buzz Image Group
Jude Gorjanc	....	first assistant director: visual effects plate unit
Monty Granito	....	previs artist
Ryan Grobins	....	digital compositor
Jamie Hallett	....	digital compositing supervisor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Gunnar Hansen	....	visual effects supervisor: FXCartel
Meinert Hansen	....	visual effects art director
Michael Hatton	....	visual effects technical advisor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Kevin Tod Haug	....	visual effects designer
Adam Hawkey	....	digital compositor: iOFilm
Ilyr Heller	....	visual effects production assistant
Ben Houston	....	visual effects: Frantic Films
Christian Irles	....	digital artist: FxCartel
Christian Irles	....	digital artist: Klon Films
Michael Kay	....	rollover rig: visual effects plate unit (as Michael R. Kay)
Michael Kay	....	special effects technician: visual effects plate unit (as Michael R. Kay)
Ara Khanikian	....	Flame artist: Buzz Image Group
Ara Khanikian	....	Inferno artist: Buzz Image Group
Louis Kim	....	digital compositor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Mike Kirsch	....	large format plates
Marjorie Knight	....	senior digital compositor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Sean Konrad	....	digital compositor
Terence Krueger	....	visual effects
Alexandre Lafortune	....	3D matte painting artist: Buzz Image Group
Wendy Lanning	....	visual effects producer: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Vincent Lavares	....	data manager: R!OT Pictures
Sylvain Lebeau	....	digital artist: FOGstudio
Sylvain Lebeau	....	lead compositor: FOGstudio
Pierre-Simon Lebrun-Chaput	....	3D matte painting artist: Buzz Image Group
Danny Lee	....	digital compositor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Ethan Lee	....	3D technical director: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Mai-Ling Lee	....	3D artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Sam Lee	....	digital compositor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Jonathan Legris	....	compositing supervisor: FxCartel
Laurence Lok	....	digital compositor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
François Lord	....	CGI supervisor: Buzz Image Group
Lisa Marra	....	visual effects
Benoit Martel	....	visual effect producer: FOGstudio
Jean-Yves Martel	....	executive producer: FX Cartel
Jim Maxwell	....	digital matte artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Scott McGinley	....	previsualization artist
Leslie McMinn	....	visual effects producer
Francois Metivier	....	senior Inferno artist: Buzz Image Group
Michele Moen	....	matte painter (as Michelle Moen)
Lon Molnar	....	visual effects creative advisor: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Andre U. Montambeault	....	digital compositor
Louis Morin	....	visual effects executive producer: Buzz Image Group
Alex Murtaza	....	roto artist
Kenneth Nakada	....	visual effects supervisor: R!OT Pictures
Chris Pember	....	roto artist
Borislav Petrov	....	technical lead: Frantic Films
Myrko Piche	....	compositor: FOGstudio (as Mirko Piche)
Yvan Pinard	....	digital artist: FxCartel
Yvan Pinard	....	digital artist: Klon Films
Eliza Pelham Randall	....	visual effects producer: Frantic Films, Los Angeles
Darcy Reno	....	systems administrator: Intelligent Creatures Inc. (as Darcy Bangsund)
Mark Schwartzbard	....	second assistant camera: visual effects unit
Christopher Scollard	....	visual effects coordinator
Michael Shand	....	CGI supervisor: Frantic Films (as Mike Shand)
Jane Sharvina	....	compositor: Frantic Films
Carla Sierra	....	production coordinator
Leonardo Silva	....	3D artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc. (as Leo Silva)
Vicki Silva	....	digital compositor
Philippe Sylvain	....	3D matte painting artist: Buzz Image Group
Amanda Taylor	....	second assistant director: visual effects plate unit
Elaine Essex Thompson	....	visual effects associate producer
Allen Tracy	....	visual effects coordinator: Frantic Films
Robin Tremblay	....	3D matte painting artist: Buzz Image Group
Stefano Trivelli	....	lead compositor: R!OT Pictures
Luke Vallee	....	3D artist: Intelligent Creatures Inc.
Martial Vincent	....	executive producer: FX Cartel
Dan Walker	....	compositor
Darren Wall	....	digital compositor
Katie Wells	....	visual effects executive producer: FX Cartel (as Katie A. Wells)
Blair Werschler	....	rotoscope artist
Sean Wilson	....	digital compositor
Diane Wright	....	digital asset manager: Cinesite/Laser Pacific
Diane Wright	....	producer: french canadian titles, Steve Wright Digital FX
Steve Wright	....	titles: french canadian, Steve Wright Digital FX
Jeff Zaman	....	digital compositor
Ken Zorniak	....	visual effects producer: Frantic Films
Michael Lafuente	....	engineer (uncredited)
George Taylor	....	compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
Bob Colletti	....	stunts
Geoffrey Dowell	....	stunt double: Sam Foster
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Jeffrey Lee Gibson	....	stunts
Cort Hessler	....	stunts (as Cort L. Hessler III)
John Patrick McLaughlin	....	stunts (as John P. McLaughlin)
Jodi Michelle Pynn	....	stunts
Terry Serpico	....	stunts
Keith Siglinger	....	stunt double: Henry Letham
Derrick Simmons	....	stunts
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mam Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	best boy electric
Donald M. Angst	....	rig electrician
Angela Bellisio	....	camera loader
Garrett Brown	....	camera operator: SuperFlyCam
Michael Cambria	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Ian Carmody	....	assistant camera
Nicolas L. Charuet	....	second key grip
Radium Cheung	....	gaffer: second unit
Ralph G. Crowley	....	generator operator
Howard Davidson	....	grip
Chris Drechsler	....	electrician
Morris Flam	....	gaffer
Christopher F. Graneto	....	grip
Timothy Healy	....	generator operator: base camp
Jenny Kane	....	lamp operator
Billy Kerwick	....	key rigging grip
Dan Kubicek	....	additional electrician
Saiyiu. Li	....	additional camera loader
Clay Liversidge	....	rigging gaffer
William MacGhee	....	rigging electrician
Jim McConkey	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Simeon Moore	....	electrician
Justin Panzanaro	....	rigging grip
Eli Reed	....	still photographer
Lance Rieck	....	remote camera technician
Ryan Rodriguez	....	lamp operator
John Romer	....	assistant camera
John Romer	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Nico Ruderman	....	electrician
Darren Ryan	....	video assist operator
James Scutakes	....	grip
Benjamin Semanoff	....	camera operator: SuperFlyCam
Tom Shinn	....	lamp operator
Eric Swanek	....	Steadicam assistant
Eric Swanek	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Mark van Rossen	....	lamp operator
Tom Vulliez	....	company grip
Greg Wimer	....	first assistant camera
Robert Lau	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Todd Feldman	....	extras casting assistant
Andrew Fox	....	casting associate
Michael Hothorn	....	casting executive
Kristian Sorge	....	extras casting
Pamela Lynn Thomas	....	casting associate
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kelly Chambers	....	costumer
William Collick	....	wardrobe coordinator
Sandi Figueroa	....	costume supervisor
Lisa R. Frucht	....	assistant costume designer
Askia Won-Ling Jacob	....	key costumer
Hartsell Taylor	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Sarah Goff	....	post-production coordinator
Lynel Moore	....	first assistant editor (as Lynel Moore Cioffi)
Harry Muller	....	color timer
Mike Sowa	....	digital intermediate color timer
Rebecca Weigold	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Christine Bergren	....	music clearance
Wade Clark	....	music preparation
Malcolm Fife	....	music editor
Oliver Luckett	....	music consultant
Steve Lund	....	music contractor
Karyn Rachtman	....	music consultant (as Karin Rachtman)

Transportation Department
Dan Buckman	....	driver
Michael Hyde	....	transportation coordinator
Michael B. Russell	....	transportation coordinator
Timothy Stephens	....	driver

Other crew
Mikayla Abromowitz	....	script supervisor
Sunny Antrim	....	production assistant
Dawn Barkan	....	animal trainer
Nicholas R. Bell	....	production assistant
Alex Borys	....	location assistant
Jane Bulmer	....	assistant: Arnon Milchan
Jonathan Butterell	....	choreographer
Tom J. Carlisle	....	production assistant
Adam Carroll	....	production assistant
Amy Carter	....	first assistant production accountant
Wendy Cohen	....	research consultant
Brad Combs	....	assistant: Arnon Milchan (as Michael Bradley Combs)
Katie Daily	....	assistant: Eric Kopeloff
Guy Efrat	....	location scout
George Fok	....	title designer
Daniel Fortin	....	title designer
Dr. Marianne Gillow	....	consultant: psychiatry
Robin Gonsalves	....	assistant: Marc Forster
Audra Gorman	....	location coordinator
Brian Hall	....	production assistant
Carlos Haynes	....	production assistant
Michael F. Keenan	....	police technical advisor
Nelson Khoury	....	unit location assistant
Christine Leaman	....	assistant location manager
Chris Leonidas	....	location assistant
Annaliese Levy	....	assistant: Naomi Watts
Adam Linn	....	technical consultant: Bob Hoskins
Elana Joy Livneh	....	avid apprentice
Larry Madrid	....	animal trainer
Darren Maynard	....	production assistant
Patrick McDonald	....	key set production assistant
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach
Bruno Michels	....	production assistant: second unit
Anthony Morrison	....	production assistant
Eric Myers	....	publicist
Kip Myers	....	location assistant
Laura Nelson	....	technical consultant: Bob Hoskins
Neda Niroumand	....	assistant: Tom Lassally
Sammy Pasha	....	assistant: Bob Hoskins
J. Brent Peebles	....	accounting clerk
Patricia Porter	....	payroll accountant
Angela Quiles	....	production coordinator
Carla Raij	....	location manager
Kathleen Rodriguez	....	additional set production assistant
Vernon Rodriquez	....	assistant parking coordinator
Christopher T. Sadler	....	production assistant
Clint Scott	....	production assistant
William Sepulveda	....	craft service
Helen Sideris	....	second accountant
Troy Smith	....	production assistant
Julie Ann Snow	....	production accountant
Eugene Stamos	....	additional craft service assistant
Michael Taylor	....	script supervisor
Nicholas Thomason	....	assistant production office coordinator
Sylvain Tron	....	production assistant
Mimi Turner	....	assistant location manager
Eva Vedock	....	craft service
Steven Wargo	....	key craft service
Joe Wehmeyer	....	production assistant: second unit
Andrew Zee	....	assistant: Bill Carraro
Red Reynolds	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sibel Tinar	....	location supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• New Regency Pictures
• Epsilon Motion Pictures
• Regency Enterprises

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Bontonfilm (2006) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2006) (Argentina) (all media)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• PlazaVista Entertainment (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Pixel Liberation Front (pre-visualization)
• Steve Johnson's Edge FX (special prosthetic effects)
• FX Cartel (visual effects)
• Buzz Image Group (visual effects)
• Klon Films (visual effects)
• Merlin Visual Effects (visual effects)
• Fogstudio (visual effects) (as FOGstudio)
• Frantic Films (visual effects)
• Intelligent Creatures (visual effects)
• Image Savant (computer animated light effects)
• Riot (visual effects)
• Gear & Rose (motion control equipment) (as Gear+Rose, New York)

Other Companies

• Camera House, The  lenses
• Camera Service Center  ARRI cameras
• Camera Service Center  camera cranes and dollies
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  adr recording (as De Lane Lea)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints (as Deluxe)
• Epoxy  title design
• FX Cartel  visual effects
• Global Entertainment Partners  avids and telecine provided by
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Laser Pacific Media  digital intermediate (as Laser Pacific)
• Navesync  special video projection
• Pacific Ocean Post  adr recording (as Pacific Ocean Post Sound)
• Ron Rose Productions  adr recording
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Sound One  adr recording (as Sound One Corp.)
• Technicolor Sound Services  adr recording
• Technicolor  color
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  adr recording (as Todd-AO West)
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  adr recording (as NBC-Universal)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some disturbing images.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Mexico:B15 | Czech Republic:15 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Norway:15 | Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-15 | Hungary:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Malaysia:U (DVD) | Brazil:14 | UK:15 (original rating) (cut) | UK:18 (video rating) (uncut) | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Columbia University - Broadway & 116th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

New Regency Pictures

Trivia:

The Dream sequence of the falling down a spiral staircase was filmed in St. John's Cathedral in New York City.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: All of the books in the "bookstore" that Dr. Foster visits as he is trying to find Henry have library identification labels on their spines, revealing that the scene was actually shot in a public library (the 58th Street branch of the New York Public library in Manhattan, as it turns out).

Quotes:

Sam Foster: I've read your file.
Henry Letham: Well can I read your file?
Sam Foster: Tell me why you're here.
Henry Letham: I thought you read the file.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Writing the Music for 'Stay' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Cold Water

A Mixed Pot of Stew

STAY is a strange bird of a movie, one that you must be rested and in the mood for to watch, and one that asks that you forget the usual linear storyline and stay alert every minute. Directed by Marc Forster (Monster Ball, Finding Neverland, and the upcoming The Kite Runner) and based on a story and screenplay by David Benioff (Troy, The 25th Hour, and the upcoming The Kite Runner!), STAY is more a mind-bending visual excursion that explores some dark psychological questions dealing with life, death, suicide, occult, and a mélange of all of these.

The opening of the film is a twisted visual experience that has to do with a car crashing on a bridge, fire, and a body - all given during the opening credits. We then meet psychiatrist Dr. Sam Foster (Ewan McGregor) as he encounters a college student patient Henry Lethem (Ryan Gosling) whom he is seeing for his colleague, the emotionally exhausted Dr. Beth Levy (Janeane Garofalo). Hesitant to work with a 'substitute psychiatrist' Henry eventually tells Sam he is planning to commit suicide that Saturday at midnight, a re-enactment of his painter idol's absurd life. Sam's artist girlfriend Lila (Naomi Watts) was herself a suicide attempt rescued by Sam and offers her help in dealing with Sam's patient. Sam also gleans advice from his mentor, the blind Dr Patterson (Bob Hoskins) and after numerous attempts to contact his associate Beth for information, Sam strikes out on his own in an attempt to understand Henry before he destroys himself. He looks up Henry's mother (Kate Burton) whom Henry says is dead, discovers when Henry meets Dr Patterson that Henry claims Patterson is his father and is also dead. Ultimately Sam engages the services of a mental institution run by Dr Ren (BD Wong) and gains the promise that the institution will put a hold on Henry so that he will be unable to commit suicide.

In the midst of this race Sam's world begins to crumble, people don't make sense, stories clash, and Sam tumbles around in a state closely resembling madness until the final frames when the entire situation of the film is made clear. Nothing is as it appears when dealing with the thread that separates life and death. The script is clumsy, the camera work is distractingly of kilter, little gimmicks are used to the extreme, and the tiny roles of supporting characters hardly merit the gifted actors such as Hoskins, Burton, and Garofalo. Ryan Gosling is again tossed into a role that is starchy and unidimensional and despite his fine work his character remains aloof. McGregor and Watts do the best they can with the script but end up becoming tropes wandering in from other similar stories.

So why give the film 8/10 score? Because despite all the defects it does engage the mind and forces the viewer to set aside the general principles of understanding and just release the mind to a crazy ride. That is healthy film making and deserves attention. Grady Harp