'Me Before You' signals its every move a mile away
You鈥檝e got to hand it to the people who made 鈥淢e Before You,鈥� a聽four-hankie movie about a gawky working-class caregiver and the聽glamorous and wealthy quadriplegic she tends to. Every tear is jerked聽right on cue. Emilia Clarke (鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥�) is Louisa 鈥淟ou鈥� Clark,聽who dresses up in florid outfits that appear to be culled from tag sales, and聽dashing Will Traynor is played by the almost cartoonishly handsome Sam聽Claflin (鈥淭he Hunger Games鈥�). These polar opposites become the be-all in聽each other鈥檚 lives. Of course.
Adapted by Jojo Moyes from her bestseller, and directed by Thea聽Sharrock, a theater director making her movie debut, 鈥淢e Before You鈥� is聽the kind of weepie that signals its every move a mile away. Its utter聽predictability is entirely intentional. We are meant to bask in all the usual聽romance-novel tropes. Any surprise 鈥� any artistry 鈥� would just get in the聽way. But did Clarke have to play Lou as such an overbearing smileypuss?聽
The only real acting in this movie comes from Janet McTeer and Charles聽Dance as Will鈥檚 aggrieved parents. They bring some ballast to this聽blubberfest. Grade:聽C (Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some suggestive material.)
