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In this romantic drama, based on a best-seller by a female author that has been devoured by hordes of female readers, a filthy-rich 30-ish man who has shut down his emotions forms a relationship with a fetchingly unsophisticated, younger woman of modest means who is willing to tend to his needs. What starts off as strictly a business proposition eventually grows into a more personal and cozier connection.

Quick, name the movie.

You and your dirty mind are probably thinking “ Fifty Shades of Grey ,” right? Now think again and replace the explicit kink with lovey-dovey canoodling and all that bondage gear with a wheelchair. What you have is “Me Before You,” an exercise not in S&M marathons but an almost completely chaste wallow in sob cinema, the Hollywood prototype of which is “ Love Story .”

Luckily, many of the plot’s maudlin pitfalls are greatly mitigated by the film’s utterly infectious leading lady. Emilia Clarke ’s performance is winningly immersed in charming gawkiness and heartfelt sincerity while sporting a deliriously kitschy wardrobe heavy on eye-popping primary colors and loud butterfly prints. So much so, it might put you in mind of when you first witnessed the blinding incandescence of Julia Roberts' widescreen-ready smile or the delicate allure of Keira Knightley ’s cameo-locket features.

Of course, “Game of Thrones” devotees have long been bowing down before this British actress and her impressive display of bewitching bad-assery as the silver-haired dragon-keeper Daenerys Targaryen. But she hasn’t quite broken through on the big screen yet. Instead, she proved all too capable of being as forgettable as anything else in last summer’s “ Terminator Genisys ” as the young Sarah Connor.

But only those who are allergic to adorable clumsiness and dewy-eyed sincerity will be able to resist Clarke as Louisa, a sheltered small-town girl with a big personality, too few ambitions and deep concerns for her family’s economic welfare. She even has a unique secret weapon: A set of incredible dancing eyebrows that appear to be under the spell of a snake charmer.

We all should be thankful—save, perhaps, those who voted her Esquire ’s Sexiest Woman Alive last year—that Clarke turned down starring in “Fifty Shades of Grey” (too much nudity) and waited for this opportunity. To be fair, there of echoes of many other more edifying sources—“An Affair to Remember,” “ Pretty Woman ,” the French import “ The Intouchables ”—that reverberate through this “ Beauty and the Beast ” fantasy as it unfolds in a quaint English village. That the struggling working-class town’s picturesque views are dominated by a massive castle further enhance the sense that this is a contemporary fairy tale.

Ensconced in said fortress in his own stylish yet sterile bachelor pad cocoon is 30-ish Will Traynor, who once was a dashing financial whiz, devotee of extreme sports and bon vivant lover of ravishing women before he was left a quadriplegic two years earlier after a traffic accident. As played by Sam Claflin (Finnick Odair in “ The Hunger Games ” franchise), Will is initially toxic, filled with resentfulness and bitterness over losing his once-wonderful life. He also struggles with chronic pain and finds little joy in existing anymore. That begins to slowly—very slowly—change once lovely Lou enters his world, after being hired by his concerned mother ( Janet McTeer of “ Albert Nobbs ,” adding what layers she can to an underdone part) and father (played by a Charles Dance , a few degrees warmer than usual).

Lou is supposedly a caretaker, although she soon discovers that there is an affable male nurse about to handle the more medical-related and personal hygiene concerns. Instead, she is intended to be a ray of sunshine to dispel the storm clouds that lend to their son’s sagging spirits and boost his desire to live. With a considerable arsenal of withering sarcastic retorts at his surly disposal, Will puts up quite a defense. But one rainy day, he decides to watch a French DVD—“ Of Gods and Men ,” about Trappist monks living in war-torn Algeria—and the ice between him and Lou begins to melt after he learns she has never seen a subtitled movie before.

There are some roadblocks that aren’t as easy to overcome—such as Lou’s clearly incompatible long-distance-runner beau and the fact that Will learns his pre-accident girlfriend is engaged to marry one of his best friends. Then a rather dire agenda of Will’s is revealed, one that will not be exposed here though it is unfortunately treated with all the ham-fisted tentativeness of the worst of those Nicholas Sparks adaptations. This causes Lou to double down on making Will happy by taking him to Mozart concerts, heading to the racetrack and going on a swoony trip to Mallorca. Do they fall for each other? Mais oui .

But weep porn does what weep porn must, even though—unlike my excessive waterworks during "The Fault in Our Stars"—I found no need to dip into the promo Kleenex handed out at my screening. First-time filmmaker Thea Sharrock does an able job keeping us invested in her two main characters while punching up their emotions with Ed Sheeran and Imagine Dragons on the soundtrack and serving up some tasty supporting characters such as Brendan Coyle of "Downton Abbey" fame as Lou’s dad and Joanna Lumley of "Absolutely Fabulous" acclaim as an uncensored wedding guest.

But given that the film’s catchphrase is “Live boldly!,” it’s a shame that "Me Before You" didn’t take a bolder and more honest route in its adaptation of the novel by Jojo Moyes , who also wrote the screenplay. Still, if this flick helps Clarke get ahead in the movie biz, it has done at least one thing right.

Susan Wloszczyna

Susan Wloszczyna spent much of her nearly thirty years at USA TODAY as a senior entertainment reporter. Now unchained from the grind of daily journalism, she is ready to view the world of movies with fresh eyes.

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Film credits.

Me Before You (2016)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some suggestive material.

Emilia Clarke as Louisa "Lou" Clark

Sam Claflin as William "Will" Traynor

Janet McTeer as Camilla Traynor

Charles Dance as Steven Traynor

Vanessa Kirby as Alicia

Thea Sharrock

Writer (novel)

Cinematographer.

Remi Adefarasin
John Wilson
Craig Armstrong

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Review: ‘Me Before You’ Is a Refreshingly Honest Tearjerker

David ehrlich.

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“ Me Before You ” is such a wonderfully uncynical movie that it almost doesn’t matter that it isn’t very good. Adapted by Jojo Moyes from her beloved 2012 novel of the same name, this industrial-strength tear-jerker has all the subtlety of being hit by a runaway motorcycle, but it’s amazing how even the most strained of love stories can be completely revitalized by a palpable human touch. This may look like a Nicolas Sparks knockoff, but the difference between “A Walk to Remember” and “Me Before You” is the difference between “2001” and “Chappie.”

Louisa Clark (“Game of Thrones” star Emilia Clarke , hardly recognizable without her dragons) is a spirited 26-year-old from a struggling middle-class family. Essentially a live-action Disney princess, Lou dresses as though she’s channeled all of the excitement that’s missing from her life into her eccentric wardrobe, and she wears her emotions so broadly on her face that she might as well be a human emoji. Alas, this bubbly creature is a bit down in the dumps — the bakery where she works has been forced to lay her off, and Lou is growing convinced that her potential is as dim as her job prospects. She’s lost sight of what the world has to offer her, and what she might have to offer the world in return.

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Desperate for work, Lou interviews to be a caregiver for Will Traynor, the newly quadriplegic hunk who lives with his family in the massive castle at the center of town. Showing up to the audition in an ’80s-era power-suit that splits down the thigh as soon as she meets Will’s severe mother (Janet McTeer), Lou couldn’t be more clearly unqualified to care for another human being. She’s hired on the spot.

READ MORE: “Me Before You” Director Thea Sharrock Discusses Bringing the Book to the Screen

As per the grand tradition of thinly veiled “Beauty and the Beast” knockoffs, Will is a miserable ass until the new woman in his life finds a way to pierce his icy veneer. Embodied with terrific pompousness by “Hunger Games” star Sam Claflin , the actor uses his high cheekbones and peevish eyes to convey everything about the man Will was before the runaway motorcycle accident that crippled him (Claflin reportedly lost a bunch of weight for the role, but even bound to his motorized wheelchair it’s clear that he’s still a strapping physical specimen).

She’s poor and provincial, but she has the world at her feet. He’s rich and experienced, but has no feeling in his legs. Lou and Will inevitably fall in love and begin to see life anew through the joy they give one another, but there’s one snag that keeps the romance anchored to the ground: Will wants to kill himself.

Directed with rare intimacy by theater veteran Thea Sharrock (she oversaw the recent revival of “Equus,” fronted by Daniel Radcliffe), “Me Before You” bends some of its genre’s most tiresome tropes into a love story that hits with the blunt impact of a broken heart. This is a glossy melodrama fit for the multiplexes (Remi Adefarasin’s sparkling cinematography allows the movie to double as a feature-length ad for Wales), but it hits a nerve because Moyes’ story never betrays its characters or what they want from the world, and because the sweetness of its candied telling doesn’t overwhelm the truths at its core.

Clichés abound: Of course Lou has a boyfriend (Matthew Lewis, who seems to have been injected by the Captain America serum since his days as Neville Longbottom), and of course he’s such a complete dolt that no one will judge Lou for ditching him at the end of the second act. In fact, for a film about such an unfortunate predicament, much of the messiness is swept under the rug.

Lou never has to confront the ugly physical realities of caring for a severely impaired person, as Will has a kind aide (Aussie actor Stephen Peacoke) who takes care of all the dirty work. As narratively convenient as that may be, it’s also a reasonable setup for a super-rich man who needs round-the-clock assistance. Moyes and Sharrock, however, have no such excuse when it comes to why their film elides so many of its most traumatic moments.

“Me Before You” isn’t “Amour,” nor does it have to be, but the blunt emotional honesty of its story is only sustained by circumventing so many of the tragic details that might have galvanized Will’s dire situation. “Me Before You” wants you to cry, but it doesn’t want you to suffer. It’s a difficult needle to thread — to quote the Ed Sheeran song that inevitably plays over the climactic moments: “Loving can hurt. Loving can hurt sometimes” — and one that the film negotiates by coating its unflinchingly frank melodrama with a thick layer of Hollywood shine.

But the human element shines through, thanks in large part to Sharrock’s flair for intimacy — most of the movie is set in the excited air between Clark and Claflin’s faces — and the sincerity of her film’s supporting characters, the boyfriend notwithstanding. In most versions of this story, Will’s parents would be borderline monsters who felt as though their son had failed them, and the fact that his father is played by Charles Dance (whose characters typically range from “evil” to “the most evil”) braces you to assume the worst. But while the Traynors have their understandable share of disappointments, their love for Will is every bit as palpable as their diminished hopes for his future.

It also helps that Lou thaws into less of a cartoon as “Me Before You” begins to flip the script on most popcorn melodramas — here, the manic pixie dream girl is the one who’s lost the swing in her step, and the man she’s been sent to fix is literally broken beyond repair. “I can make you happy,” Lou pleads to Will, but she may not be able to make him whole. This is a Movie with a capital “M,” but it’s the rare romance that becomes more beautiful by virtue of how it recognizes that even true love has its limits.

“Me Before You” is now playing in theaters.

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Me Before You Reviews

Ableism as Romance makes disabled partners look like burdens and erasure look like love.

Full Review | Aug 17, 2021

The ultimate treatment of the heart of this story leaves us with a more bitter than sweet taste.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 3, 2021

Sigh. Folks. It's 2016. I mean, seriously. Aren't we past these pathetic stereotypes by now? Can't we move away from these ridiculous disability as tragedy storylines?

Full Review | Original Score: 1.0/4.0 | Sep 1, 2020

It doesn't have anything interesting to say about its themes or characters - they all exist within a generic and simplified love story.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Jul 13, 2020

I didn't get it.

Full Review | May 1, 2020

I didn't approve of it. I think it's a bad message to be sending.

Through sheer force of charm alone, Claflin puts the audience into his moneyed and manicured corner, to wish him whatever happiness he and his chipper miss can muster.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Oct 21, 2019

The necessary dramatic 'crescendo' does not proceed naturally as it should, but in a completely automatic way, following each and every one of established clichés. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Aug 21, 2019

Sure it looks glossy and has pretty people in it but the message is horrible.

Full Review | Original Score: D- | Apr 12, 2019

Unfortunately, a handful of quality performances isn't nearly enough to salvage Me Before You.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Feb 19, 2019

The film unintentionally comes off more cynical than romantic. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Feb 12, 2019

While I expected too much of Me Before You, I still enjoyed it.

Full Review | Jan 10, 2019

Me Before You is one of the most refreshing romance movies to hit the big screen in a long while.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Jan 9, 2019

Although a stereotypical story with type-cast characters, the subjects depict the human experience and appeal to sympathetic audiences and romantics, its simplicity giving it the ability to connect to audiences on a universal level.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 22, 2018

A film adaptation of a much loved book always comes with great expectations, and Shakespearean director Thea Sharrock did not let us down. This is an excellent maiden effort.

Full Review | Aug 22, 2018

Simply put, this is escapism at its worst. But who cares? Some tear ducts are in need of cleaning, and if it takes a possibly offensive and badly directed melodrama to do the job, then let it do it.

Full Review | May 1, 2018

Leaving aside the complex issue of assisted dying, one of the film's biggest problems is how much Me Before You shields the audience. For a supposed romance, it's surprisingly prudish.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 22, 2018

How awful ... the moment you realize that everything about their relationship -- gooey, romantic junk food that it is -- is merely the lead-up to a much grander emotional manipulation.

Full Review | Mar 6, 2018

You cannot change who people are, but you can accept them for who they are, giving and taking to do everything in your power to make both lives special while they last

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 5, 2017

It is hard to appreciate a narrative that can only skim the surface but then again Emilia and Sam's chemistry makes you buy into their cozy world.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 7, 2017

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‘me before you’: film review.

Cinderella story meets end-of-life dialectic in a romance starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin and based on Jojo Moyes' popular novel.

By Sheri Linden

Sheri Linden

Senior Copy Editor/Film Critic

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A bubbly, broody love triangle in which death is the third party, Me Before You stars Game of Thrones ’ Emilia Clarke as the caregiver of a quadriplegic, portrayed by The Hunger Games’ Sam Claflin . Brought together by need — hers for a job, his for a friend — they’re chalk and cheese, and therefore, by the rules of the movie-romance game, meant for each other. There’s no question that Jojo Moyes’ adaptation of her popular novel, directed by Thea Sharrock , has more on its mind than such storytelling conventions. But far too much of this high-gloss tearjerker proceeds as a by-the-numbers romantic fantasy, nudging the viewer every step of the way.

The chemistry between the leads and a few finely etched supporting turns provide welcome counterweight to the movie’s formulaic progression, welcome especially for those who have seen their fair share of entries in the love-story-with-medical-complication subgenre . Those who haven’t — teens and young adults — will most appreciate the feature, but all-ages fans of the book and of cryfests like The Fault in Our Stars (whose screenwriters had at one point been tapped for the adaptation) will be eagerly getting out their handkerchiefs.

Release date: Jun 03, 2016

At the big-screen helm for the first time, stage wunderkind Sharrock takes a straightforward approach, relying on such familiar tools of the trade as the pop-song-backed montage and ping-pong cross-cutting in conversations. She reserves the film’s visual flourishes for its design elements and settings, and the drama opens with one of its most striking images: two lovers in a bed so white and fluffy it might be a cloud, or a romance novel cover. Dashing go-getter Will Traynor ( Claflin ), waking in his London dream pad beside his girlfriend (Vanessa Kirby), is starting another glamorous day.

The opening section sets up the yin-yang between thirtysomething Will and 26-year-old Louisa “Lou” Clark (Clarke) with admirable economy. In contrast to his moneyed joie de vivre , she still lives in the cramped home of her parents (Brendan Coyle and Samantha Spiro ) and, like many women in screen romances, has a boyfriend (Matthew Lewis) who’s cartoonishly wrong for her. Lou’s explosively colorful girlie getups announce her quirky vivacity — costume designer Jill Taylor has a field day with fuzzy sweaters and polka-dot shoes — but any ambitions attached to that creativity have fizzled.

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Distributors: Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Production companies: New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present a Sunswept Entertainment production Cast: Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin , Janet McTeer , Charles Dance, Brendan Coyle, Stephen Peacocke , Matthew Lewis, Jenna Coleman, Samantha Spiro , Vanessa Kirby, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Joanna Lumley Director: Thea Sharrock Screenwriter: Jojo Moyes , based on her novel Producers: Karen Rosenfelt , Alison Owen Executive producers: Sue Baden-Powell Director of photography: Remi Adefarasin Production designer: Andrew McAlpine Costume designer: Jill Taylor Editor: John Wilson Composer: Craig Armstrong Casting: Kate Dowd

Rated PG-13, 110 minutes

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Film Review: ‘Me Before You’

By Andrew Barker

Andrew Barker

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Imagine “The Intouchables” with more romance and less chemistry, crossbred with a far tamer version of “Pretty Woman” so lacking in eroticism that its PG-13 rating seems unduly harsh, and you’re halfway toward picturing Thea Sharrock ’s “ Me Before You .”

Pairing a working-class British lass with an icy, quadriplegic aristocrat whose heart she’s been hired to melt, “Me Before You” would seem to boast a can’t-miss premise — class divides and medical misfortune being the peanut butter-and-jelly of tear-jerking romance. But Sharrock’s technically-sound yet workmanlike direction never sells the emotional peaks and troughs, the characters are alternately too exaggerated and too buttoned-down to come to life, and the final resolution pushes the film into morally provocative territory that it has neither the inclination nor the courage to confront.

That said, considering the popularity of Jojo Moyes’ bestselling source novel (she adapts her own work here), and Hollywood’s bizarre reluctance to make the sort of big-hearted romantic dramas that would seem to be its most reliable date-night draws, the film ought to do solid business, burnishing the rising careers of its star s, Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) and Sam Claflin (“The Hunger Games” movies).

Though Clarke is the clear protagonist, Claflin is the star of the film’s first reel. Here he’s cast as Will Traynor, a debonair London financier from a family rich enough to own its own castle, who spends his spare time skiing, windsurfing, cliff-diving and bedding flashy women. In spite of these high-risk pursuits, he’s horribly injured the one time he tries to play it safe: Opting against taking his motorcycle to work on a rainy morning, he’s hit by a bike while crossing the street and left paralyzed.

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Two years later, we find ourselves in an unnamed English country town, backgrounded at all times by the looming Traynor castle in the distance. Twenty-six-year-old Louisa “Lou” Clark (Clarke) has lived here all her life, helping support her large extended family as a waitress. She’s burdened with a limp noodle of a boyfriend (Matthew Lewis), who ignores her to pursue his twin passions of running and entrepreneurship; to wit, he’s introduced running laps in his “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” shirt.

Guileless, naïve and accident-prone, Lou is such a ray of sunshine that her offer to wrap up a customer’s leftover sandwich elicits the sort of reaction you’d usually see from recent lottery winners, but she’s thrown for a loop when her quaint tea shop closes down.

Heading to the unemployment office, she’s assigned a lucrative temp position at the Traynor mansion. The job, essentially, is to be a paid companion for Will, who now sports scraggly hair, a beard, and an arsenal of withering quips. As the script is a bit too quick to note, her position doesn’t require her to do any of the real heavy lifting that caring for a quadriplegic demands, with bathroom and bathing duties handled by a hunky nurse (Stephen Peacocke). No, as Will’s imperious mother (Janet McTeer) and kindly father (Charles Dance) explain, she’s there to cheer him up.

Like too many filmic depictions of good-hearted lower-class people, Lou is clearly meant to be relatably ordinary, but instead comes across as frustratingly dim, if not emotionally stunted: She is equally aghast by the notion that her caregiver job requires her to occasionally dispense medication as she is by the revelation that Will watches films that require subtitles. Yet in spite of her continually insane wardrobe and borderline ineptitude, Will eventually warms up to Lou, hoping to expand her provincial horizons, and she starts to bring a bit of genuine cheer into his sterile abode.

However, Lou soon learns the real implications of her job: Distraught by the loss of his old lifestyle and beset by chronic pain – in keeping with the film’s misguided gentility, we’re often told of his suffering, yet scarcely allowed to really feel it – Will plans to end his life at a dying-with-dignity facility in Switzerland. He’s promised his mother to spend six months weighing the decision, and she hired Lou as part of a last-ditch campaign to help change his mind. Horrified, Lou starts plotting a series of outings and luxury vacations to brighten Will’s life.

These are deep, complicated issues the film wades into, and it quickly winds up out of its depth. Aside from its inelegant way of addressing the politics of euthanasia — with the con side represented by a character, never previously identified as religious, now prominently wearing a crucifix — “Me Before You’s” admirable presentation of a disabled person as a swoon-worthy romantic lead collides awkwardly with its implicit suggestion that perhaps such a life isn’t even worth living, and the undercurrents of wish-fulfillment leave a sour taste. The skittish delicacy with which it tiptoes around the realities of quadriplegia doesn’t help; 2014’s romance “The Fault in Our Stars” was far bolder and more honest about the painful details of living with serious medical difficulties, and that was a film aimed at teenagers.

Claflin and Clarke are both effortlessly appealing actors, yet neither of their performances really click. Clarke has a hugely expressive face, but too often here she simply cycles back and forth between aggressively adorkable cutesiness and dewy-eyed pathos, as if she’s continually modeling for either a Kewpie doll or a marble statue of the Pietà. The range of Claflin’s character is likewise limited, with his attitude toward Lou shifting on a dime from condescending distaste to condescending affection.

Sharrock, a veteran theater director making her filmmaking debut, certainly maintains an air of sweetness throughout, and several scenes throb with unexpected resonance. The dignified mortification on Will’s face when Lou recruits a gang of blokes to lift his wheelchair out of the mud is affectingly underplayed, and a late wedding scene hums with the sort of real romantic charge that goes missing elsewhere. But too many of the bigger moments play out with curious airlessness, as on-the-nose music cues from Ed Sheeran and Imagine Dragons give heavy scenes a saggy atmosphere.

But that’s “Me Before You” in a nutshell: A melodrama with soft-rock ballads where its beating heart should be.

Reviewed at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Calif., May 20, 2016. MPAA rating, PG-13. Running time: 110 MIN.

Production: A Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures release of a New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production. Produced by Karen Rosenfelt, Alison Owen. Executive producer, Sue Baden-Powell.
Crew: Directed by Thea Sharrock. Screenplay, Jojo Moyes, based on her novel. Camera (color), Remi Adefarasin; editor, John Wilson; music, Craig Armstrong; production designer, Andrew McAlpine; costume designer, Jill Taylor; sound, Tim Fraser; supervising sound editor, James Mather; re-recording mixers, Mather, Mike Prestwood Smith; assistant director, Phil Booth; casting, Kate Dowd.
With: Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance, Matthew Lewis, Stephen Peacocke, Jenna Coleman, Brendan Coyle, Samantha Spiro, Vanessa Kirby, Ben Lloyd-Hughes.

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Review: In ‘Me Before You,’ a Broken Man Meets a Free Spirit

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By A.O. Scott

June 2, 2016

A recent screening of “Me Before You” concluded with audible sniffles and even a sob or two. Why not gales of laughter or quiet snores? These are the mysteries that trouble a critic’s uneasy mind. This floppy British romance, directed by Thea Sharrock and adapted by Jojo Moyes from her best-selling novel , sits at the point where tedium, ridiculousness and heartfelt sentiment converge, separated by an all-but-imperceptible distance. You can’t really argue with someone else’s tears. You can, however, find yourself mystified by them.

Which is not to say that there is anything especially hard to figure out about this movie. On the contrary: It makes a virtue of its absolute obviousness. The first time we see Louisa Clark — known as Lou and played by Emilia Clarke — we note her brightly colored tights and surmise that she is a quirky free spirit. And she is! In contrast, Will Traynor ( Sam Claflin ), is imperious and sarcastic, both because he is an aristocrat (in an actual castle) and because an accident has left him mostly paralyzed from the neck down.

Lou, having been laid off from a job dispensing bogus nutritional advice to old ladies at a tea shop, is hired by Will’s mother ( Janet McTeer ) to care for him. “Not the physical stuff,” Lou is assured. Those duties are taken care of by an affable Australian (Stephen Peacocke). Lou’s assignment is to be cheery and pleasant. To keep Will company and interrupt his brooding with chipper chattiness. To annoy him until he falls in love with her.

Movie Review: ‘Me Before You’

The times critic a. o. scott reviews “me before you.”.

His part of the bargain is to soften in her presence and to introduce her to sophisticated pleasures like Mozart and movies with subtitles. Lou already has a boyfriend, a self-centered fitness nut named Patrick (Matthew Lewis), but as soon as you see him, you will know better than to expect a werewolf-versus-vampire rivalry for a young woman’s affections. This is not “ Twilight. ”

But “Me Before You” does live in the same “Twilight”-fan-fiction neighborhood as “ Fifty Shades of Grey ,” though without the spanking or the atrocious dialogue. (Not that the dialogue here is any good. It’s just not especially memorable, one way or the other.) The operative fantasy is of an ingénue who seduces, and is seduced by, a man who is rich, powerful and also helpless, in need of rescuing by the heroine even as she finds herself in his thrall.

The ending of this movie, though, which I suppose I’m honor-bound not to spoil, is another matter altogether. It will be described in some quarters as tragic, but this doesn’t seem quite right. For one thing, there has not been enough genuine dramatic conflict to give sad events the full, cathartic weight of tragedy. For another, the conclusion might not really be sad at all. Lou gets a lot of money and a fresh croissant. So maybe I had it all wrong, and those tears were tears of joy.

“Me Before You” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Discreet discussions of death and sex . Running time: 1 hour 51 minutes.

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Me before you, common sense media reviewers.

Touching but manipulative romantic drama about life, death.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

You can't control what someone else does, thin

Louisa is deeply empathetic and optimistic; she pr

A man is hit by a motorcycle (the accident isn'

The movie opens with a couple in bed, kissing; his

Words used include "s--t," "hell,&q

Products/brands seen include Apple/Mac, Subaru, Ad

Social drinking, occasionally to excess (no seriou

Positive Messages

You can't control what someone else does, thinks, or feels; you can simply love them and have compassion for them. Also: Make the most of your life, because it's the only one you've got. Always be open to new experiences, and keep an open mind when dealing with difficult people. ( Possible spoiler! ) Will represents a view that life isn't worth living if you're disabled, which many find problematic and/or offensive. But Lou fights hard to promote the opposite message.

Positive Role Models

Louisa is deeply empathetic and optimistic; she prefers to look on the bright side of life, even when it's actually dreary and tragic. Will, despite his melancholy and frequent rudeness, eventually opens himself up to friendship and love, though some viewers may ( possible spoiler! ) take issue with the fact that he believes that life isn't worth living if you're disabled. Lou and Will's parents' want what's best for their kids, and their love for them is clear. Patrick means well and comes off more sympathetically here than he did in the book.

Violence & Scariness

A man is hit by a motorcycle (the accident isn't shown but is heard). A glimpse of wrist scars hints at a suicide attempt. A main character frequently suffers illness and painful episodes. Some arguing/confrontation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

The movie opens with a couple in bed, kissing; his naked chest and her naked side are shown. A couple of other kisses, and a few allusions to sex (including non-disabled characters pondering the logistics of quadriplegic sex) and brief references to porn and a lap dance. Talk of a woman's form-fitting dress being "too booby"; a couple of other shots of/references to cleavage. A shaving scene feels very intimate.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Words used include "s--t," "hell," "stupid," "ass," "bloody," "swear to God," "shagging," "bitch," "idiot," "sod it," "a--hole," "damn," "tossers," "piss off," "Jesus" (as an exclamation)

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Products/brands seen include Apple/Mac, Subaru, Adidas.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Social drinking, occasionally to excess (no serious consequences). Will must take a lot of prescription medications.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Me Before You is a romantic drama based on Jojo Moyes' moving novel about a young woman ( Emilia Clarke ) in a tiny English town who takes the job of caring for an unhappy man ( Sam Claflin ) left paralyzed after being hit by a motorcycle. Expect some swearing (including "s--t," "bitch," "a--hole," and more, though not constantly), some drinking (sometimes to tipsiness), and racy content -- although there's nothing graphic, certain scenes feel very intimate, and there are some passionate kisses and references to sex and a woman's breasts/cleavage. While there are moments of levity and sweetness, the film's tone is a somber overall and sometimes downright tragic. The two main characters learn a lot from each other, especially about opening yourself up to different ways of thinking, but some viewers may find Will and his point of view problematic, since ( spoiler alert ) he feels that life isn't worth living if you're disabled. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

Parents say (20)
Kids say (46)

Based on 20 parent reviews

A missed opportunity to send a positive message instead of a horrible one

Touching but problematic, what's the story.

In ME BEFORE YOU, Will Traynor ( Sam Claflin ) was once a high-powered financier in London who grabbed life by the horns -- but after a motorcycle collision leaves him paralyzed, all he can think of is the pain he feels on a day-to-day basis, and he longs for a permanent escape. Enter Louisa "Lou" Clark ( Emilia Clarke ), a quirky, optimistic former waitress who needs a job to help with her family's finances. Even though she doesn't have any relevant experience, Lou is hired to be Will's companion and caretaker. What she does have is a deep well of kindness and joy, which she taps when she decides she wants to give Will a real reason to live. But can love conquer all?

Is It Any Good?

This movie treads a tricky line, both infuriating and charming viewers. The charm can be chalked up to star Clarke; she makes Lou the type of beguiling creature we've seen in films before who's often known as a "manic pixie dream girl" -- quirky, irreverent, and usually irresistible. Which is also where the infuriation comes in: The MPDG usually serves the function of making a male protagonist feel lightened and leavened, without experiencing much development herself. (All we really know about Lou in the movie is that she's cheery, optimistic, and kind; wears wacky clothing; and dreams of being in fashion in some vague way -- she was more fully developed, tragic back story and all, in the book .)

And then there's the fact that Me Before You feels somewhat manipulative, with its BIG. SAD. FEELINGS. No melancholy moment is left unaccompanied by too-on-the-nose music, no delicate interaction between Lou and Will is spared a close-up. There's also a feeling of condescension toward the have-nots and the disabled. Will is portrayed as fundamentally dissatisfied with a life that -- even though family money affords him comfort and and round-the-clock care -- apparently just isn't good enough because he misses his old life, one that Lou herself (and, by extension, the film) has characterized as shallow. But perhaps most upsetting of all is how, despite all of this, Me Before You works on a certain level. You'll likely cry (in between eye-rolls) and be moved and root for the couple, for Lou, and for the idea of hope and renewed joy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Will is portrayed. Do you find his view of being disabled problematic? Can you see why disabled people might? What do you think about how disabled people are portrayed in the media generally? Do disabled characters tend to come off as stereotypes rather than complex individuals?

How do the characters demonstrate compassion ? Why is that an important character strength?

How does Me Before You handle the class differences between Lou and Will? Does it glamorize the idea of a "good life"? Does it contradict itself in some ways?

Talk about how movies and TV shows sometimes have idealized female characters whose job appears to be to cheer up male characters and show them another way of living. Is this stereotypical/limiting? Is it uplifting? Can it be both?

For those who've read the book, which do you like better, and why? What parts were left out of the movie that you missed? How do you think they impact the story?

Movie Details

In theaters : June 3, 2016
On DVD or streaming : August 30, 2016
Cast : Sam Claflin , Emilia Clarke , Jenna Coleman
Director : Thea Sharrock
Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors
Studio : New Line Cinema
Genre : Drama
Topics : Book Characters , Friendship
Character Strengths : Compassion
Run time : 110 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : thematic elements and some suggestive material
Last updated : October 13, 2022

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Me Before You

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

In movie weepies, from last century’s Love Story to the millennial likes of The Fault in Our Stars and anything by Nicholas Sparks, death is the ultimate aphrodisiac. Just get a load of Me Before You. I watched the film version of Jojo Moyes’ 2012 bestseller surrounded by women who laughed through their tears and vice versa. The few dudes in attendance sat stoically, resigned to their fate or maybe holding back their feelings. Surprise: Me Before You isn’t an unduly painful endurance test.

For that, thank the two captivating actors cast as the doomed lovers. Emilia Clarke is best known as the blond, dragon-taming Khaleesi on Game of Thrones. But here she plays brunette, plain-Jane Louisa “Lou” Clark, from a rowdy, working-class British family. Lou becomes the caretaker for blue-blood quadriplegic Will Traynor, played with winning charm by Sam Claflin of The Hunger Games franchise. Will is an impossibly handsome London financier who was paralyzed two years ago when a motorcycle accident ended a lifestyle that would have qualified him for the best season ever of The Bachelor. His wealthy family owns the British castle right over the hill from Lou’s humble abode.

Chatty, dimpled Lou, whose wardrobe of Minnie Mouse stripes and polka dots would send fashionistas into a shock coma, is improbably hired by Will’s mum (Janet McTeer, restrained and remarkable) to distract her son from offing himself at an assisted-suicide clinic in Switzerland. Not since Julia Roberts tried to smile Campbell Scott back to life in 1991’s dismal Dying Young has an actress had to grin like a maniacal cartoon character in the face of the Grim Reaper. Yet, Clarke pulls it off, exuding natural warmth and humor in a part constructed from artificial sweeteners.

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OK, she could have twinkled less. But the actress is genuinely endearing, as is the admirably dry-eyed and acid-tongued Claflin. He teaches Lou about Mozart and subtitled movies and admits to a weakness for Michael Bay’s Armageddon (he lost me there). Will thinks Lou’s clothes are ridiculous but falls — as he must — for the real her. A few moments allow both actors to register strongly. I’m thinking of a scene in which Will whirls Lou around a dance floor in his wheelchair. Peering at her neckline, he says, “you wouldn’t let me near those breasts if I wasn’t in this chair.” The two share a few PG-13 kisses as Lou tries to show Will the possibilities in choosing life. But the movie keeps averting its eyes when things get uncomfortable about the tangle of sex and frustration. Like the book by Moyes, who wrote the script, the film glosses over suffering with beauty. The messier duties of caring for Will are handled by male nurse Nathan (Stephen Peacocke), also a looker. Everyone is gorgeous and impossible not to love.

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If I seem taken aback by what is really no more than typical Hollywood twaddle, it’s because Me Before You is the feature film debut of Thea Sharrock, a leading light in the British theater and the last person you’d expect to go mucking around in paint-by-numbers tearjerking. A leading U.S. Disability Organization has criticized the film for implying that the millions of people with significant disabilities currently leading fulfilling, rich lives might be better off committing suicide. I don’t think Me Before You does that. But it also doesn’t grapple deeply enough with the core questions it raises, settling for telling a sob story that will go down easy at the box office. Still, you can’t blame audiences too much for being seduced by two shining young stars in a movie romance that hits the spot, bitter and sweet.

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Me Before You Review

TO LIVE BOLDLY

Since time immemorial in the cinematic world of movies, the romance genre has grown and flourished, engaging audiences and viewers with sweeping narratives of all things about love and the tender matters of the heart. Whether star-crossed lovers, reconnected childhood sweethearts, or the “fated chance” meeting of two individuals, romantic movies have span the ageless tapestry of moviemaking and producing some timeless treasures and some fan-favorite gems, including The Notebook, Titanic, Gone with the Wind , Breakfast at Tiffanys , Cascablanca , and many others. Now Warner Bros and director Thea Sharrock present the current moviegoer audience with the movie Me Before You , based on the book by author Jojo Moyes. Does this feature film find love or is it’s a brokenhearted mess?

Louisa Clarke (Emilia Clarke) is a gentle and perky young woman who’s having trouble securing stable employment that’s best suited for her talents, pressured to earn by her family to keep food on the table. By chance, an opportunity presents itself as Lou is offered a position as a caretaker for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a quadriplegic who’s perfect and privilege life with then girlfriend Alicia (Vanessa Kirby) was taken away from him after a horrible accident. Choosing to isolate himself while his parents, Camilla (Janet McTeer) and Stephen (Charles Dance), strive to support his new reality of being confined in a wheelchair, Will is immediately cold and distance to Lou, rejecting her bubbly and quirky personality. Lou, determined to win over her charge, tries to connect with Will through various activities and simple conversations, eventually (over time) discovering feelings for Will as he goes through a difficult but important decision-making process concerning his future.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

As a personal taste in movies, the romance genre isn’t my forte. I’m not bashing the genre and its catalogue of movies, it’s just not my “preferred” choice of movie to watch (give me an animated, action, or Marvel blockbuster over a romance movie). Still, I seeing several of the big / iconic ones like Titanic , The Notebook, Roman Holiday , Gone with the Wind , etc. I even tried my hand at reviewing one last year when I saw The Age of Adaline. So usually seeing a romantic flick isn’t on my “to do list” of seeing movies. Which brings me to me seeing Me Before You . Of course, when I first saw the trailer, I was intrigued because of all the recognizable actors and actresses in the movie. Since the movie was based off of a book, I then decided to read the book (I usually try to make a strong emphasis to do so) and took my mom to go see the movie as a late “Mother’s Day” present. As it turns out, I probably liked it a little bit more than she did. While the movie does have its faults, Me Before You is still a present feature to fall in love with.

Thea Sharrock, who has previously TV episodes for The Hollow Crown and Call the Midwife, makes her feature film directorial debut with Me Before You. For the most part, Sharrock does a pretty good job with the movie, establishing Will’s life before his tragic accident in the film’s opening scene and then quickly shifts to Louisa’s life as the kind-hearted person who is seeking a job employment. Like all romance movies, the two lovers meet and fall in love with one another and Sharrock gives her two actors (Clarke and Claflin) a lot of time to do so, sharing the juxtaposition of their lifestyles and personas (Louisa is eccentric, perky, and from a working class family, while Will is melancholy, sarcastic, and from a wealth privileged family). I do have to commend Jill Taylor, the film’s costume designer, for her work on this feature. The outfits that she made for Clarke’s Louisa is truly outstanding with different variations of it (big kudos). Another person I have to mention is the film’s cinematographer Remi Adefarasin who presented the feature with sweeping cameras angles and position. In all honesty , Me Before You is beautifully crafted as a theatrical film.

As said above, Me Before You is adapted from the book of the same name by author Jojo Moyes. Moyes, who has written 13 novels so far, also lends a hand with the film, penning the script for the movie. However, its kind of a mixed bag of sorts. Yes, the script hits a lot of the familiar scenes from the movie (both joyfully and sad), but the movie fumbles in some of its storytelling. Most notable is in the character of Will. While he is understandably negative (a little bit of a “Debbie Downer”) and sarcastic temperament towards Louisa’s overall perkiness, his attitude, after a while, seems to be on the up and up with her new caretaker companion. Meaning, there’s no conflict between him and Lou as they both fall in love with each other as both characters seem to fall in love with each other right off the bat (beyond a couple of scenes of the two not getting along).

Also, like a lot of “page to screen” movies, the film seems to omit several scenes from the book that probably could’ve been beneficial towards this theatrical adaptation. One particular is Lou’s investigation into understanding quadriplegic, which the movie had the platform to speak about this, but elects not to. In short, while the movie isn’t syrupy and sappy like a Nicholas Spark’s film adaptation, Me Before You could’ve been better in the script department, which is strange as the author of the book wrote the movie’s screenplay.

Like a lot of romance movies, the two central characters (the two who fall in love) are usually the main focal point in the film’s narrative. Luckily, Sharrock and her crew selected two fine individuals to play Louise Clarke and Will Traynor. Emilia Clarke, most recognizable from HBO’s Game of Thrones , is incredible as Louisa Clarke. She’s perky and bubbly and completely nails the character, capturing an extremely endearing persona that you actually care for (I certainly did). It’s a great role for Clarke to perform (a role that’s suited better for her than her one in Terminator: Genisys ) and something completely different from her commanding role as Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones . Opposite Clarke is Sam Claflin as Will Traynor. Claflin, most notable from Starz’s television min-series Pillars of the Earth and The Hunger Games movies, does good work, but (to me) I think Clarke does a better job (again another problem with the script). Claflin as natural charm and, when the script allows him to be, expresses it vividly through his persona of Will, a man tortured by what happened to him. Still, it helps that both Clarke and Claflin play off of one another, making their chemistry with each other believable, using their talents to make Me Before You breezy and buy into their romantic relationship.

In supporting roles, Me Before You has talented group that play the story’s minor characters. Naturally, with a movie focused on its two central characters falling love, the minor characters are, more or less, pushed to the wayside and are simply there to strengthen two protagonists or help drive the narrative forward. Thus, these characters are mostly “underserved in the movie’s grand scheme”, but still are good because of the actors and actresses that play them. This includes Harry Potter alum Mathew Lewis as Louisa’s fit fanatic boyfriend Patrick, Samantha Spiro and Downton Abbey alum Brendan Coyle as Louisa’s working class parents (Josie and Bernard Clark), Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman as Louisa’s sister Katrina Clark, Janet McTeer and Charles Dance (another Game of Thrones star or rather alum) offer a sympathetic dynamic as Will’s parents (Camilla and Stephen Traynor), and Stephen Peacocke as Will’s male nurse assistant Nathan. As I said, all are good actors and actresses, but their characters are merely devices (whether story or characters devices) to move things along, which is shame because I do like all of them.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Love, loss, and living boldly is the mantra found in the movie Me Before You. Director Thea Sharrock feature is a movie that really tugs on the heartstrings and presents itself to a true “tear-jerker” for viewers everywhere. While the movie isn’t completely outstanding, with some noticeable problems in storytelling direction (formulaic) and several others, Me Before You is still enjoyable, with enough love and care put into it making the movie as well as a talented cast (especially in Emilia Clarke). Personally, I liked it. Yes, it was formulaic and there could’ve been several changes that could’ve made the movie better, but, in general, the movie was good (and that’s speaking from someone who really doesn’t like romance “tear-jerker” movies). Thus, I would recommend this movie. While it isn’t a sweeping epic like Titanic or memorable like The Notebook , but Me Before You succeeds in letting your heart swoon and swell with pleasant endearment as you (the viewer) follow the relationship between Louisa Clarke and Will Traynor.

3.8 Out of 5 (Recommended)

Released on: june 3rd, 2016, reviewed on: june 8th, 2016.

Me Before You is rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some suggestive material

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DVD & Streaming

Me Before You

Content caution.

In Theaters

June 2, 2016
Emilia Clarke as Louisa Clark; Sam Claflin as William Traynor; Charles Dance as Steven Traynor; Jenna Coleman as Katrina Clark; Matthew Lewis as Patrick; Janet McTeer as Camilla Traynor; Brendan Coyle as Bernard Clark; Stephen Peacocke as Nathan; Vanessa Kirby as Alicia; Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Rupert

Home Release Date

August 30, 2016
Thea Sharrock

Distributor

Warner Bros.

Movie Review

Louisa Clark is a “warm, chatty, life-enhancing presence with a lot of potential.”

That’s how the 26-year-old’s former employer, a café owner who is closing his business, describes her in a letter of recommendation after he’s forced to let her go. But despite the gaggle of glowing adjectives in that sentence, if anything, it still undersells just how exuberant, effervescent and extroverted Louisa really is.

Which are exactly the personality traits Camilla Traynor is looking for.

It’s not that she wants someone to talk to. It’s Camilla’s son, Will, who is in need of that after becoming almost completely paralyzed in the wake of a run-in with a motorcycle two years earlier. In a single, tragic moment, his dazzling career working in finance for his fabulously wealthy father (the family lives on a British estate that’s crowned by a massive castle) was cut short. As was his relationship with his girlfriend, Alicia, whom he promptly shoved out of his life. Now, most days, Will just sits sullenly in his wheelchair and mocks anyone who tries to cheer him up.

Which is exactly the treatment Louisa receives from him after she agrees to take the care-giving job for six months. What happens next is a version of the irresistible object running smack into an unstoppable force. After all, Louisa’s never had a bad day, it seems. And Will? Well, it’s been a very long time since he’s had a good one.

So long, in fact, that he’s convinced he’ll never have a good day again.

[ Spoilers are contained in the following sections. ]

Positive Elements

Louisa Clark is radiantly, sometimes maddeningly optimistic about life. And it’s not because hers has been easy. Most recently, she dropped out of college to move back home to help pay her parents’ bills, faithfully working at a café for six years while her unemployed father looked for work. But she’s hardly bitter. Instead, Louisa is a ray of sunshine to virtually everyone she meets—a character quality that’s reinforced by her struggling-but-positive parents and her sister, Katrina, who also lives at home.

Will treats Louisa so shabbily at first that she just about does decide to pack it in after the first 10 days or so of spending time with him. (She mostly serves as paid company for Will, as a kind nurse named Nathan takes care of most of Will’s medical and bodily needs.) But she doesn’t quit. And, as you might have expected, Louisa’s unsinkable, upbeat attitude eventually begins to rub off on Will. He starts smiling. Laughing even. And he agrees to go out on day trips that the tireless Louisa begins planning for him.

When Louisa learns that Will has been planning his suicide, she doubles her efforts to get through to him, suddenly realizing that her battle for his heart is a life-or-death matter. And for a time it looks as if she’s going to convince Will to change his mind by the sheer megawatt energy of her love for him. Along the way, she strongly confronts him for making what she calls a selfish decision.

Will grows to love Louisa, too, repeatedly telling her that she deserves a chance to grow and explore and “spread your wings.” He takes steps to care for her financially, and he kindly secures a job for her father.

Meanwhile, Louisa’s family supports her staunchly through her increasingly high-stakes relationship with Will. When she tells her dad that she’s failed to get Will to change his mind, her father wisely responds, “Who says you failed? You can’t change who people are.” Louisa retorts, “Then what can you do?” To which he says, “You love them.” For her part, Louisa’s mother is aghast at Will’s intention to have himself euthanized, telling her daughter, “You can’t be a part of this. It’s no better than murder.”

Spiritual Elements

Louisa’s mom wears a cross, and prays out loud before a meal. It’s implied that her faith is one of the reasons she’s adamantly against assisted suicide. “Some choices you don’t get to make,” she rightly says.

Sexual Content

Louisa wears a variety of outfits that reveal cleavage—sometimes quite a lot. She and her sister talk about an outfit (that we see) being too “booby,” and she wears a bikini at a tropical resort. While sitting on Will’s lap and “dancing” with him at a wedding reception, they joke about the proximity of her breasts to his face.

Louisa and Will kiss several times. On a holiday with him at a tropical island, she lies down next to him. He expresses how much it hurts him that he will never be able to make love to her. Also, someone jokes crudely about how a paralyzed person has sex.

Louisa and her old beau Patrick, meanwhile, have been dating for seven years, and they’re shown in bed together. Before his accident, Will is shown in bed with his lover, Alicia. (He’s shirtless, and we see her bare shoulders.)

Dialogue indicates that Katrina dropped out of college because she got pregnant. An ongoing joke between Will and Louisa references French gay porn. Louisa mocks married couples who drift apart emotionally and only have intercourse “once every six weeks.” There’s talk of bras and breast discomfort, lap dances, oral sex, “good bed baths,” and working at a hot wax spa. Will sarcastically tells Louisa that one of her colorful getups makes her look like a “leprechaun drag queen.”

Violent Content

Much of the drama in the movie turns around the question of whether or not Will will go through with his assisted-suicide plan. And in a review such as this, a spoiler in this regard is absolutely mandatory: He does go through with it, ultimately unswerving in his desire to die. He says repeatedly in several different ways that he cannot bear to live trapped in a mostly paralyzed body. And he essentially refuses to let Louisa love him as he is. “I can’t live like this,” he concludes. “I need it to end here.” And so he and his family fly to Switzerland where (offscreen) he instructs the doctors to put him to death.

We hear that Will has already tried to commit suicide and see scars on one of his wrists. A flashback shows him accidentally stepping out in front of the motorcycle. (We don’t see the impact.) With his wheelchair he intentionally rams a dresser bearing pictures of him from happier, pre-accident times.

Crude or Profane Language

About a half-dozen abuses each of Jesus’ and God’s names. One s-word. A handful each of “h—,” “a–,” “b–ch,” “d–n,” “arsehole” and “bloody.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Characters consume alcohol (wine, beer) in several scenes. Nathan reprimands Louisa for letting Will drink too much at a wedding reception. Several conversations refer to the various prescription medications that Will needs to keep his paralyzed body working.

Other Negative Elements

Louisa, Will and Nathan go to a horse track and place bets on the race. There are jokes about “farting.” Louisa crudely lashes out at a snooty restaurant hostess.

Me Before You , based on JoJo Moyes’ 2012 novel, aspires to be sweetly romantic … and ends up being a vulgar, maddening, frustrating movie that endorses euthanasia. It feels like an unlikely mash-up of Bridget Jones’s Diary and Million Dollar Baby . In other words, we’re introduced to a delightfully spunky heroine who manages to penetrate the self-pity of a paralyzed man’s heart … only to have him capitulate to self-pity in the most extreme way imaginable: by having others end his life.

But the real worldview-rending thing here is that Will’s choice —a word we hear so often these days in the company of subjects such as abortion, sexuality and gender—is presented not as selfish and cowardly but as sacrificial, brave and even noble. We’re supposed to applaud his willingness to spare the woman who loves him the “agony” of caring for him. And, indeed, the audience I saw the film with did applaud at the end.

After all, it’s his body, his life. He can do whatever he pleases with it, right? That’s the prevailing philosophical ethos of our day, of course. And it’s reflected in the choice Will cannot be dissuaded from making here.

1 Corinthians 6 roundly counters that ideology, of course, teaching us that our bodies are not our own; that they belong to God. Every life, even one our society might deem somehow less than the best, has immense dignity because of His breath of life that sustains it. And when we presume to decide who lives and who dies—even when it comes to ourselves—we’re both playing God and violently, irrevocably demeaning the life that He gives us.

Thus, the movie’s determination to romanticize assisted suicide sends the chilling message to others who suffer similarly that their lives aren’t worth living either. That they, too, should just kill themselves.

Does that sound harsh? It is harsh when we strip away the sentimental trappings and take a cold, hard look at what Me Before You is actually saying. With all due respect to Louisa, there’s nothing “warm,” “life-embracing” or full of “potential” about it.

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

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‘Me Before You’ Movie Review – Starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin

Me Before You Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin

You know the story. It’s played out many times before, although not with Me Before You ’s exact ending. Even if you haven’t read the book, just one viewing of the trailer lets you know everything you need to know about Me Before You before you buy a ticket. You can safely assume from the trailers and clips it’s a tearjerker centering on a mismatched couple who will, over the course of two hours, go from irritating the heck out of each other to discovering they’re soulmates. Been there, done that. There’s nothing new to see here, right? Not so fast. What you might not have been able to discern from the trailers is the genuine chemistry between Emilia Clarke as the optimistic, in over her head Lou and Sam Claflin as Will Traynor, a handsome, wealthy business man/extreme sports kind of guy whose life was tragically altered in the blink of an eye.

The romantic drama is based on the bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes who adapted the story for the screen, which should help fans of the book get past the “Hollywood always screws it up” hurdle. The story follows Louisa ‘Lou’ Clark (Emilia Clarke) who, after losing the steady job she depended on to help her parents pay the rent, goes through a series of employment misfires before landing a gig helping Will. Lou has a kooky fashion sense, preferring mismatched outfits consisting of crazy leotards and interesting knitted sweaters to any sort of normal work attire. Will’s initially thrown off not only by Lou’s daily selection of bizarre apparel but also by her perky personality and lack of a filter. She says what’s on her mind and that’s not something Will has experienced much of since the accident that shattered his body. Lou hasn’t had any training in assisting a person with disabilities, but she’s a fairly quick study and with the help of Will’s nurse, Nathan (Stephen Peacocke), she manages to get by when it comes to handling medical issues.

As the days go by, what began as an awkward, almost adversarial relationship transforms into something deeper than a working relationship – and deeper than just a friendship. Lou and Will benefit equally from their time spent together, with Lou developing a new sense of purpose and Will discovering his smile again. But, there’s a reason this one’s labeled a tearjerker…

Clarke and Claflin elevate the material which, although adapted by Moyes, barely scratches the surface of the book. Supporting characters from the book did not make the leap to the screen, and relationships that don’t directly involve either Lou or Will are either lightly touched upon or completely neglected. There’s also a surprising lack of urgency in Lou’s actions in the film that was present (and crucial) in the book after the major plot twist is revealed. And as a fellow critic and book fan pointed out immediately after the screening, the film makes it clear what the answer to the pivotal question will be while the book did a better job of teasing the decision and toying with the readers’ emotions.

Janet McTeer and Charles Dance are terrific as Will’s parents, and Matthew Lewis (best known as Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films) is not nearly as obnoxious as Lou’s exercise obsessed boyfriend as the character was in Moyes’ book. Peacocke’s also fine as Nathan, Will’s caretaker/nurse/friend, although the character is purely one-dimensional in the movie.

But, obviously, Me Before You depends on Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin’s performances to draw you into the story, and both deliver first-rate performances. Clarke in particular is a joy to watch as she nails the quirky, optimistic character while avoiding going overboard on the perkiness. Claflin’s forced into delivering a much more restrained performance and it’s a nice counter-balance to Clarke’s effervescent Lou.

I’d advise you to bring tissues and wear waterproof mascara to Me Before You , and to keep in mind the book and movie are separate creatures. Put aside what you know about the characters from the book and let the film stand on its own. Romantic tearjerkers are few and far between, and you’re not likely to find many better than Me Before You in theaters this year.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements and some suggestive material

Running Time: 110 minutes

Directed By: Thea Sharrock

Movie Review: Me Before You (2016)

Vincent Gaine
Movie Reviews
No responses
--> June 1, 2016

Me Before You belongs to a much-maligned genre. It features young adults and is based on a novel aimed at that demographic (like “The Fault in Our Stars” and “ Twilight ”); its focus is a young woman’s experience of a complicated relationship with her fellow generic archetype (like “The Notebook” and “ Dear John ”); the relationship features some highly emotional moments (like “The Fault in Our Stars” and “The Notebook”); it manipulates tears out of its audience through heartbreaking scenarios and pouring on the agony (like, you get the idea). It therefore fits the bill for a modern day weepie, a genre that is disparaged for rather dubious reasons.

Criticized as “women’s cinema” or (worse) for “girls,” the weepie has a reputation for frivolity, excessive emotion and somehow unhealthy manipulation. There are severe problems with the gender attitudes in this view, suggesting that films for women are somehow less worthy of critical attention than other films, presumably for men. Bombastic action films aimed at teenage boys also come in for a lot of stick, but that criticism is closely tied to age — either boys grow out of bombastic action films or the adult men who watch them have failed to mature. The idea that weepies are a lower genre aimed at women of any age is another way for patriarchal hegemony to demean women and characterize them as the weaker sex, open to emotional manipulation whereas men are intellectual, resistant and wise (provided they grow up and stop enjoying robots and superheroes).

When subjected to analysis, these views are rapidly exposed as utter excrement. Films aimed at an ostensibly “male” audience are also highly manipulative, as are potentially “intellectual” films. Furthermore, men can cry at tragic romances as well, as I can wholeheartedly and unashamedly report was the case during my viewing of Me Before You . But I also laughed, as Thea Sharrock’s film of Jojo Moyes’ screenplay balances wit and warmth with the worries and whimpers. All films are manipulative, and the question is whether a film is effective and not exploitative. When a character is disabled — Will Traynor (Sam Claflin, “ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 ”) is paralyzed below the neck — exploitation is a genuine risk: Are we being presented with a disabled character solely to feel sorry for them? Furthermore, there are consistent problems with the depiction of disabled people on screen, such as presenting their disability as an insurmountable burden to a meaningful life, or having a person with a disability played by an able-bodied actor. Regrettably, Me Before You does not address these problems and in some ways contributes to them.

Problems of representation aside, Me Before You does work as an emotional drama. The film does not simply present Will’s situation as tragic because he is paralyzed, but ensures that the viewer’s sympathy is engendered by his constant mental anguish, anguish that the viewer can at least sympathize wit even if they have no comparable experience. Crucially, we sympathize with him at the same rate as Lou Clark (Emilia Clarke, “ Terminator Genisys ”). As Lou learns more about Will, his past and present situations, she and the viewer come to understand his suffering. Clarke therefore carries the dramatic weight of the film, and her engaging performance includes just the right amount of verve and (sorry for using this term) bubbliness. Lou is something of an archetype, an English “rose” who makes a great cup of tea, dresses garishly, loves her family and is loyal to her boyfriend Patrick (Matthew Lewis, “ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 ”), despite Patrick’s blatant disregard and de-prioritization of her. But as with Will, there is much more to her than these traits. Her wardrobe especially is a source not only of comedic delight, but touching personal history and narrative development; a pair of tights serves provides a particular highlight.

Other archetypal features are the class barriers between Lou and Will. He comes from immense wealth and his family have built a fully equipped annex for him; she has a working class background and lives with three generations in one house. There is even a reference to contemporary economics as her father is out of work and early in the film she is made redundant because the quaint café where she initially works closes down. Whereas the recent “ Testament of Youth ” was stodgy and stilted in its Englishness, Me Before You makes a virtue of its national identity, with a quirky, self-deprecating humor that provides a powerful contrast to the heart-rending moments. Sharrock paces the film carefully, allowing time for the supporting cast to breathe, including Janet McTeer (“ Insurgent ”) and Charles Dance (“ Child 44 ”) as Will’s parents Camilla and Stephen, Jenna Coleman (“Doctor Who” TV series) as Lou’s sister Treena and a great turn from Stephen Peacocke (“ Hercules ”) as Will’s (bewilderingly Antipodean) physical therapist Nathan. The Director of Photography, Remi Adefarasin, lenses the film in seemingly natural light, especially the gorgeous Pembrokeshire countryside and Pembroke Castle (part of the Traynor estate, of course). The charming English environment and winning characters create a sense of place and community where the viewer can feel at home, or at least enjoy their visit. As a result, as events become increasingly unhappy, the viewer continues with the characters in this comfortable environment, able to feel and indeed share their pain.

In addition, and despite its problems with portraying disability, Me Before You is encouraging from a gender perspective. Both writer and director are women, and the central narrative arc is of a woman whose identity is defined neither by relationship nor work. Both these aspects are central to the film, but Me Before You also acknowledges wider horizons and the difficulties of social constraints. While there are aspects of the film that are problematic, there is also much to enjoy. Just remember your tissues.

Tagged: caretaker , England , friendship , novel adaptation , relationship

Dr. Vincent M. Gaine is a film and television researcher. His first book, Existentialism and Social Engagement in the Films of Michael Mann was published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2011. His work on film and media has been published in Cinema Journal and The Journal of Technology , Theology and Religion , as well as edited collections including The 21st Century Superhero and The Directory of World Cinema .

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Sam Clafin as Will Traynor and Emilia Clarke as Lou Clark in Me Before You, directed by Thea Sharrock

Me Before You: not just a tearjerker

An unconventional romance is at the heart of Thea Sharrock’s film of the bestselling novel, starring Sam Claflin

Will Traynor, the handsome, wheelchair-using hero of the bestselling novel Me Before You , by British author Jojo Moyes, has already left millions of readers around the world sobbing and heartbroken. Now a leading West End director is inviting cinema audiences to go through it all again with the release of her first feature film.

Thea Sharrock, who directed Tom Hiddlestone in Shakespeare’s Henry V for the BBC in 2012, believes the fresh tears will be worth it, as the film offers a chance to pause and reflect on the real value of life.

Her big-budget film version of the book stars Sam Claflin (best known for his role as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games ) as Traynor. It has a screenplay by Moyes and is out on 3 June in a bid to become the blockbusting weepie of the summer. True to the novel, which has so far sold six million copies, it tells an unconventional love story. At its emotional core are Traynor, a quadriplegic former jet-setting banker, and his hapless carer, Lou, who is played by Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke .

“I wanted to stick to the universal theme of the simple and yet wonderful way these people fall in love, while creating a space for people to think about what matters,” said Sharrock, adding that she sees the subjects of life-altering disability and the morality of euthanasia as difficult rather than “dark”.

The director, known in theatre for directing Daniel Radcliffe in Peter Shaffer’s Equus, and Benedict Cumberbatch in an award-winning revival of Terence Rattigan’s After the Dance , has kept Moyes’s romance as streamlined as possible, focusing on its serious central issue: what might make life worth living if you are a wheelchair user?

“I wanted to get across how rare it is that we allow someone into our lives and trust them to show us a different way to exist,” said Sharrock, who watched the 1970 hit Love Story in preparation for filming. “Crying in the cinema can be quite a release anyway, especially if there are a couple of laughs as well. It is a bit like yoga or a therapy session. It is so easy in modern life to lose sight of how we feel about things. It was never in my mind to pass judgment, though.”

Her aim, the director said, was to underline some important priorities: adventure and love. “By the end, the question becomes: who is it who saves who?” Claflin was given the lead role after a number of actors with disabilities were considered. “We spoke to a few, but there were limited options, with due respect to those we saw,” she said. “To be honest, it was always going to be a question of finding someone who would meet what the studio was going to require as well as what we needed. And I believe any really good actor should be able to give you what you need. To his credit, Sam took a lot of time with the physicality of the part. He gave it a huge amount of weight and, of course, we gave it a lot of attention on set.”

Sharrock, Claflin and Steve Peacocke, who plays Nathan, a trained nurse, researched the impact of quadriplegia together for the film. The three spent time in hospital talking to patients with spinal injuries.

“There are no absolutes, but there are things that often happen and we wanted to get those across. It is really important to me that the film seems real to anyone who knows anything about this kind of disability. Over five months, Sam and I sent each other lots of cuttings and book recommendations to work out how to create this character who does not do what you necessarily expect.”

Few scripts revolve around characters with disabilities and Sharrock hopes her film will represent part of an experience that has been largely ignored in film.

Thea Sharrock directing the film Me Before You

“My nephew is in a wheelchair and I hope he will be pleased to see this shown in a way that does not make audiences too uncomfortable. If we had shown Will being taken in and out of his chair, or put in a hoist over a bath, the impression we would give is of difficulty. I wanted to make it more normal.”

The novel’s open attitude to assisted suicide made the book controversial in some quarters, and Sharrock listened to rival views before she shot the film.

“We did not want to be dismissive of either side,” she said. “There are a few well-known cases where people have made these choices and on the wards people knew patients who had done so. They were able to say that they understood, but that was not their story.”

Pembroke in Wales doubles for the English town with a castle where the novel is set, while Mallorca stands in for exotic Mauritius.

“I chose Pembroke Castle because I wanted a place that would show how differently people can live in the same area,” said Sharrock. “I felt from the first with the script that there was a fairytale element to it, with class a big factor.”

The fairytale approach even dictated the use of light in the film.

“We kept it as English-looking as we could, so there is a greyness of tone,” said Sharrock. “I didn’t want to show gritty Britain, because this is not about that. Then when Lou takes Will on holiday, it had to look as if she had tried her absolute best for him.

“By the end of the story, when you get to Paris, then the audience can take a massive breath and see lots of things are ahead that would not have been possible if they had not met.”

The Observer
Romance films
Drama films
Assisted dying
Me Before You
Emilia Clarke

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Me Before You Film Review – A Little Too Perfect?

Me Before You Review

If you’re most of the population, you’re a sucker for movies like A Walk to Remember and therefore, the chance is, you are into Me Before You. I mean: a sad, touching-but-light, romantic movie with unbelievably gorgeous and well-loved British actors is one thing. Being based off an excellent book and a trailer with Ed Sheeran music all over it is another level! Sheer perfection, I thought. However, that’s where the movie fell a bit flat for me: it was too perfect and predictable. Was it good? Would I have fought hordes of fangirls to get into that film? Yes, and yes. I was going to compare and contrast the movie and book, but the adaptation of Me Before You was so close to the book that I felt that I had already seen it just by having read the book (and, ok, having seen the trailer several times).

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Brief plot summary before I go on: Me Before You is about the life of Louisa Clark, a cheerful 27-year-old out of a job when the story begins. Her family needs the money, so she takes a job caring for a wealthy paraplegic – Will Traynor – and they change each other’s lives for the better.

Me Before You begins with the eccentric and sweet Louisa searching for a job in her small town in England and by default taking one caring for a paraplegic. She lives a simple, content life with her family and boyfriend (who is Neville Longbottom, turned hot!). When she gets the job, she at first does not know what to do with the very bitter and sarcastic Will (Sam Claflin), who is paralyzed from an accident. Formerly a business mogul and larger-than-life sportsman, he cannot accept his life now. They start off disliking each other while forced to be in close proximity (the scenes of her spoon-feeding him while they both are clearly uncomfortable well illustrated this) but eventually get to know one another better and fall in love. He encourages her to try new things; she encourages him to try to love life again. Overall, it’s quite cute and enjoyable to watch their witty banter and interaction.Though it was romantic, I did not feel it was primarily a romance. It’s definitely a story of growth: them learning to like each other, him agreeing to try fun things (a concert! Horse racing!) and her agreeing to leave her comfort zone (movies with subtitles! Traveling! Her hilariously awful boyfriend!).

The real highlight of the film, to me, was Emilia Clarke as Louisa. She was spectacular – I could watch her and her eternally upward-arching eyebrows all day (very intrigued to see her in Game of Thrones now, as I imagine Daenerys is a very different character). Her role as a cute, fuzzy-clothing-clad woman living a very simple life was incredibly well played- she’s simply infectious in her charm and warmth with her constant smiles and slight awkwardness. This is the reason she’s hired to care for Will – to inspire him to live life again. Perhaps it’s because I read the book, but I felt the movie did an excellent job of portraying her character – a family girl, content, with fewer horizons. The main change she undergoes after Will is that she realizes there’s more to the world than her job, her lame boyfriend, and her small town and family, and the movie showcases this splendidly.

Sam Claflin was also splendid to watch, for more reasons than one (heh-heh). Though I can’t vouch for how well he played the role of a paraplegic, his one eyebrow cock when he couldn’t turn his head to watch Louisa was consistent and consistently very attractive.

I can’t actually tell if the actors had good chemistry or if everything about them was so picture-perfect that I didn’t care. The dialogue was alright, and it was mostly taken from the book, as the screenplay was written by author Jojo Moyes herself. Essentially, the movie followed the book to the dot, cutting out less important details to condense things for the adaptation. If you enjoyed the book, you would naturally want to see the movie, but you don’t really need to. There’s nothing particularly compelling about it; it has great scenery, good acting, touching scenes, but none of it made me die laughing or sob uncontrollably. I think there were a LOT of high expectations for this movie and it just felt like a sweet, fan-promoted tribute to the book.

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT – About the Romance:

Me Before You is romantic, but again, I wasn’t consumed by the romance and I don’t think the romance is the main takeaway. I did like how it showed Louisa’s life changing through meeting Will and loving him. They dislike each other at first, then become friends, then are attracted to each other and fall in love, but it is nipped in the bud by Will’s decision to end his life. They kiss a few times, share a few romantic moments at a wedding and on their vacation, but there’s no thunderous true love or passion – this is best demonstrated when Will refuses to live after Louisa’s confession of love. Because she might regret it or pity him and that’s not the love he wants. He loves her, but it’s not enough. (But, perhaps, nothing would be enough.) Louisa is heartbroken but respects his wishes. And so did I (though not everyone in the audience will – so be warned) because the movie did not inspire in me enough emotion to advocate for their true love. It felt like love, an enjoyment of each other’s company, but it was not dramatic enough that I was going to cry buckets of tears upon his death. After this, Louisa goes to Paris and is shown exploring more of the world, sadly remembering Will but overall, happy, and grateful for his presence in her life. I’ll have to read After You by Jojo Moyes about Louisa’s life after his death to see how she fares after the ending of this first book, but I think her heart will readily go on.

THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK

Me Before You is a great read – it was engaging, enjoyable, touching, witty, romantic, and thought-provoking with its outlook on euthanasia. I do applaud it’s more unique story and the bittersweet romance. The movie stays incredibly close to the book – a trend with adaptations these days I have noticed more often these days and usually love. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the movie. If you watch the trailer, you’ve basically already seen the best of the movie and the rest of it is rather…nondescript? Predictable? That isn’t to say that I regret going to see it. Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin tragically falling in love near a beautiful castle is a treat for anyone to watch, but it didn’t quite wrench my heart out.

OVERALL RATING (book & movie):

“Hello, Gorgeous.”

ROMANCE RATING (book & movie):

“Happiness in marriage is entirely a

matter of chance.”

ARE YOU A ROMANCE FAN? FOLLOW THE SILVER PETTICOAT REVIEW:

Amirah Yasin is a lover of persimmons, angst-ridden characters, YA fiction (and all books), Shah Rukh Khan and Colin Firth. In addition to spending her time frequenting YouTube to watch Bollywood songs, attempting to find chances to wear prairie-length skirts, and watching period dramas, she likes to travel, run, play cards and DJ old Indian music. She is a registered nurse as well as an obnoxious snapchat fiend. She enjoys writing idiotic poetry, befriending librarians, and taking photographs of trees. Her elderly patients are the only people known to be fond of her singing voice. She has always loved reading, writing, and romance.

2 thoughts on “Me Before You Film Review – A Little Too Perfect?”

Despite the fact that I’m not going to LOVE this story (because I like spoilers, and know what I prefer for romances), I will see it when it comes to DVD. Thanks so much for the review, Amirah! Sounds like the cast is good even if the film isn’t 100% great. 🙂

I have only listened to an Audio book of “After you” because it was there at our library. I do like my romances, bit I am not of the more shallow Nicholas Sparks Persuasion. I pretty much grasped the plot of “Me before you” from it’s sequel. Its also not super romantic, but interesting enough. I thought Louisa was a bit of a sop, but hey. And she doesn’t move on easily, but she manages, without wanting to spoil anything. And there are plenty of recurring characters. Thanks for the review. I might watch the movie instead of reading the book, as I often do when the adaptation is very faithful. Is that sacrilege?

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Subscriber only, olivia colman, jessie buckley share the screen in winning comedy-mystery.

Olivia Colman, left, and Jessie Buckley star in "Wicked Little Letters." (Parisa Taghizadeh photo/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics)

It’s irresistible, the profanity delivered in considerable doses by British actors, the tremendously talented Olivia Colman among them, in “Wicked Little Letters.”

We can’t repeat much of it here, for we are FAR too polite, but know that a complex adjective that begins with “foxy” and ends with a three-letter word for one’s rear end is used repeatedly — before, for example, “old” and a five-letter word for prostitute — and to great comedic effect.

To fully understand this particular appeal of the film, know also that “Wicked Little Letters” is set in post-World War I England, in a seaside town not remotely accustomed to this type of language.

Fortunately, the mystery-based romp inspired by what apparently was an actual ordeal that generated nationwide interest — “This is more true than you’d think,” the film’s opening on-screen text promises about this tale of insulting letters being sent to women anonymously — has more to offer than that, starting with the performances of Colman and co-star Jessie Buckley.

Colman portrays Edith Swan, a never-married woman living with her mother and father, while Buckley is Rose Gooding, an Irish woman who moves in next door with her daughter, Nancy (Alisha Weir), and her new love, Bill (Malachi Kirby).

Rose is a stranger neither to a good time nor profanity, and Edith attempts to take Rose under her wing a bit by showing her what it means to be a respectable woman in Littlehampton. Rose is only so receptive, but the two become friends.

Joanna Scanlan, top, as Ann, and Anjana Vasan, as Gladys Moss, share a scene in "Wicked Little Letters." (Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics)

That is until Rose has a run-in with Edith’s strict and frequently disapproving dad, Edward (a delightfully loathsome Timothy Spall), at the latter’s birthday party.

It is after this public dustup when Edith begins receiving the oh-so-colorful letters, calling her this, that and the other.

It must be Rose! Who else?!?

The police are convinced, or at least the male cops are. However, Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan, “Cyrano”) — or, as she’s commonly referred to by her dismissive colleagues, “Woman Police Officer Gladys Moss” — isn’t so sure based on the handwriting of the letter writer and Rose’s. The case isn’t hers, though, and she’s told by her boss, Chief Constable Spedding (Paul Chahidi), to stick to her duties and to remember her place.

Of course, she’s not going to do that. The daughter of a cop and a believer in justice being done, Gladys teams with other women in town to catch another suspect in the act.

Directed by Thea Sharrock and penned by Jonny Sweet, “Wicked Little Letters” keeps you guessing as to the writer’s identity for only so long, shifting to a court case with a twist or two.

All in all it’s largely entertaining fare from Sharrock, best known for 2016’s “Me Before You” and whose decent film “The Beautiful Game” debuted on Netflix only last week. She is aided by collaborators including editor Melanie Oliver, who helps keep the affair jaunty, as well as cinematographer Ben Davis and Isobel Waller-Bridge, who, among others, add to its period charm.

Meanwhile, the screenplay by Sweet — a comedian and writer whose credits include the comedy narrative series “Together” and an upcoming novel, “The Kellerby Code” — is of the solid if unspectacular variety. Those profanity-laced attacks of the film’s namesake letters go quite a long way.

So, too, do the on-screen efforts of Colman (“The Favourite,” “The Crown”), one of the film’s producers, and Buckley (“Men,” “Women Talking”). If the pairing sounds familiar, they portrayed the same woman at different points in her life in the excellent 2021 drama “The Last Daughter.”

Here, they get to shine together, with Buckley the standout if only because Rose is so much fun — even when she is faced with the possibility of losing the thing she cares most about in this world. (When “Die slut” is written on her door, Rose tells her daughter it’s a German phrase.)

Near the film’s conclusion, there is an especially fun, little, not-so-wicked exchange between Edith and Rose that we can’t describe — not, for once, because it is full of naughty language but because it would give too much away, and thus we would be worthy of being called an insulting name.

Probably not a “fox-(blank) old (blank)” … but something.

“Wicked Little Letters” is rated R for language throughout and sexual material. Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes.

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COMMENTS

Me Before You movie review & film summary (2016)
A romantic drama based on a best-seller by Jojo Moyes, starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin as a quadriplegic man and his caretaker. The film is a fairy tale of love and sacrifice, but lacks originality and boldness, according to the reviewer.
Me Before You
Movie Info. Young and quirky Louisa "Lou" Clark (Emilia Clarke) moves from one job to the next to help her family make ends meet. Her cheerful attitude is put to the test when she becomes a ...
Movie Review: Me Before You Is a Refreshingly Honest Tearjerker
"Me Before You" is such a wonderfully uncynical movie that it almost doesn't matter that it isn't very good. Adapted by Jojo Moyes from her beloved 2012 novel of the same name, this ...
Me Before You (2016)
The high point of the film is the performance by Emelia Clarke. She is hair-brained, and scatty, completely adorable and wonderful.The camera-work is gorgeous and the soundtrack is second to none. Lou (Emilia Clarke) gets a job as a carer to a man (William) who is paralyzed more or less from the neck down.
Me Before You
For a supposed romance, it's surprisingly prudish. Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 22, 2018. Megan Basham WORLD. How awful ... the moment you realize that everything about their ...
'Me Before You': Film Review
A cameo by Joanna Lumley, as a stranger spouting agreeably tart words of wisdom, is entirely unnecessary. But it's nonetheless a gratifying jolt of Lumley-ness as this villainless fairy tale ...
Film Review: 'Me Before You'
Film Review: 'Me Before You'. Reviewed at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Calif., May 20, 2016. MPAA rating, PG-13. Running time: 110 MIN. Production: A Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn ...
Me Before You review
A somewhat cynical tear-jerker is saved by the winning performances of its two leads. A glossy adaptation of the bestselling novel from Jojo Moyes, this film is a precision-tooled tear-extraction ...
Me Before You (2016)
Me Before You: Directed by Thea Sharrock. With Sam Claflin, Vanessa Kirby, Emilia Clarke, Eileen Dunwoodie. A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she's taking care of.
Review: In 'Me Before You,' a Broken Man Meets a Free Spirit
These are the mysteries that trouble a critic's uneasy mind. This floppy British romance, directed by Thea Sharrock and adapted by Jojo Moyes from her best-selling novel, sits at the point where ...
Me Before You critic reviews
Me Before You is just a little better than it had to be. It's not so much better that it escapes being what it is, a sort-of romance, liberally sprinkled with moments of corniness and emotional dishonesty. But ultimately, when it matters, it's truthful — about the people depicted, and who they are, and what they face.
Me Before You Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 20 ): Kids say ( 46 ): This movie treads a tricky line, both infuriating and charming viewers. The charm can be chalked up to star Clarke; she makes Lou the type of beguiling creature we've seen in films before who's often known as a "manic pixie dream girl" -- quirky, irreverent, and usually irresistible.
'Me Before You' Movie Review
But the movie keeps averting its eyes when things get uncomfortable about the tangle of sex and frustration. Like the book by Moyes, who wrote the script, the film glosses over suffering with ...
Me Before You Review
TO LIVE BOLDLY Since time immemorial in the cinematic world of movies, the romance genre has grown and flourished, engaging audiences and viewers with sweeping narratives of all things about love and the tender matters of the heart. Whether star-crossed lovers, reconnected childhood sweethearts, or the "fated chance" meeting of two individuals, romantic movies have span the ageless tapestry
Me Before You
Louisa "Lou" Clark (Emilia Clarke) lives in a quaint town in the English countryside. With no clear direction in her life, the quirky and creative 26-year-old goes from one job to the next in order to help her tight-knit family make ends meet. Her normally cheery outlook is put to the test, however, when she faces her newest career challenge. Taking a job at the local "castle," she ...
Me Before You (film)
Me Before You is a 2016 romantic drama film directed by Thea Sharrock in her directorial debut and adapted by author Jojo Moyes from her 2012 novel of the same name.The film stars Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance, and Brendan Coyle.. The film was shot in various historic locations across the UK, including Pembroke Castle in Wales and Chenies Manor House in ...
Me Before You
Movie Review. Louisa Clark is a "warm, chatty, life-enhancing presence with a lot of potential." ... Me Before You, based on JoJo Moyes' 2012 novel, aspires to be sweetly romantic … and ends up being a vulgar, maddening, frustrating movie that endorses euthanasia.
'Me Before You' Movie Review: Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin
But, obviously, Me Before You depends on Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin's performances to draw you into the story, and both deliver first-rate performances. Clarke in particular is a joy to watch as she nails the quirky, optimistic character while avoiding going overboard on the perkiness. Claflin's forced into delivering a much more ...
Movie Review: Me Before You (2016)
Whereas the recent " Testament of Youth " was stodgy and stilted in its Englishness, Me Before You makes a virtue of its national identity, with a quirky, self-deprecating humor that provides a powerful contrast to the heart-rending moments. Sharrock paces the film carefully, allowing time for the supporting cast to breathe, including Janet ...
'I'm not a thing to be pitied': the disability backlash against Me
The Sea Inside is based on Ramón Sampedro's life, while Me Before You is partly inspired by the 23-year-old rugby player Daniel James, who chose to kill himself after a severe spinal injury.
Me Before You
Me Before You starring Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, and Vanessa Kirby is reviewed by Matt Atchity (Rotten Tomatoes), Alonso Duralde (TheWrap and Linoleum Knif...
Me Before You: not just a tearjerker
Her big-budget film version of the book stars Sam Claflin (best known for his role as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games) as Traynor.It has a screenplay by Moyes and is out on 3 June in a bid to ...
Me Before You Film Review
Me Before You is a great read - it was engaging, enjoyable, touching, witty, romantic, and thought-provoking with its outlook on euthanasia. I do applaud it's more unique story and the bittersweet romance. The movie stays incredibly close to the book - a trend with adaptations these days I have noticed more often these days and usually love.
Civil War (2024)
Civil War: Directed by Alex Garland. With Nick Offerman, Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Jefferson White. A journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House.
Movie Review
Probably not a "fox- (blank) old (blank)" … but something. "Wicked Little Letters" is rated R for language throughout and sexual material. Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes. All in all it's ...

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Reviewed at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Calif., May 20, 2016. MPAA rating, PG-13. Running time: 110 MIN.

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