MovieChat Forums > Stay (2005) Discussion > One point of clarification still needed ...

One point of clarification still needed SPOILERS

posted 12 years ago by hexedd
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I am of the opinion that it was all Henry going through "purgatory," as if his life (the alternate dream "reality" he creates) was literally flashing before him in a moment. This is very similar to the plot of Dead Man and Jacob's Ladder, particularly the latter one. He constructs an alternate life while his soul or consciousness is deciding whether he is to live or die. He decides it's better to die having lost everything and everyone he loves.

One thing I am still confused on though is why Henry felt responsible for killing his girlfriend and parents. Was it because it was his car that had the front tire blow? That seems like an odd reason to blame yourself, seeing as 99% of the time that is a complete accident that cannot be avoided. That would be like blaming yourself for walking people down an icy street and having one of them slip and hurt themself. Is there something else I'm missing?

[–] scum_manifesto 12 years ago

Well, I just felt that Lila and Sam kept telling him it was not his fault because they were really sorry for him. She even accepted his proposal for marriage.

But! We might not know if Henry is somehow guilty or not. Maybe the fact that he's not is a resolution to the film, as during his whole dream he's been feeling guilty about something. He seemed quite gone of the head, so, we don't know. Maybe the accident was a suicide itself. Maybe he'd even prefer to die than to be rejected in his proposal.

[–] hexedd 12 years ago

It does seem like his "soul" is feeling guilt for something though, which is why he is constantly punishing himself throughout the movie and feeling bad, and constantly reminding Sam that he killed his parents and "did horrible things" etc.

One point of clarification still needed *SPOILERS*

One point of clarification still needed SPOILERS