"Me Before You" is a 2016 romantic starring Sam Claflin (from the Hunger Games) and Emilia Clarke. It's a tearjerker but also shows other aspects of life -- being jobless (or how sudden a change of job status could change), family, inequality between the rich and the average household, love, life after an accident, personal happiness, euthanasia, wills and testament, etc. Sam Claflin stars as rich guy Will who suffered paralysis from the waist down after an accident. He has a nice family, rich, has a gilfriend, and a nice job. Everything changed when he was hit by a speeding motorbike.
He was an athletic guy -- into cliff diving, snowboarding and other extreme sports. He ended up in a wheelchair and being assisted by a male caregiver. His mother hired Louisa (Emilia Clarke) as a second caregiver to persuade her son Will to continue living. Well, Louisa doesn't know this yet at the start of her work. She just discovered this after evesdropping on the conversation between Will's parents after receiving a letter from Switzerland from a company named Dignitas.
She felt that she have to give up this job because she doesn't want to be part of this -- as her mother called it, murder. However, since she needed the money, she decided to continue working but this time, she researched ways on how to make the most of the time Will has. That's when she came up with this bucket list that looks pathetic for Will but he just played along, not for himself, but for Louisa so that she could experience other things as well. So they went watching horse race, tried to eat at a very expensive restaurant, watch a classical music presentation and went to this dream vacation at a beach resort.
Unfortunately, even after being happy with her, he's still determined to continue his euthanasia. He agreed for a 6 months extension to this decision for his parents. The film ended with Louisa being in Paris, wearing the yellow and black "stockings" he gave her on her birthday, eating croissant and having coffee in one of the most romantic part of Paris. Will mentioned that this is his most favorite place but he doesn't want to return to this place in a wheelchair. He said that he missed the time he was here and being noticed by all the French girls. Louisa was reading his letter explaining that he left her some fortune, not enough to live a very comfortable life, but will give her freedom to go places.
I felt bad for Sam's character since he's filthy rich and there are a thousand ways to enjoy life even in a wheelchair. However, his character explained it very well. The justification for his euthanasia. Each person has his or her definition of happiness and a certain way of living one's life. This is not the way Sam's character wanted to live his life. Thus, euthanasia. This is in extreme contrast with the mother of Louisa who wears a crucifix. She's the voice of the Catholic teaching that euthanasia, for whatever reason, is still murder. In this movie, the European support for euthanasia outweighs the belief of the mother of Louisa. It's truly something to ponder about.
Aside from being a romantic, yet tragic, movie... "Me Before You" is worth watching. It reminds us of our humanity -- which we should treasure each and every day that we're living. Find one reason to be thankful when you wake up in the morning. In Sam's case, he said that it was Louisa. I like the soundtrack of the movie -- featuring 2 songs of Ed Sheeran. I also love the acting of the girl -- it's very real and shows true emotion from a genuinely caring girl.
Thumbs up to my officemates Ryan and Jho for suggesting this movie.
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