ME BEFORE YOU REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Based on Jojo Moyes' best selling novel of the same name, Me Before You is a beautifully told story that is highly character driven by Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke), a bubbly and optimistic young woman, and Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) who has lost his desire to live after a motorcycle accident left him paralysed.

I hadn't read the book before watching this film so I had no idea what to expect apart from the fact that the film will most likely make me cry. I'm not going to spoil it but all I'm going to say is that a box of tissues may be needed towards the end.

This film is worth watching for both Clarke's and Claflin's performances as the two main characters. We first meet Will and we see that he is a happy man with a good looking girlfriend. Unfortunately, things take a dramatic turn when he is hit by a motorcycle. The majority of the film is set two years after his accident and we are now introduced to Louisa who is currently working as a waitress in her local cafe and we notice her positive personality straight away. Unfortunately, she loses her job and must find work elsewhere. This is where she meets Will after she gets the job of becoming his carer and this is where their love story begins.

When we first meet Will after his accident, he is withdrawn and moody and Claflin plays this very well. However, this doesn't make us dislike him as we feel sympathy for him. I can't imagine what it's like to be left paralysed and it made me think how difficult his life must be. After Louisa meets him, she becomes determined to change his life for the better despite all his struggles.

While this film is mainly a drama, there are many instances that are played for laughs. The majority of this comes from Louisa's dress sense and her witty one liners. This makes us like her even more as we can see how badly she wants to change Will's life for the better.

For those affected by it, suicide is discussed throughout in a mature way. This becomes difficult for Louisa as she doesn't want Will to die but it makes us think: is it fair to force someone to live the rest of their life in pain? 

For a romance film to work, the two main characters need chemistry. Fortunately, the chemistry between Louisa and Will doesn't take long to develop and we want more than anything for them to end up together.

I would definitely say that Me Before You is this years The Fault In Our Stars. Both tell a compelling story about the romance between two well-developed characters. I'd recommend this film to those who enjoyed TFIOS and don't mind shedding a tear or two.

8/10