Do you like sad movies? Love stories?  Sappy chick-flicks? If you said yes to any of those questions, “If I Stay” would be a movie you’d enjoy.

Chloe Grace Moretz, widely known for her performance in the Carrie remake, plays Mia Hall, the lead actress in “If I Stay,” a dramatic film based on Gayle Forman’s 2009 best-selling novel.

Having previously read the book, I had high expectations for the movie. Moretz is a phenomenal actress and can play any role she’s given.

Mia is a passionate cellist who falls in love with a punk-rock singer from a local band.

Jamie Blackley plays her boyfriend, Adam. His acting during certain intimate scenes wasn’t terribly convincing, which was rather disappointing.

You couldn’t exactly see the connection they were supposed to have through his acting, although you could with Moretz’s. Even though his acting wasn’t at its finest, I still enjoyed watching their on-screen love story.

Mia’s parents, who were in the punk rock scene back in the day, pulled the film together. They were exciting, laid -back and encouraged her to do certain things that she was afraid of, such as going on her first date with Adam. The family the producers and Forman created was certainly “picture perfect.”

“If I Stay” can undoubtedly be categorized as a tearjerker. After being in a horrific car accident which kills her parents and little brother, Mia has to decide whether or not to live (stay) or die. From a view at her past memories to her present day life, this movie definitely tugs at your heart-strings.

As Mia is slowly dying, her boyfriend and grandpa each go to her bedside to say a few words. While her grandpa was explaining that it’s ok for her to go, that they know she is suffering, all you could hear throughout the theatre was sniffling teenage girls.

Blackley made up for his poor acting by getting really into the scene as he’s expressing his love for his dying girlfriend.

This film gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me. It followed the novel really well, which made it even more exceptional. I won’t give away the ending, but let’s just say my expectations were definitely met and I left the theatre with no such thing as a dry eye.