Me Before You

Since British novelist Jojo Moyes adapted her own bestseller for the screen, this romantic melodrama directed by Thea Sharrock stays quite close to the printed page, as it tackles the difficult subject of euthanasia. Debonair London financier Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) is an avid sportsman until a traffic accident leaves him a quadriplegic. Two years later, ensconced in his family's massive country “castle,” he is both bitter and in chronic pain. And he needs a caregiving companion. Enter clumsy, timid, kind-hearted 26-year-old Louisa “Lou” Clark (Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones), who desperately needs a job. And, conveniently, the heavy-lifting bathroom/bathing needs are being handled by Will's physical therapist (Stephen Peacocke). Even though Lou's chatty, charming exuberance enlivens Will (who in turn helps Lou to expand her provincial horizons), he seems determined to opt for assisted suicide. And there's not much that his wealthy parents (Charles Dance, Janet McTeer), or Lou's working-class family (Brendan Coyle, Samantha Spiro), can do to make him change his mind. Clarke and Claflin acquit themselves admirably here, although a subplot involving Lou's self-centered boyfriend (Matthew Lewis) falls flat. Devotees of the bittersweet, tear-jerking novel will note that a pivotal scene—explaining Lou's timidity due to a previous sexual assault—was deleted. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “From Page to Screen” production segment (6 min.), deleted scenes (6 min.), outtakes (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a somewhat uneven but well-acted adaptation of Moyes's bestselling novel.] (S. Granger)