Something was really bothering me about the film Me Before You beyond just the immorality of assisted suicide. I couldn't put my finger on it until today when another clip showed up in my reels and I watched it again.
In the clip, Will's mother is hiring Lou and showing her Will's luxurious apartment completely custom-made for Will's care. That's when I realized what was making me wrinkle my nose at the film.
I suppose it's a case of when much is given, much is lost. But, I couldn't help feeling like Will is a rich, entitled brat. Yes, his injuries and life are tragic, and I can't imagine going from such an active person to being essentially completely helpless. But, he has the wealthy privilege of a home suited to ease his sufferings, a personal nurse, AND a caregiver, plus all the money needed for entertainment and excursions wherever his wheelchair can manage, and yet he is absolutely miserable and wants to die.
Meanwhile, all over England are poor people with similar conditions living in 2 up 2 down counsel housing with almost no accommodations, certainly no on-call nurse, and certainly no money to do anything with, who are happy to just be alive with their loved ones for another day!
It isn't understandable or beautifully tragic or romantic what he is doing. It's just another tiresome story of another tiresome privileged, entitled person wasting their life. Will doesn't change and the movie inadvertently perpetuates the nihilistic idea that unless you are a certain way your life is a waste and not worth living or throwing resources at. You're better off dead and giving those resources to someone who has "potential."
And isn't that what happened to that poor young lady in Spain? Apparently, she was having some second thoughts about her suicide, but the medical professionals had already put dollar signs on her internal organs (to the tune of $8 million, I heard) so they convinced her that she was better off dead and giving her body parts to people with more potential than her.
I won't pretend to understand how the character Will or anyone else with similar injuries feels or how difficult it must be. I certainly have empathy and I can understand how they may feel tempted to end their own lives. How many of us have considered death or wishing we didn't exist for less? But, I think that's why the movie irks me. It's like the best case scenario situation for someone like Will, to be rich enough to be so well supported and yet he still wants to die.
And then he gives his money to Lou so she can prance around Europe in privilege, instead of, I don't know, maybe helping out others who are paralyzed in housebound in a moldy counsel house with bedsores nobody will look at?!
sigh Hollyweird saccharine and emotional manipulation.
