15 Most Controversial Movie Moments 2016

Mawkish romantic drama Me Before You generated quite a backlash from the disability rights movement for the portrayal of one of its main characters, Will. Played by Sam Claflin, Will is a wealthy young banker left paralyzed from the neck down after a motorcycle accident who falls in love with his new caregiver, the beautiful and spunky Lou (Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke). Despite his newfound love, it comes to light that Will plans to commit assisted suicide so off he heads to the land of lovely chocolate and legal euthanasia, Switzerland, but not before bequeathing Lou a good chunk of money to live out her dreams.

While this doesn’t stray too far from the formula of other romantic films that kill off characters for tear-jerker moments, disability activists rightfully saw Me Before You as very problematic. Its portrayal of a man with a disability who sees himself as a burden on those around him and better off dead led to disability rights group Not Dead Yet to brand it a ‘disability snuff movie’, while Claflin’s performance was denounced as ‘cripface’ – a term coined when able-bodied actors play characters with disabilities.

Perhaps such issues as assisted suicide and the accurate portrayal of people with disabilities are better left explored in films with a bit more depth than romantic dramas.