Me Before You Review: Beware: Tears Ahead
Fresh off the exciting whirlwind that is Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke joins Sam Claflin, Jenna Coleman, and Matthew Lewis as the fandoms collide in Me Before You. The film is based on the wonderful novel written by Jojo Moyes that has had readers entangled with this story. While there are many criticisms to be said for most films based off of books, Me Before You stays extremely loyal to its novel. There are a few missing pieces, but all in all the film leaves you with the same heartbreaking love as the novel did.
Emilia Clarke is stunning as Louisa Clark; with an infectious smile and a perky outlook. She radiates on the screen and rips your heart out with her tears. She plays Lou perfectly and is so emotionally naked, that you can’t help but love her from the very beginning. Sam Claflin as Will Traynor is equally engaging. He is moody and sarcastic; charming and witty, but also rips out your heart with unbridled emotion and sadness. The supporting cast is wonderful as well, with Jenna Coleman as her sister Treena, and Matthew Lewis as her boyfriend Patrick. They both bring a great presence to the film. Also joining them are Charles Dance as Steven Traynor, Janet McTeer as Camilla Traynor, and Stephen Peacocke as Nathan. I thought all of these were solid performances but nothing incredibly outstanding.
The story itself, as I said is true to the book. Of course there are a few things that have been removed or changed slightly. One of which is Lou’s father is a little less mean to her in the film than in the book. The book has her father being particularly hard on her, which I thought when reading was a little too much. I’m glad they toned it down in the film. The film also excludes the part at the end where Lou gets hounded by the media because of Patrick. That entire plot point is left out of the film, which I think makes it focus much more on the love story between Lou and Will. There is a lot less interaction between Patrick and Lou in the film, which is also a good thing because it allows us to really focus on Will and Lou’s relationship.
The costume design in this film should be noted just simply for the eccentric outfits and shoes they designed for Lou’s character. They really matched the brightness of the character and the expectations I had for her clothing when reading the book. There are some particularly wonderful shoes that are amazingly colorful and bright. Practically every scene is a new outfit for Lou and with that, a stunning array of colors and patterns that are really playful and fun.
As with many book to screen adaptations, I feel that the film will resonate most with those who have read the book because they can in a sense fill in the blanks, thus enriching the story and the relationship between the characters. The film itself does tell a wonderful story, filled with highs and lows, which will have you smiling and sobbing each time. I highly recommend this film and implore you to have those tissues tag along to the film.
Rating 8/10
