Displaying items by tag: Irreplaceable You movie

IRREPLACEABLE YOU

US, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michiel Huisman, Steve Coogan, Timothy Simons, Jackie Weaver, Kate McKinnon, Christopher Walken, Zack Cherry, Brian Tyree Henry.

Directed by Stephanie LaIng.

This is a romance, a romantic comedy with quite a difference. It is a film about terminal illness, the period before death, dying. But, despite the sombre themes and some of the implications, this film has a lighter, often more positive touch.

It is an American production but the lead, Gugu Mbatha=Raw, is British – and Steve Coogan appears in a rather understated role as the leader of a therapy group.

The audience knows almost from the beginning that the central character, Abbie, dies, with her partner, Sam (Michiel Huisman) visiting her grave.

Abbie and Sam have been sweethearts since they were toddlers at school, a visit to the aquarium scene, a story about a fish biting another and their becoming one, she biting Sam – and their remaining together all through childhood, teens, adulthood. She is a dominating character, controlling. He is rather passive, a boring lecturer, often withdrawn. But, they are a loving couple.

Thinking she is pregnant, the resulting examination indicates that she has terminal cancers. So, the film is very frank in using the word death and dying rather than simply passing or passing away. Audiences can empathise with Abbie, her reactions, her feelings, the treatments, some of the resistance, her participation in therapy group, including her crocheting and her resistance (and the glimpses of the eccentric characters in the group).

But, one of the main focuses is her wanting to prepare a future for Sam, interviewing women, setting up online information, dominating him, including getting him to go to an art gallery opening, setting him up with the artist.

One of the members of the group, Myron (Christopher Walken at his sympathetic best) befriends Abbie, sharing a lot of her life and her ideas, trying to get her to focus on herself and her experience in the present, to stop her trying to control the future.

Which means then there are ups and downs of the relationship, some feelings of alienation, some frankness, truth-speaking, reconciliation and hope.

So some interesting characters amongst the supporting cast including Kate McKinnon in the group and, towards the end of the film, a key scene with Jackie Weaver.

For audiences interested in frank films naming death and dying, the 2025 Goodbye June is well worth seeing.

1. A film about dying, life before death, preparation for death? For the ill person? The partner? The others?
2. The New York settings, the city, apartments, doctor’s offices, therapy meetings, hospital, the streets, the rivers, atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The opening, the aquarium, the story about the fish fighting and becoming one, Abbie and her biting Sam, the stitches, his telling the story, the young children, playing on the beach, the bond? Growing up, partners, life, his academic lectures, the students bored, his dividends, and in charge, dominant, thinking she was pregnant? The decision to marry, preparations for the wedding ceremony, the cake…?
4. Benji, his character, friendship with Sam, support, talk, the opposite? Abbie, her mother, the death of her father, her mother concerned?
5. The pregnancy test, the interview with the doctor, the discovery of the tumours, the diagnosis, terminal? Issues of treatment? The encounter with Dominic, his friendship, brashness, helping Abbie? The various sessions, her finally giving up on him?
6. The therapy sessions, Mitch and his quiet running of the sessions, the importance of the crocheting, the talk at the meetings, the various members, Kate and her touches of meditation and New Age, Bill, Jim, Meryl and their personalities, comments? Abbie’s reactions, keeping her distance, outbursts?
7. The character of Myron, his interest in Abbie, their talking, his terminal illness, his attitude towards life, the outings with Abbie? The discussions? His stories about Estelle, the unwanted couch?
8. Abbie, controlling, wanting the best for Sam, her decisions to plan his future, the interviews with the women, looking at the website, preparing his profile, discussions with the artist in the restaurant, organising his going to the opening, Myron and the buying of the clothes, Benji and his comments, Abbie watching with the binoculars? Benji leaving, Sam, awkwardness, the bar, the encounter with the artist?
9. And, her reactions, upset, distance from Sam, the effect on his classes? Separation, the meetings, Myron and his talk, bringing her to acknowledge her controlling attitudes? Seeking Sam, the reconciliation?
10. The preparation for the wedding, her mother, her mother going to support groups, the wedding dress, the cake? Her final visit to the therapy group?
11. Abbie growing weaker, the preparations for the wedding, her death?
12. Sam, the decision to have the party, the wedding party, the guests, the dress, the cakes, the dance space? His speech, reading out her letter?
13. The phrase, Too soon, for jokes about death, the tone of her letter, hopes for the future, too soon?