Me Before You is a 2016 romantic drama film directed by Thea Sharrock in her directorial debut and adapted by author Jojo Moyes from her 2012 novel. Principal photography took place from April to June 2015. The film stars Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance and Brendan Coyle.[5]
The film was shot in various historic locations across the United Kingdom, including Pembroke Castle in Wales and Chenies Manor House in Buckinghamshire, England. Released on 3 June 2016 in the United Kingdom and North America, the film received mixed reviews but grossed $208.4 million worldwide.[4][6]
Plot
In the fictional English town of Stokebridge, Louisa “Lou” Clark is hired as a caretaker for Will Traynor, a once successful banker and active sportsman now tetraplegic after being hit by a motorcycle 2 years ago. Will’s mother hopes Lou will lift Will’s depressed and cynical spirits. Will is initially cold towards Lou. Will’s ex-girlfriend Alicia visits and reveals that she is going to marry Will’s former best friend Rupert. Lou perseveres with Will, and, as the two grow close, she learns he is cultured and worldly, in contrast to her simple life spent with her parents and her boyfriend Patrick.
Overhearing an argument between Will’s parents, Lou learns that, in six months’ time, he will travel to Dignitas in Switzerland for assisted suicide. Lou takes it upon herself to change his mind by organizing trips and adventures to show him that life is still worth living. Patrick’s jealousy grows until he and Lou split up.
Will asks Lou to accompany him to Alicia’s wedding. They start to fall in love. During a luxurious trip to Mauritius, Will tells Lou he still intends to die, saying he wants her to live a full life instead of “half a life” with him. Heartbroken, Lou quits as Will’s caregiver and refuses contact with him.
Lou’s father convinces her to visit Will, but she finds he has already left for Switzerland. She follows him there to be with him in his final moments. A few weeks after Will’s death, sitting at his favourite café in Paris, Lou reads a letter he left for her. In it, he says he has left her enough money to follow her dreams and encourages her to live abundantly.
Cast
- Emilia Clarke as Louisa “Lou” Clark[7]
- Sam Claflin as William “Will” Traynor[7]
- Janet McTeer as Camilla Traynor[8]
- Charles Dance as Steven Traynor[9]
- Brendan Coyle as Bernard Clark[10]
- Stephen Peacocke as Nathan
- Matthew Lewis as Patrick[10]
- Jenna Coleman as Katrina “Treena” Clark[9]
- Samantha Spiro as Josie Clark[10]
- Alan Breck as Grandad
- Vanessa Kirby as Alicia Dawares
- Joanna Lumley as Mary Rawlinson
- Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Rupert Collins
- Diane Morgan as Sharon
- Chris Wilson as Major Timothy Dawares
Production
Development
On 2 April 2014, it was announced Thea Sharrock would direct the film.[11] Before casting, Emilia Clarke knew she wanted to audition for this role, saying, “That’s just kind of an interesting concoction I hadn’t read before”.[12] On 2 September 2014, Clarke and Sam Claflin were cast in the film.[7] Steve Peacocke was cast on 24 March 2015,[13] with Jenna Coleman and Charles Dance cast on 2 April 2015.[9] On 9 April 2015, Janet McTeer joined the cast;[8] Brendan Coyle, Matthew Lewis, Samantha Spiro, Vanessa Kirby and Ben Lloyd-Hughes joined the cast the next day.[10] Claflin described his role as “probably the most physically challenging thing that I’ve ever done”.[14]