Netflix has just added a “tearjerker” of a romantic film to its archives, and it’s already shot up to third in its charts, according to data from FlixPatrol, meaning it sits alongside hits like Madagascar and Ghostbutsers: Frozen Empire.
Me Before You was first released back in 2016, and the film stars Peaky Blinders star Sam Claflin and Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke as Will Traynor and Lou Clark respectively. The movie was based on Jojo Moyes’ novel of the same name, which she released in 2012, and the author even took on screenwriting duties for the feature.
“Young and quirky Louisa “Lou” Clark (Emilia Clarke) moves from one job to the next to help her family make ends meet,” the synopsis reads. “Her cheerful attitude is put to the test when she becomes a caregiver for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a wealthy young banker left paralyzed from an accident two years earlier.
“Will’s cynical outlook starts to change when Louisa shows him that life is worth living. As their bond deepens, their lives and hearts change in ways neither one could have imagined.”
Me Before You’s cast
The film has a star-studded cast with Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Emilia Clarke (Last Christmas) playing the star-crossed lovers. Emilia’s Game of Thrones co-star, Charles Dance, also stars in the film as Will’s father, Steven, while Janet McTeer (The Menu) plays Will’s mother, Camilla.
Also in the film are Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), Steve Peacocke (Home and Away), Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter), Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who), Samantha Spiro (Sex Education), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous), Ben Lloyd-Hughes (Divergent) and Diane Morgan (Motherland).
Fan and critical response
While Me Before You only has a 55% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, it has attracted a much better response from audiences, who gave the film a 73% approval rating.
In The Guardian, Vanessa Thorpe described the hit film as more than just a “tearjerker”, while she noted that the original book had “already left millions of readers around the world sobbing and heartbroken”.
© Alamy Stock PhotoOne viewer said: “Absolutely brilliant film. Those who criticise it for dealing with the subject of disability should look past the fact Will is disabled and look at the film in the light of what it aims to be, a touching, romance film. Emilia Clarke is great. Sam Claflin is brilliant. A definite must-see film.“
A second added: “I feel absolutely cleansed of negativity after watching this and my hope for the world is renewed. A glorious experience!” while a third posted: “Would recommend if you want a good cry, and if you’re a fan of Emilia Clarke. She’s so cute in this.”
© Alamy Stock PhotoHowever, that’s not to say that the film was universally praised, with one person commenting: “Don’t get me wrong, I like a weepy, romantic chick-flick as much as the next guy. But this one is so manipulative and over-the-top that I felt myself getting hostile about a third the way through. It took self-control not to make rude comments at the screen.”
One of the biggest criticisms of the film came from disability rights groups, who felt that the narrative promoted the idea of disabled people being burdens on society, while others noted that despite focusing on a disabled character, they were portrayed by an able-bodied actor.
© Alamy Stock PhotoProtests were held against the film, including at its London premiere. Speaking to Buzzfeed back in 2016, Not Dead Yet’s Ellen Clifford accused the film of showing that “disability is tragedy, and disabled people are better off dead”. She added: “It comes from a dominant narrative carried by society and the mainstream media that says it is a terrible thing to be disabled.”
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