Me Before You

I suppose I should begin with a spoiler warning in case you missed the headline, because I will go on to back up my points with evidence from the movie itself. I did read a couple of the negative reviews, so I wish to address some points made in those reviews first. The criticisms included that it was an ableist or discriminatory movie, that it failed to celebrate life, and that it cast people with disabilities as a burden. Also many people would have preferred a happier ending I admit to having agreed with many of their points throughout most of the movie. I was also hoping for a happier ending, but that is because I Identified mostly with Louisa and if I loved someone like that I would want to keep them with me as long as was possible. But then I thought about it from his perspective. I always said I wanted to be taken off life support if I was ever ruled brain dead. Partly so I can move on and my family can as well and partly so my organs could go to people who desperately needed them. But this is not that. A Quadriplegic could live a full and happy life: and many do. However, Will is not only a quadriplegic. He is one that led a very active lifestyle prior to his accident, yes, that is highlighted in the movie, but he also has a lot of pain We do not see the pain much because he hides it from Louisa. He is also susceptible to infections, and that when paired with weak lungs leads to repeated bouts of pneumonia. I am someone with asthma severe enough that I get bronchitis several times a year. And it is terrible. It is medicines around the clock and struggling to force air into your lungs and when you finally can breathe, you still can't function because the side effects last hours. To be clear, my illness is manageable, and I would not end my life because of it. Still, I have imagined it getting worse and I don't think I could handle that at all. I have imagined situations where I would wish to die comfortably and with dignity as opposed to in terrible pain. Maybe that makes me weak. Maybe it makes me selfish. I'm sure people will have varying opinions, but to me it means I can avoid significant pain and my loved ones can mourn all at once instead of being subjected to a long, drawn out illness, and then a death on top of that. Is the movie ableist? I don't believe so. I find that we see Will doing many things and as a result we believe he will finally change his mind...at least I genuinely did. Will is also a human being with agency over himself. We see that his mind stays incredibly sharp throughout his illness, with the exception being when he does not have the energy to be witty when he is hospitalized with pneumonia. He knows what he is doing and he has weighed the consequences. It is sad for the people who love him, but they come to respect his decision because it is his alone. Does it fail to celebrate life? I did not find it to do that. I feel that despite the ending it really was a celebration of life and love, but I can see why people would think otherwise. Does it cast people with disabilities as a burden? I think there are certain realities that come with caring for a person living with a disability or an illness. Schedules are different for caretakers. We do not see the financial burden in the movie because there isn't one for the family. They have the resources to hire caretakers and change their home to suit their son's needs. Will is luckier than he could be if his financial situation were different. But we do see the emotional toll it takes, particularly on his mother. I do not think the movie portrays anyone who cares for Will as finding him to be a burden. We see an emotional impact, particularly with his decision to end his life. Should it have been happier? I would have liked that. But then perhaps I would not have tried to see things from Will's perspective. The power of his final decision, particularly after it being unexpected, caused me to reexamine what I thought from a different perspective. The movie made me think. About what I would do and feel in many different scenarios. I found the chemistry between the leads to be electric. Sam Claflin was believable as a quadriplegic. Emilia Clarke was expressive and endearing in a way I hadn't expected after only knowing her as a dragon queen. (I will note that seeing her meet with the man who played Tywin Lannister was quite jarring and it took me out of the movie in the scenes between the 2 of them for most of the movie.) The locations were beautiful and I found the camerawork to be different from the standard romance movie or drama. I am not sure how, but I am not a student of film either. I tend to prioritize overall story over aesthetics. I was glued to my screen throughout the movie. Every moment was used effectively and I never found myself reading the plot beforehand (which I often do when I get slightly bored during moviesI watch at home). Those moments added to the story with emotional impact. I had a lot of feelings and I cried for a good part of the movie. I also liked how the movie dealt with the issue of living on a low income. Louisa first stands up to Will when she explains how she is not leaving because she needs the money. I found that to be a powerful moment and the acting from the leads captured its intensity perfectly. He sees her as not living up to her potential. We then learn that she wished to study fashion, and was planning on attending university, but did not go to help her family. This ties in to the theme of growth. Love changes people because they grow. When you watch this movie you watch two people grow into different people from who they were at the start. It really is beautiful. It also adds to the heartbreak at the end. Could it have been handled better? Perhaps the jump to her in Paris at the end was a bit cold. I am not sure how it could have been better. I know the scene where he left her money so she could seize her potential was important. In that way we know he left her something and we learn he planned it from the point of the meeting with the estate lawyer. He loved her way before they shared a kiss. I keep the rating at 5 stars despite the slightly sloppy ending and pacing that can occasionally be perceived as off. This is because it made me feel and it made me think. It kept my attention and I love the story. I disagree with criticisms from other reviewers. I have tried to back up my opinions, but in the end it is only an opinion on a work of art.

If you’re looking for an inspirational movie or craving for a delightful ending, this isn’t the one. But if you like one that makes your heart leap for joy, gives you butterflies in your stomach and lump in your throat, or in a nutshell can give you an emotional roller coaster , THIS is it! I already watched it a couple of times yet it always feels like it’s the first time. I just discovered this almost 2 years ago and how interesting that a month after watching it, my husband got into an accident that broke his left leg into two, that at times, he also would talk about assisted suicide, so this movie is very relatable. For those who don’t know, this movie is an adaptation of Jojo Moyes’ trilogy novel “Me Before You”. It brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, “what do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?” In spite of many negative reviews that say it supports suicide, I found it rather relatable and realistic. I know people want something inspirational but not all can see life through rose-colored glasses regardless of your social status or what you have. Will Traynor for example , the man who seemed to have everything in his life before his accident —good looks, beautiful girlfriend, empeccable career and tremendous wealth still chose to end his life. I know it’s quite preposterous and It’s easy to say he’s very selfish but he’s been suffering both physically and emotionally and in my opinion, he doesn’t want to end his life but the pain. Some commented that others have it worse yet are still thriving to survive. Not that I support nor encourage assisted suicide , but what’s not within the scope of others’ understanding is that Will’s condition is beyond being quadriplegic, obviously his physical condition has greatly affected his psychological health. Addressing the root cause of the problem could probably have helped him. Regardless of the ending, I still positively love it! The actors were fantastic, Emilia Clarke was perfect for the role, she’s ravishing! Her personality is similar to the character she’s portraying. And Sam Claflin was rather regal, a vision that made me watch some of his movies —“A Drift” and “Love Rosie” , try to see it too, it won’t disappoint. Can I just add that he literally lost some weight just to portray the character perfectly? He’s totally outdone himself! 👏🏻 Some of their dialogues that I like: Lou: You’re not giving life a chance, you’re not giving me a chance. Will: You’re pretty much the only thing that makes me wanna get up in the morning Will: Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle. Will: Knowing you still have possibilities is a luxury , knowing I might have given them to you Will: Don’t think of me too often, I don’t want you getting sad. Just live well. Just live. And I’ll be walking beside you every step of the way. I’ve been waiting for the second part of this movie but for the meantime, If you want the continuation of this story, read Jojo Moye’s “After You” and “Still Me.”

What an excellent movie. I typically read the book before I watch the motion picture, however this time I didn't, so my review is based purely on the movie alone rather than a comparison between novel and movie. Lou (Clarke) is a stunningly beautiful and seemingly socially awkward woman that is trying to find her place in the world and a new career because nothing seems to fit. Some failed jobs and a few searches later, in comes the Traynor's, whom are searching for a caregiver for their son. Will (Claffin) was in a horrible accident that results in him becoming paralyzed and leads to him having an angry outlook on life. After some time, Lou starts to win Will over with her colorful clothing, witty banter, and her beautiful views on life. She provides comfort for the Traynor family. With some unexpected twists and turns in the plotline, this film with have you crying, laughing and crying while laughing.Bring a box of tissues and a friend and enjoy!

One of my favourite movies. Will not disappoint.

Très bon DVD bilingue

Il est handicapé du bulbe . Elle le torche. Et c'est une love story qui commence entre 2 couches et 2 lavages de fesses. Il est beau , elle est belle mais pourquoi veut il mourrir???

MUY AGRADABLE CONSERVAR ESTA PELÍCULA. EN MUCHOS ASPECTOS LEVANTA EL ÁNIMO POR LA ACTUACIÓN DE LOS ACTORES Y EL MENSAJE QUE LLEVA LA NOVELA EN SI MISMA. MUY PUNTUAL LA ENTREGA DE AMAZON