Review: 'Me Before You' is not a traditional love story
Lou (Emilia Clarke) and Will (Sam Claflin) in “Me Before You.” (Warner Bros)
Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. He Tweets/Instagrams at Optimarcus and writes at marcusgohmarcusgoh.com. The views expressed are his own.
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 110 minutes (~1.75 hours)
“Me Before You” is a romantic drama that’s based on the eponymous novel. It tells the story of a quadripelgic and his caregiver, and the love that grows between them. It stars Emilia Clarke (Louisa Clark), Sam Claflin (William Traynor), Janet McTeer (Camilla Traynor), Charles Dance (Steven Traynor), Brandan Coyle (Bernard Clark), Jenna Coleman (Katrina Clark), and Matthew Lewis (Patrick).
“Me Before You” is, undoubtedly, a chick flick. But the story plays out rather differently by having a premise that changes partway through the film, and giving most of the power to the female character. It’s not a traditional love story in the sense that there are no epic sacrifices or huge gestures of the enormity of their love. Rather, it’s the story of how love can heal and change people just by existing.
The couple in “Me Before You.” (Warner Bros)
Highlights
A delightful performance by Emilia Clarke
Emilia Clarke plays a wonderful Lou Clark in the film. She’s got a fantastic mastery of comic timing (for an actress who’s more traditionally known for her dramatic roles), and through that, she slowly worms her way into our (and William’s) heart. She portrays Lou as a woman who’s far stronger and more capable than she realises, and watching her character development over the course of the movie has you cheering on the inside for what she becomes by the end.
The ambiguous romance
Due to the nature of the male protagonist, it’s difficult to have anything that resembles a real-life relationship. It’s also amazing how Sam Claflin manages to portray a charismatic William Traynor without the use of any of his limbs (the scenes where he’s carried around and flops around limply are testament to that). Because of the employer-employee relationship, the romance doesn’t get truly recognised until much later in the film. This ambiguity works to both characters’ benefits, as friends who become lovers.
Carpe diem
That’s the whole point of the movie — to learn to seize the day while you still can. It’s an inspirational story that works you up to make the most of your life. You can relate to Lou’s inability to live her life fully because of her circumstances, which we’ve all faced. But that’s how her relationship with Will changes her, making her a person who truly embodies the ideals of seizing the day.
Themes of acceptance
All the characters, even the supporting ones, have to learn to accept some undeniable fact of life. This theme underscores the movie, and also helps to push the carpe diem message since without acceptance, we’re unable to move on and seize the day. Whether it be Will’s injury or Patrick and Lou’s disintegrating relationship, being able to accept what has happened leads to satisfaction for the characters who can, and turmoil for the characters who can’t.
William Traynor in “Me Before You.” (Warner Bros)
Letdown
The ending
The conclusion is unexpected, to the say the least. That’s not to say that it doesn’t have a proper setup or closure, or that it’s unfulfilling in any way. It suits the style and premise of the film, and works on a storytelling level. But it’s not the way a romantic drama usually ends, and leaves a sense of disappointment in you.
Louisa Clark in “Me Before You.” (Warner Bros)
“Me Before You” is a wonderful story of two friends who become lovers, and how they’ve enriched each other with their presence.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? Yes, unless you dislike romantic dramas.
Score: 3.5/5
“Me Before You” opens in cinemas 2 June, 2016 (Thursday).
