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In the fictional drama film “Me Before You,” a man named Will is living a happy life until he gets hit by a motorcycle and becomes paralyzed from the chest down. He falls into a state of depression until he meets his new caregiver, Lou. The two don’t get along in the beginning, but as time passes, they eventually fall in love with each other. The film shows us the ups and downs while being disabled and what life is like when you’re not in control of your body anymore.

This film explores the difficulties with being disabled. The film shows us that Will is clearly having a tough time being in a wheelchair and does not like the life that he lives. He went from being able to do everything, to doing nothing. He has to be fed, bathed, dressed, and put to bed. Because of this, Will is very stubborn and is almost always in a bad mood. He never wants to do anything or talk to anyone. His caregiver Lou asks him what he usually does during the day. His reply is, “Nothing. I sit and I exist” (15:10). This small sentence really gives the watchers an insight into what life is like for someone who is disabled. Not being able to move gives a person many limitations. They always have to be assisted with something and they can’t live their life how they want it. Without someone assisting Will, those truly are the only things that he can do, sit and exist. It just shows how much of an impact it can make on a person. The pain of being in a wheelchair ultimately makes him very depressed because he is no longer the man that he used to be. During the film he knocks over old pictures of himself. He says, “I don’t want to look at those pictures while I have to wait for someone to get me out of bed” (24:40). This example shows us the complications of being disabled while constantly being reminded of the person you used to be. The constant reminder can be overwhelming and disappointing.

The film also highlights how love can influence a person’s life who is disabled. Will and his caregiver Lou despised each other in the beginning of the film. Will did not want to be bothered and he was often stubborn with Lou. Lou was constantly overwhelmed and frustrated with him because she just wanted to help him. It wasn’t until she finally put him in his place that the two started to finally get along. Lou told Will that she is just trying to do her best but it’s hard when he is constantly making her life miserable. She further goes on to say that she doesn’t particularly care about him but she really needs the money. This made Will realize that he isn’t the only one struggling but also Lou is struggling with trying to be there for him and care for him. This shows us that caregivers can also hold power. They can also influence the way that a disabled person views someone or something. After she told him that, Will started becoming nicer towards Lou and talked to her more. The two spend more and more time together and start to enjoy each other’s company. Eventually, the two fall in love with each other without even having to say it. The film shows us through the shift in emotion between Will and Lou. They used to be in bad moods with each other and then there’s laughter and the way they look at each other. During a wedding, Will tells Lou, “You’re the only thing that makes me want to get up in the morning” (1:14:41). This shows us that love can really change the way a person who is disabled views their life. Before, Will didn’t want to do anything, but he found something that makes him feel more free and alive.

Although Will has found love in his life, it is ultimately not enough in the end. In the beginning of the film, Will made a deal with his parents. After his accident, he did not want to live anymore because he felt completely broken because of the limitations that he had. He told his parents that he would give them 6 months of being in a wheelchair, but if he still didn’t like his life, he was going to end it. Lou found out about this deal and tried her very best to convince him to stay. She would take him to the derby races and to a symphony concert to try and show him that life is beautiful and fun. This shows us the pressure of being a caregiver. Having to constantly be there for someone and try to get them to see the best in things can be overwhelming. But unfortunately, it’s not enough in the end. Will and Lou go to the beach together for Lou’s last attempt to try and get him to stay. Will ends up breaking the news to Lou that he can’t handle this life anymore and no one can change his mind. He tells Lou, “Tonight, being with you, is the most wonderful thing you could have ever done for me. But I need it to end here. No more pain and exhaustion and waking up every morning already wishing it was over” (Me Before You 1:29:03). I have chosen the question, “What does the text ask the audience to believe, understand, feel, or think about?” The actions of Will in this scene give insight to what a person struggling with a disability is going through and it makes the audience think more about how they would want their life to go if they were to be disabled. As shown, there is anger, sadness, exhaustion, and pain. It’s hard to live a life that’s different from others. And Lou’s reaction to hearing the news with sobs and tears also shows us how hard it is to see someone that you are caring for, struggling. This brings up a complication because Lou wants him to stay and fight but Will just wants to give up because he doesn’t feel like it’s his life anymore. This scene has gotten the audience to think about the reasons behind why someone with a disability might want to end their life and understanding two different perspectives on the matter. It allows us to think about what we would do in that situation and how we would react. Although Will was in a bad mood for the first half of the film, he got to die a happy man because he had the love of his life by his side.

Overall, this film shows us that someone with a disability can be struggling so much to the point where there is no hope left. It shows us the complications that someone with a disability and a caregiver go through. Love does not always conquer all and someone can be struggling a lot more on the inside than what’s depicted on the outside.