Book:
Searching on the internet like a maniac to get a link to download the movie “Me Before You” was really a tedious task to me. I didn’t know why but I was so eager to watch this movie, maybe because the appreciation it received or just the fact that Emilia Clarke was playing the main lead. Anyway, I downloaded it and then I came to know that it was based on the novel of the same name by Jojo Moyes. So as for my calculation and observation goes, it's better to read a book before watching the movie based on it.
The story is based on the protagonist named Will Traynor, a successful, passionate, adventurous and sporty person who loves travelling and do anything which makes his life thrilling. It's 2007 when he’s leaving for his office and the rain was pouring and while crossing the road to hail a cab a bike lost its control and hit him. That accident makes Will quadriplegic. The story starts two years after that accident. Louisa Clark, a bubbly and a chirpy girl, belongs to the middle-class family. It’s the time of recession and Louisa is one of the victims. She tries her luck in different jobs but couldn’t get along with any. Then she finds a job as a carer at Traynor’s house that are paying good hourly wages. Her parents push her to try for this job. The job based on the contract of six-months to take care or somehow entertain Will Traynor. At first, the job seems to her pretty boring because the way Will talks to her made her blood boil. Soon after they become good friends and Will tries to pursue her to do those things which she thinks are not her cup of tea.
I like the way how Jojo Moyes portraits both of the characters. Like all those ways, Will tries to push Louisa to do anything extreme for her like tattoo making, scuba diving, etc. things she only dreamt about but never wanted to take a risk of getting out of her comfort zone. On the other hand, Louisa is trying to change Will's mind and to never let him go to Switzerland. They both fall in love but Will knows that it’s not good for both of them to be like this forever. The story ends with Louisa sitting in Paris reading the letter that Will has written for her before his death. It’s Will wish that Louisa should see the world and do everything which makes her happy and at the end, he’ll be there for her.
I can’t forget about the letter, each word still resonates in my mind and it’s like he’s written that for me, I know it sounds stupid because I cry for that like an idiot and I can’t help it.
Movie:
As soon as I finished reading the book, I started watching the movie. Well, talking about the movie it’s not that much good but the fact is they can’t put the whole book in just 1:30-2:00 hours. But it is not that bad, a must watch a movie along with Ed Sheeran songs in it. Besides, most of the dialogues are taken from the book. I like Emilia Clarke’s acting, but still, it’s funny to see how “mother of dragons” go crazy over stripy-tights as a present on her birthday (just kidding). The voice of Sam Claflin is so mesmerising, I can listen to him all day, why doesn’t he become a radio jockey (another bad joke, sorry for that).
While watching the movie, I remembered a Bollywood movie named Guzaarish (2010). The movie revolves around the magician named Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan) who is quadriplegic for 14 years and files the petition in court asking for ending his life. But the court rejects his plea. Sofia D’Souza (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) his caretaker who’s been with him since twelve years after his accident and was married to a man who’s abusive to her. Later on, Sofia gets a divorce from her former husband and confess her love for Ethan. Ethan, on the other hand, loves her too. At the end of the movie, Ethan invites all of his closest people and says that he will be dying a happy man with no regrets and a heart full of Sofia’s love and bids all goodbye.
The story in this book (Me Before You) talks about the people who have lost control over their body due to severe spinal injury caused by accident. There are mainly four types of paralysis, namely, Quadriplegic (is paralysis below the neck), monoplegia (is paralysis of a single part of the body), hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body) and paraplegia (is the paralysis below the waist). Though sometimes paralysis can be temporary and is curable with proper treatment. But the fact is if it's happened once then the chances are it can happen again. Because paralysis affects the spinal cord and spinal cord connects the brain to the nerves throughout the body. Unfortunately, in many cases, paralysis isn’t curable. Though medical scientists are trying their best to find the solution for curing it. In the year 2016, there was a piece of news claiming for treatment of the quadriplegic patient. Neuroscientist treated quadriplegic with stem cells and that patient had substantially recovered the functions of his upper body within two months into the process. You can read the whole article here.
There is a non-profit organisation named Dignitas in Switzerland, which provide assistance/accompanied suicide to those people who are suffering from long-time terminal/severe physical/ or mental illness with support from qualified Swiss doctors. Doctors check the person’s previous treatment report and ask them whether it’s their wish to die or they’re coerced to do so. Though the method is a bit costly, still some people prefer it to die peacefully. Dignitas is mentioned in the book as well as in the movie where Will has gone to end his life.
When I finished reading I was thinking what if Will listened to Louisa and never went to Switzerland? Will, that make his life more miserable & painful or better?
In the end, this story reminds me that not every person are meant to stay in our life forever, no matter how hard we try to stop them to go, but eventually, they play a vital role to change our life for better.
Besides "Me Before You", "After You" and "Still Me" are published by Jojo Moyes, making it a series of Louisa Clark and her life's adventure after Will's death.
