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"STAY"
(2005) (Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Heavy Mild Moderate Moderate
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate Minor Mild None Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Heavy Mild Moderate Heavy Moderate


QUICK TAKE:
Drama/Suspense: A psychiatrist tries to figure out what's real and what's not as he attempts to prevent a college student from committing suicide.
PLOT:
Sam Foster (EWAN McGREGOR) is a New York based psychiatrist who occasionally works at the local university where he's dating art professor Lila Culpepper (NAOMI WATTS), a former patient of his with a suicide attempt in her past. Sam discusses his worries -- that she might relapse -- with blind friend Leon Patterson (BOB HOSKINS), but he now has a new but related client on which he must focus his attention.

He's college student and amateur artist Henry Letham (RYAN GOSLING) who claims he's killed his parents, and thus is going to commit suicide in three days. Lila thinks she should talk to him since she obviously has had a similar experience, but Sam won't let her, for a number of reasons. Instead, he tries to figure out what's going on inside Henry's head. Yet, as he does so by interviewing him as well as others -- such as waitress and aspiring actress Athena (ELIZABETH REASER) who previously made an impression on the troubled student -- Sam's perception of reality starts to skew in bizarre ways.

With the time slipping away toward Henry's stated date with his destiny, Sam races to figure out what's really going on and stop the student from taking his life.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Older teens might be intrigued by it, but unless anyone else is a fan of someone in the cast or the filmmaker (behind "Finding Neverland" and "Monster's Ball"), it doesn't seem too likely.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For language and some disturbing images.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • EWAN McGREGOR plays a psychiatrist who's concerned about Henry's threat of committing suicide while also being worried about Lila possibly becoming suicidal again. He briefly uses strong profanity.
  • RYAN GOSLING plays a disturbed young man and artist who smokes, uses strong profanity and claims he's going to commit suicide due to having killed his parents.
  • NAOMI WATTS plays Sam's girlfriend, an art professor with a suicide attempt in her past. She briefly uses some strong profanity.
  • ELIZABETH REASER plays the waitress and aspiring actress who made an impression on Henry in the past.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a brief summary of the content found in this dramatic thriller that's been rated R. Not everything turns out to be what we initially see, hear or are led to believe, but the following is present. Profanity consists of at least 16 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some brief, but sexually explicit dialogue is present, as is the sight of some scantly clad, pole dancers in a strip club.

    A man threatens another person with a gun, a man takes a bad fall on some steps, and a bad, solo car crash is seen several times (from inside the car), with several people dying from that. They're bloody and other scenes shows blood suddenly flowing from people's heads (in a surreal fashion). Those scenes and other potentially creepy moments and a man preparing to commit suicide might be unsettling or suspenseful for some viewers. Other suicide related material is present.

    Some drinking and smoking occur, as does some potentially imitative behavior, while a disturbed man claims he killed his parents (although we later learn that's not the case).

    If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

    For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that during a lightning storm as well as a later scene where a passing subway car creates a similar effect.

    For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there is a great deal of bouncy and other such camera movement (including the camera being mounted on the chest of a person looking at them -- thus making them stationary but the scene around them whipping around, etc.) in various scenes.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • A woman states that she started drinking then taking a lot of pills to kill the feelings.
  • Lila says she's been looking forward all day to a drink and then has some whiskey.
  • Sam says that the normal tradition of turning 21 is going out and getting drunk.
  • Sam tells a woman that she can't drink and take her pills (she appears out of it).
  • Some miscellaneous people drink in a strip club.
  • Sam briefly takes a drink from a glass that may have something alcoholic in it.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • We see several large suicide scars on Lila's wrist.
  • We see two bad looking burn marks on Henry's forearm from where he's previously snuffed out lit cigarettes.
  • An old painting in a class shows soldiers pointing rifles and a dead person on the ground with blood around them. We then see one of a fallen matador who has a little bit of blood by him.
  • Sam meets Henry's mother, who's supposed to be dead. Blood then starts running out from the scarf around her head, first a trickle and then more down her head and on her clothes.
  • We see a red mark on Sam's arm when he gets a shot for a dog bite there.
  • We see several quick, flash images of bloody people.
  • We see a woman chopping up raw meat from a side of beef with a large butcher knife in a restaurant.
  • We suddenly see blood running from Henry's head (from behind his hair), starting with a trickle and then more streams (pooling on the street below him), with everyone just standing there and staring at him.
  • Some people come across an accident scene where three victims in the mangled car are dead and bloody, and a fourth is lying bloody and mortally wounded on the street.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Henry lights up and continues to smoke on a subway car despite a man telling him smoking is prohibited. Henry eventually snuffs out the cigarette into the flesh on his own forearm.
  • Henry claims that he killed his parents (and is going to kill himself over that), but we later learn that's not the case (although he believes it).
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • We see a car crash from the point of view of being inside the car that appears to roll over several times (it's hard to see exactly what's occurring). We then see Henry sitting on the bridge next to the burning car before he finally gets up and starts to walk away.
  • We see several large suicide scars on Lila's wrist.
  • Henry holds his fingers and hand to his head in the shape of a gun, showing Sam what he's going to do to himself.
  • An older couple takes a photo of Henry in an aquarium, adding that he's not going to make it. We then see those photos in Lila's place.
  • We see a flash image of a dead body.
  • Sam and others find the words "forgive me" written in tiny print all over Henry's walls.
  • A kid sees Henry and asks his mom, "Is that man going to die?"
  • Sam meets Henry's mother, who's supposed to be dead. She's acting weird, though, and is in a house empty except for her dog. That woman thinks that Sam is Henry and then blood starts running out from the scarf around her head, first a trickle and then more down her head and on her clothes. He tries to help her, but the dog then attacks him, biting him on the arm. When Sam later talks to the local sheriff, that man states that Henry's mother and father died in a car accident, and Henry later says his dog was put to sleep when Henry was 12.
  • We see several quick, flash images of bloody people.
  • Some viewers could be unnerved by scenes that repeat themselves, thus giving off a creepy aura.
  • Just by holding his head, Henry gets Leon to see.
  • We see a flashback to people in a car just as the tire suddenly blows and everything goes topsy-turvy (all seen from inside the car). This scene and/or parts of it are then repeated several times.
  • We suddenly see blood running from Henry's head (from behind his hair), starting with a trickle and then more streams (pooling on the street below him), with everyone just standing there and staring at him.
  • Sam races to stop Henry from killing himself at night on the Brooklyn Bridge. He gets there and Henry is carrying a gun, makes Sam back off and then puts the gun into his mouth. Sam looks away as Henry pulls the trigger (we hear the shot but everything then turns to light -- no blood, etc.).
  • Some people come across an accident scene where three victims in the mangled car are dead and bloody, and a fourth is lying bloody and mortally wounded on the street. They then try to comfort that severely injured and very bloody person before they die.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Handguns: Carried and/or used to threaten a person and seemingly commit suicide. See "Violence" for details.
  • An old painting in a class shows soldiers pointing rifles and a dead person on the ground with blood around them.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Who the f*ck are you?" "Put out the f*cking cigarette," "What the f*ck /do I know/do you know?" "Don't f*cking say that," "F*ck you," "Pretty f*cking mad," "How about you don't f*ck with me right now?" 'It's (not) sh*t," "Oh sh*t" and "You old klutz."
  • Henry lights up and continues to smoke on a subway car despite a man telling him smoking is prohibited. Henry eventually snuffs out the cigarette into the flesh on his own forearm.
  • Henry holds his fingers and hand to his head in the shape of a gun, showing Sam what he's going to do to himself. He later puts a real gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger.
  • Lila shows a bit of bare midriff in her top as does Athena later.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • A hand suddenly slams against a glass door.
  • A car suddenly flips over and crashes (seen from inside it).
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A mild amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 16 "f" words (2 used sexually), 5 "s" words, 2 craps, 1 ass (used with "hole"), 1 damn, 3 uses of "Christ," 2 each of "G-damn," "Jesus," "Oh God" and 1 use each of "Jesus Christ," "Oh Christ," "Oh Jesus" and "Oh my God."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Sam playfully tells Lila "Now, take off your clothes" and she smiles, but the scene ends there.
  • Sam tells Lila that he needs to make a call and then they can take a bath together. We see him filling the tub and removing his shoes, but nothing else happens.
  • Commenting on another professor's positive critique of a student's work, Lila says it's because the teacher "wants to f*ck every cute boy in class."
  • A woman tells Sam, "You're not supposed to f*ck your patients" (referring to Lila).
  • Henry goes into a strip club where the sign outside reads "Peep-o-Rama" and 25 cents. Inside, we see some pole dancers (in bikini style tops and bottoms slowly moving around and on the poles, including one who allows the pole to run down between her mostly bare butt cheeks.
  • We see Athena's bare lower back as she leans forward while sitting and her short top rides up. We later see her standing and see her bare midriff.
  • SMOKING
  • Henry smokes at least 4 times.
  • Henry lights up and continues to smoke on a subway car despite a man telling him smoking is prohibited. Henry eventually snuffs out the cigarette into the flesh on his own forearm.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Henry says his parents are dead and buried in a nearby cemetery.
  • Henry reacts adversely to seeing Leon, stating that he's his father who's supposed to be dead.
  • Henry states he's going to commit suicide, saying that he killed his parents.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Suicidal attempts and thoughts.
  • The comment that the world is an illusion.
  • Henry states that he's hearing voices.
  • Lila says she's stopped taking her medication, adding that she doesn't need it anymore (regarding her depression).
  • Being blind.
  • Lila briefly comments on her having a back-up razor ready when she tried to commit suicide just in case she dropped the first one half-way through.
  • Lila stating that there's too much beauty to quit life.
  • Athena jokes that they're doing an all-lesbian version of Hamlet.
  • VIOLENCE
  • We see a car crash from the point of view of being inside the car that appears to roll over several times (it's hard to see exactly what's occurring). There's talk that Henry was responsible for this (he claims that, but we later learn that's not the case).
  • We see one patient having to be restrained by several people before receiving a shot of sedative.
  • An old painting in a class shows soldiers pointing rifles and a dead person on the ground with blood around them. We then see one of a fallen matador who has a little bit of blood by him.
  • Henry overturns a table in anger.
  • Sam tries to help a woman, but her dog then attacks him, biting him on the arm.
  • Sam briefly grabs Henry by the clothing and the scene appears to then reverse itself (Henry holding Sam that way) before going back again.
  • Henry pushes Sam back and then holds a gun close on him, saying that he killed his (Henry's) parents.
  • While following Athena who then disappears from sight down a tightly wound stairwell, Sam slips, falls and bangs the back of his head.
  • We see a flashback to people in a car just as the tire suddenly blows and everything goes topsy-turvy (all seen from inside the car). This scene and/or parts of it are then repeated several times and we later see the bloody and/or dead passengers.
  • Sam races to stop Henry from killing himself at night on the Brooklyn Bridge. He gets there and Henry is carrying a gun, makes Sam back off and then puts the gun into his mouth. Sam looks away as Henry pulls the trigger (we hear the shot but everything then turns to light -- no blood, etc.).



  • Reviewed October 18, 2005/ Posted October 21, 2005

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