"Me Before You" is definitely a movie you have heard of by now. The movie is based off the novel by JoJo Moyes and stares well know actors Sam Claflin ("The Hunger Games") and Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones"). In both the book and the movies portrayal of the story line, Will Traynor (played by Sam Claflin) was a previously publicly known figure for his superior athleticism, high adventure lifestyle, and extreme career success early on. This life came to a an abrupt halt for Will when he became paralyzed from the neck down in a motorcycle accident. As a quadriplegic, Will was no longer able to live life as he had before. He moved back into his parents' house and lost his girlfriend to his best friend. And amongst all of this, the worst of it was he experienced excruciating full body nerve pain frequently.
Unhappy with his new future, Will makes it known that he wishes to end his life. His parents do not agree with this decision and an agreement is made to wait six months before going through with his plan. In the meantime his mother desperately tries to find him an assistant to keep constant watch over him and ensure there is no 'breech of their life agreement' over the next six months, this is where Louisa Clarke (Emilia Clarke) comes in. Louisa comes from a poor family and needs a job as much as the Traynor family needs someone to watch Will. The family hires Louisa, but when Louisa finds out that Will plans to end his life, she makes it her goal to show him how great his life could be and asks for an allowance from his parents to take him on trips and excursions, meanwhile the pair also falls in love. However to Louisa's heartbreak, Will reveals to Louisa that despite seeing he could be happy with her, he knows his "old way of life" is out of the picture, and in his personal opinion, life without his old capabilities is not worth living. He asks Louisa to come with him and his parents to a facility that will carry out his wishes. Initially Louisa refuses, but does decide to go to him and be with him in his last moments.
The ending of the movie has created an uproar amongst critiques, who believe Will's decision to euthanize himself, and those around him deciding to let him do so, glorifies assisted suicide and sends a message that a disabled life is not worth living. Where I can see how the movie might be perceived this way, I can't help but feel like the true message of the film was missed. Whether I am personally for or against physician assisted suicide I will not say, and honesty find it irrelevant to the movie. When I saw "Me Before you" I interpreted it as a story more about Louisa and how Will taught her the meaning of living life to it's fullest and never settling for less than you desire. He encouraged her to leave their small town and experience life as he once did and she never had. As for if he could have decided to live and accompanied her on this journey? Absolutely he could have. Louisa made it very clear that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but adhered to respecting his wishes out of love, despite feeling like he had made the wrong choice.
Throughout the plot, there is actually a clear divide on feelings towards Will's plan to end his life and at the end of the film there is never a change of opinion in those who opposed, but only an acceptance that he is an adult who is going to go through with this, with or without them. This considered, I have a hard time viewing the movie as a glorification of physician assisted suicide, or a message that being disabled means that life will be of less worth and of less fulfillment as it would otherwise. This situation was as unique to the characters as it would be to real people. Louisa essentially also 'lets Will go' and does this under the belief that she is supporting his biggest request, despite wanting him to choose life and choose her. This is why I believe that the movie "Me Before You" was the ultimate story of selflessness, a lesson in putting others first, a lesson in putting "you before me."
