Me Before You

Name: Me Before You
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: June 3, 2016
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 51
Cast: Brendan Coyle, Charles Dance, Emilia Clarke, Janet McTeer, Sam Claflin

2016

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 259 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	Your Score
6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 259 Ratings

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Me Before You

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Movie Details & Credits

New Line Cinema | Release Date: June 3, 2016 | PG-13

Starring: Brendan Coyle, Charles Dance, Emilia Clarke, Janet McTeer, Sam Claflin

Summary: Louisa “Lou” Clark (Emilia Clarke) lives in a quaint town in the English countryside. With no clear direction in her life, the quirky and creative 26-year-old goes from one job to the next in order to help her tight-knit family make ends meet. Her normally cheery outlook is put to the test, however, when she faces her newest careerLouisa “Lou” Clark (Emilia Clarke) lives in a quaint town in the English countryside. With no clear direction in her life, the quirky and creative 26-year-old goes from one job to the next in order to help her tight-knit family make ends meet. Her normally cheery outlook is put to the test, however, when she faces her newest career challenge. Taking a job at the local “castle,” she becomes caregiver and companion to Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a wealthy young banker who became wheelchair bound in an accident two years prior, and whose whole world changed dramatically in the blink of an eye. No longer the adventurous soul he once was, the now cynical Will has all but given up. That is until Lou determines to show him that life is worth living. Embarking together on a series of adventures, both Lou and Will get more than they bargained for, and find their lives—and hearts—changing in ways neither one could have imagined.… Expand

Director: Thea Sharrock

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 110 min

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Critic Reviews

Chris Nashawaty

May 25, 2016

The film will feel familiar to anyone who’s sniffled through "Love Story" or "The Fault in Our Stars." It’s better than both. Read full review

Lauren Chval RedEye

Jun 2, 2016

Clarke and Claflin both turn in acutely human performances, rounding out their characters and sharing palpable chemistry. At the risk of sounding very British, it’s all lovely. Read full review

Stephanie Zacharek

Jun 2, 2016

Cheerful and efficient, this is the stripey tights of melodramas. Read full review

Charles Gant

May 24, 2016

Resistance to this delirious romantic tragedy is futile, save for that nagging voice in our head wondering if it really has to be this way. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Jun 2, 2016

Me Before You is a beautifully filmed and well-intentioned weeper marred by an unfortunate performance from one of the leads, and a plot development that leaves us more angry and frustrated than moved in the final act. Read full review

Sheri Linden

May 24, 2016

The chemistry between the leads and a few finely etched supporting turns provide welcome counterweight to the movie’s formulaic progression, welcome especially for those who have seen their fair share of entries in the love-story-with-medical-complication subgenre. Read full review

Eric Henderson

Jun 2, 2016

It punks its impressionable audience into believing a lie, then punishes them for their foolishness. Read full review

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User Reviews

osi1

Jun 4, 2016

Incredible movie, heart-breaking plot, superb acting performances and beautiful songs (Not Today, Unsteady, Photograph and Don't Forget About Me are my fav). Emilia and Sam portray the characters and their unique personalities excellently. Romantic is not my favourite genre but Me Before YouIncredible movie, heart-breaking plot, superb acting performances and beautiful songs (Not Today, Unsteady, Photograph and Don't Forget About Me are my fav). Emilia and Sam portray the characters and their unique personalities excellently. Romantic is not my favourite genre but Me Before You is such a fantastic movie… Expand

7 of 10 users found this helpful73

manningn15

Jun 11, 2019

This movie was beautiful and heartbreaking. Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin's chemistry was terrific and their acting was stupendous. This movie made me cry a lot. Definitely one of my favorite romance movies of all time. An A+ romance movie.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

RuyWang

Dec 22, 2018

The adaptation couldn't be better imo. Sure I understand the criticism behind the general message some people might receive about disability but that part of the story is in the books and they weren't gonna give it a brand new ending. It's a beautiful love story, take it as that and you'llThe adaptation couldn't be better imo. Sure I understand the criticism behind the general message some people might receive about disability but that part of the story is in the books and they weren't gonna give it a brand new ending. It's a beautiful love story, take it as that and you'll be very pleased because both actors are very charming throughout the whole movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Oct 16, 2016

Okay so I actually dug this one. Is it wickedly cliche? Yes. Does Emilia Clarke have weird eyebrows and a smile that literally consumes her face? Yes. Yet, like a mozzarella stick with stringy cheese or a cake with a thick layer of frosting on top, Me Before You is so cheesy and sweet, it isOkay so I actually dug this one. Is it wickedly cliche? Yes. Does Emilia Clarke have weird eyebrows and a smile that literally consumes her face? Yes. Yet, like a mozzarella stick with stringy cheese or a cake with a thick layer of frosting on top, Me Before You is so cheesy and sweet, it is irresistible. From beginning to end, it was the film equivalent of taking said mozzarella stick and seeing how far you could pull the cheese before it breaks.

Starring Emilia Clarke as Louisa Clark, a lower class girl from England, Me Before You is a film billed as a romance, but for me, it almost came across as decidedly anti-love (or, at the very least, denying the power of love to a degree). The unsuspecting Louisa is hired to work as the hired to be the caretaker of Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a now quadriplegic man who was once an active and vibrant young man. While he still may be that man, Will most certainly does not recognize this. For this element, Me Before You could often double as a harrowing look at how depression can consume you. From beginning to end, the audience is shown the life within Will. Louisa most certainly brings that life out of a him like a flowing river, in large part due to their delicious chemistry, but Will does not see this. Instead, he looks forlornly at his life before his accident and is often confronted with this element, whether it be through his ex-girlfriend, his constant bouts with pneumonia, or old photographs. Around every turn, he is reminded of who he was. It is this element that courted controversy as people deemed Me Before You to be stating that death is the only acceptable path for disabled people. This, to me, is misguided. Rather, the film is an exploration of the depression that took a hold of Will after his accident. We know he is still Will. Louisa knows it. His parents know it. Yet, Will cannot come to grips with this drastic life change. The end result is a film that showcases how love cannot overcome all. It is not the prescription drug that will fix every situation. Instead, one must love themselves when they look in the mirror. They must be okay with who they are, for all of their unique elements. Without this, nothing will break the hold of one's own mind.

While Me Before You's romance may be quite cliche and its soundtrack lifted from every teenage girl's iTunes account (two Ed Sheeran songs, including new romance film staple, "Thinking Out Loud"), but its thematic elements regarding depression and self-acceptance are so deeply moving, I can easily look past its faults. It is an imperfect film with a spotty performance from Clarke in the lead role, as well as a pretty nondescript one from Chaflin who is good, but nothing incredible. The scenery is impeccable and most certainly capitalized upon with some stellar shots of the views. Additionally, Louisa's relationship with ex?-boyfriend Patrick (Matthew Lewis) does nothing to make the audience like her. Rather, she is cheating on him with Will. This poor characterization is a blight on the writing and only exacerbated by Clarke.

Between cheating and incessant eyebrow movements, the film can easily become grating if it were not as tearjerkingly melodramatic as it is, which is fine since i love a good melodrama. Clarke and Chaflin have great chemistry, but the real quality of this film is in its exploration of this depressed man's last days and the realization that love cannot heal all wounds. It is like painting a wall to cover a hole in the wall. It may brighten things up or change things up a bit, but the hole is still there and must be addressed in some other way. For Me Before You, its guts in sticking to this life truth is impressive, but also thoroughly heartwrenching to watch unfold. Get the tissues ready.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Futuredirector

Jul 19, 2016

A film with an interesting plot; eye-catching photography; nice interpretations and an acceptable story-telling, mixed with a predicable end, a very simple direction, not colored enough landscapes, suspense-free and a dull beginning.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

yougeeaw

Oct 4, 2016

What I deeply dislike in this movie - and I find quite insulting - is the very shallow message that life is worth living just because you are rich, you are a financial shark, and like extreme sports.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

mercator

Aug 20, 2016

I really wanted to like this movie, but the writing and acting kept letting me down. Emilia Clarke's performance was consistently irritating, being excessively excited and overplaying every emotion. She's a terrible actress. Sam Claflin's performance, on the other hand, could have been thisI really wanted to like this movie, but the writing and acting kept letting me down. Emilia Clarke's performance was consistently irritating, being excessively excited and overplaying every emotion. She's a terrible actress. Sam Claflin's performance, on the other hand, could have been this movie's saving grace if it wasn't for the silly screenwriting which was lacking in humor, creativity and maturity. Save two precious hours of your life. Don't watch this movie.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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79	#79 Most Discussed Movie of 2016
61	#61 Most Shared Movie of 2016