Director: Stephanie Laing
Writer: Bess Wohl (Screenplay)
Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michiel Huisman, Christopher Walken, Kate McKinnon, Claire Holt, Jacki Weaver, Steve Coogan
Plot: A couple who have known each other since 8 are destined to be together until death do them apart.
Tagline – Don’t focus on what if. Focus on what is.
Runtime: 1 Hour 38 Minutes
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Tissues Ready
Story: Irreplaceable You starts as we meet the perfect couple Abbie (Mbatha-Raw) and Sam (Huisman), who met as young kids and now getting prepared to marry and starting a family, but when tragedy hits Abbie as she learns she has cancer.
Facing her own mortality Abbie starts to prepare for the worst and how she is going to see Sam continue his life without her around. She has the support of fellow cancer sufferer Myron (Walken) who teaches her how to deal with the situation she is facing, being one of the only people that truly knows what she is going through.
Thoughts on Irreplaceable You
Characters – Abbie is one half of the couple, narrating the story to us after her death (this is the opening sequence, no spoiler here), she is diagnosed with cancer and now must face the reality that the love of her life will live most of his life without her and tries to help guide him before she goes. Sam is the fiancée of Abbie that wants to support her through any ideas she must help her come to terms with her situation, this character is a good look at the person that will be left behind in an adult relationship. Myron is a fellow sufferer that supports Abbie through the treatment, trying to help her understand the importance of time.
Performances – Gugu Mbatha-Raw has been making waves for years now, this is the highlight of her career to date, one of the best performances of the year, real, honest and one you fully understand her characters feelings. Michiel Huisman is great too, he shows us just how difficult his characters position would be. Christopher Walken gives us the wonderful supporting performance too.
Story – The story here follows the lives of a couple in the final months of Abbie’s life, showing us how she is dealing with the news and how she plans to make her one true love life without her. The story does deal with cancer and the effects it will have on the loved ones and takes it on to the same level as 50/50, which doesn’t play too heavy on the downs, while trying to show us how moments of normality including humor can help the victim. We know the end of the film from the opening sequence, so this is preparing us to for the end.
Comedy/Romance – The romance in this movie shows us just how cancer can ruin love, but it also shows just how people will be there to support you, even if they know the next chapter. We have sprinkles of comedy, which mostly comes from Abbie as she is dealing with everything.
Settings – The film is set in New York, the city with many stories, we get to see certain locations which are important to the characters involved.
Scene of the Movie – The party.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Final narration, pick one person to read not both.
Final Thoughts –This is a movie that will play with your emotions testing you on every level while telling an important story about how people will be facing the reality of cancer.
Overall: Wonderful movie that tells such an emotional story.
Rating
