One of my favorite movies

Rating: 10/10 (29 November 2016)

I loved this movie — so much so, that I've watched it five times so far!
I am usually very critical of movies, but not this one. It is a bit formulaic at times, but I think the director also shows a great deal of restraint. For example, Will Traynor's mother and father (Janet McTeer and Charles Dance) start out as caricatures of British aristocrats — stuffy, aloof, unfeeling, even a bit mean. But as the movie progresses, you see them more and more as human beings with deep feelings, and you see that they love each other and their son very much, and that they struggle to do the right thing by their son. They are also very kind to Louisa, and despite the class difference, they never betray the kind of snobbery you might expect to see in a less sophisticated treatment.
There seems to be some criticism of Louisa Clarke (Emilia Clarke) as a Bridget Jones-type character — kind of silly, offbeat, "chatty," and so on. I find her utterly charming. (But then I also find Bridget Jones utterly charming.) Louisa is a believable character and not one dimensional.
I love the chemistry between Lou and Will Traynor (Sam Claflin). Will's transformation is not sudden. He actually is intrigued by Louisa from the get-go but doesn't realize it — he's too busy putting on his act and being sullen and angry and self-absorbed — so it's only when she snaps at him, that he begins to be pulled outside of his emotional bubble. It's actually shocking for him to see this other side of Lou — that she's not rigidly upbeat but is capable of anger — and so this moment triggers the start of a deeper connection.
I think all the characters are well done, and the only character I found a bit cartoonish is the boyfriend, Patrick (Matthew Lewis).
It's a beautiful movie, and I highly recommend it. Bring lots of tissues, and ignore the naysayers.