words Abigail Edwards, reviewing from Westfield Shepherd’s Bush
Emilia ‘Mother of Dragons’ Clarke stars as Lou, a small-town girl who gets a job as a personal carer for Will (Sam Claflin), who is wheelchair bound after an accident. You’d have to go a pretty long way to find a film adaptation more faithful to the book than Me Before You. All the classic moments are there – the wedding dance, the thunderstorm, those bumblebee tights. Anything that is cut is only trimmed so that the film can focus on the real heart of the story: Lou and Will.
Emilia ‘Mother of Dragons’ Clarke stars as Lou, a small-town girl who gets a job as a personal carer for Will (Sam Claflin), who is wheelchair bound after an accident. You’d have to go a pretty long way to find a film adaptation more faithful to the book than Me Before You. All the classic moments are there – the wedding dance, the thunderstorm, those bumblebee tights. Anything that is cut is only trimmed so that the film can focus on the real heart of the story: Lou and Will.
While Lou’s family are sidelined and have almost no impact on the plot, Will’s parents, played with dignity and simmering grief by Janet McTeer and Charles Dance, have more to do and are one of the most affecting aspects of the film, while Matthew Lewis gets a lot of the film’s laughs as fitness-obsessed Patrick.
But a romantic film like this lives and dies on its central couple, and Clarke and Claflin nail it. Claflin’s Will is so dead-eyed that when emotion starts to break through his cold exterior it’s a real punch in the chest. He portrays the once-active Will with often unflattering honesty, and his redemption across the film is beautiful to watch. He and Emilia Clarke have fantastic chemistry together, and you can’t help but grin like an idiot as they get closer.
But a romantic film like this lives and dies on its central couple, and Clarke and Claflin nail it. Claflin’s Will is so dead-eyed that when emotion starts to break through his cold exterior it’s a real punch in the chest. He portrays the once-active Will with often unflattering honesty, and his redemption across the film is beautiful to watch. He and Emilia Clarke have fantastic chemistry together, and you can’t help but grin like an idiot as they get closer.
Director Thea Sharrock has created a gorgeous film full of colour, beginning with Lou’s outfits and gradually bleeding out from there until Will’s life is no longer so grey. The film deals with much harder and darker issues than your average romantic drama, delving into what makes a life worth living. When you’ve had it all and lost it, can love be enough to fill the void?
You’ll love Me Before You if you’re a romantic soul who loves a good cry.
See Me Before You with your best girlfriends. Don’t forget to put on your best wacky tights.
For a bite to eat before the film, head to Wahaca – perfect for sharing food and catching up on all the latest gossip.
After the film, head to The Bull. You’re going to need a stiff drink to recover from all the crying.
For the best local place to meet a stranger who could change your life, perch yourself at Searcys Champagne Bar and keep an eye out for your very own Will Traynor.
You’ll love Me Before You if you’re a romantic soul who loves a good cry.
See Me Before You with your best girlfriends. Don’t forget to put on your best wacky tights.
For a bite to eat before the film, head to Wahaca – perfect for sharing food and catching up on all the latest gossip.
After the film, head to The Bull. You’re going to need a stiff drink to recover from all the crying.
For the best local place to meet a stranger who could change your life, perch yourself at Searcys Champagne Bar and keep an eye out for your very own Will Traynor.
