STAY

US, 2005, 105 minutes, Colour.
Ewan Mc Gregor, Naomi Watts, Ryan Gosling, Bob Hoskins, Janeane Garofalo, B.D. Wong.
Directed by Marc Forster.

Director Marc Forster came to world attention with his sombre drama Monster’s Ball for which Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar. This was tough and frank drama. He surprised his fans by making a completely different film next – the story of J.M.Barrie, Finding Neverland, with Johnny Depp. It was a charming and thoughtful film, an excursion into early 20th century British sensibility. Now, Stay, is something completely different.

However, it may be too difficult in terms of plot clarity and issues to win the support that his previous films have gained.

It is probably best described as a ‘supernatural thriller’, though, in reality, there is not so much supernatural in it. Is it a ghost story? Is it a story of psychological possession? Is it a story of therapy – and its failure? Is it a kind of purgatorial story of atonement and expiation? Or all of the above? Maybe the best advice is to sit back and be absorbed – but my guess is that many will be tempted simply to give up and tune out.

Stay opens with a car accident and ends with another death on the Brooklyn Bridge. Ryan Gosling portrays a mysterious young man seen walking from the accident – and then his face is superimposed on that of Ewan Mc Gregor. Mc Gregor is a psychologist, living with an artist (Naomi Watts) whom he has saved from a suicide attempt. Suicide becomes one of the themes as the young man lets his therapist know that he plans to kill himself: Saturday, midnight, the Brooklyn Bridge.

What transpires before that is the random appearance and disappearance of the young man, the psychiatrist’s attempts to find him and save him as well as encounters with a blind professor friend (Bob Hoskins) whom the young man claims is his father, with the man’s mother (who is supposed to be dead) and a burnt-out therapist. At times Mc Gregor is mistaken for the young man. Those who know the young man do not recognise him.

So, is this New York a kind of hell (as the young man suggests) is it a place of making an account of one’s life, a purgatory? The end and the gathering of the people in the man’s life suggests the latter. But…?

1. A psychological thriller? A study in a psychological case? The clarity of the plot? Obscure?

2. New York City, the dark side of America? The Brooklyn Bridge? Apartments and offices? Authentic feel – or surreal? The mood of the score?

3. The title and its references to Henry, to Sam, to Lila – and to taking one’s life instead of staying in this world? The mystery of staying in this world after death?

4. The opening accident, suggestions in the flashbacks, the accident at the end? Themes of death, spirits, spirits wandering? Overtones of Purgatory? Direct references to Hell? The individual being alone? The pessimistic ending?

5. The atmosphere of ghosts? Henry and Sam becoming interchangeable? Lila and her attempted suicide? Her recognising Sam but calling him Henry? Henry’s mother recognising Sam? Henry’s father – the professor or not? The bookseller not recognising Henry on the train?

6. Themes of identity, others identifying a person? The possibilities of possession and doubles?

7. Henry’s story, the arts student, seen with his studies, his artwork? The exhibition? His love of reading? His psychological breakdown? Relationship with his parents, their deaths, the accident? Going to the psychologist – and Beth having a breakdown? Sam taking her place? His coming and going? Enigmatic statements, the reference to the hailstorm? Sudden appearances? The smoking on the train and his being told off by the bookseller? Visiting the professor, claiming he was his father? Coming to him again, healing his blindness? Sam visiting his mother? His knowing about Lila and her attempted suicide? His reappearance, Sam searching for him? His plan, the suicide on Brooklyn Bridge, the model of his favourite artist? Reading all the books? On Brooklyn Bridge, the accident, his death? Sam and Lila trying to help?

8. Lila and Henry’s mother saying that Sam was Henry? The bookseller not recognising Henry on the train? The audience seeing interchanging images of the two faces?

9. Sam and his work, his skills, taking Beth’s place – and his visit to her and her breakdown and erratic behaviour? Living with Lila, love for her? The story of his saving her from her attempted suicide? At work? Ordinary yet becoming possessed by Henry? The sessions, his psychological questioning? Henry’s vanishing? Sam and Lila caught in the hailstorm? His visiting the professor, playing chess? Going to visit Henry’s mother, her wound, offering him food? The discussion with the other psychiatrists? Frederick and the talk? His watching the class? His continued search for Henry, going to the bookstore? His bewilderment? Lila wanting him to confide in her? Going with Lila to Brooklyn Bridge? Henry’s death? The aftermath?

10. Lila, with Sam, her ordinary life, the motivation for her suicide attempt? Her wanting to talk about Henry, wanting Sam to trust her? Wanting him to break the rules? Her art, her need for affirmation, low self-esteem? Understanding Henry, his art? The search, present at his death?

11. The professor, his skills, blind, playing chess with Sam? Henry’s going to meet him – and his being healed of his blindness? His talking with Sam afterwards?

12. The professors, their work, their lectures? Beth and her work?

13. The bookshop owner, on the train, in the shop, knowing Henry, his assistant?

14. The presence of all these significant characters at Henry’s death? As if his life was going by him?

15. The questions about life after death, ghosts, spirits?