Now Is Good

Likely too many potential viewers will see this exquisite little film as just another Bucket List movie, but nothing could be further from the truth. Adapted by Director/Screenwriter Ol Parker form Jenny Downham's novel 'Before I Die', the film deals with delicate issues in a mature way and allows the emotional aspect of the film's theme to soar into that realm of films that deal with death in an honest and respectful way.

Tessa Scott (Dakota Fanning in a miraculous performance with a perfect British accent!) is diagnosed with leukemia. Despite her four-year devotion to chemotherapy she has discovered that her cancer is terminal and her doctors don't give her very long to live. Tessa with the help of her best friend Zoey (Kaya Scodelario) comes up with a list of things she wants to do before she dies, including some risky behaviors that she deems necessary to have "lived". Tessa's dad (Paddy Considine) is resistant to Tessa's behavior from the start but realizes he has little influence and can only enjoy the time they have left. Best friend Zoey is excited and supportive of the outrageous bucket list until an unplanned pregnancy test comes up positive. Tessa's parents are divorced and have very different views on her desire to experience the dangerous side of life before she passes. Her mother (Olivia Williams) simply cannot deal with the diagnosis and copes by distancing herself from Tessa's activities and is more or less absentee in her role as a mother. Her father's main mechanism for coping is denial. Tessa mentions that he spends hours on the computer looking up possible treatments for her even after the doctors have told her that the cancer has consumed her body. Tessa's little brother Cal (Edgar Canham) is a brutally honest individual that has mixed feelings ranging from lack of care to jealousy to sadness. In the beginning of the novel Cal says to his sister "I'm gonna miss you" during a joking situation. One of Tessa's last wishes is to find love, of which she thinks she has with her neighbor Adam (Jeremy Irvine whose performance here is as fine as his War Horse role). Adam is shy and his main priority is taking care of his sickly mother after their father died. But Tessa's gradually breaks through Adam's fears and the two fall in love, Adam promising to stay with Tessa until the end. The film follows her last few months of life, explores her relationships with her loved ones, and her personal feelings about being trapped in a failing body. The film is tenderly brought to a credible and touching close - everyone has grown to appreciate that 'now is good'.

Dakota Fanning rises to new heights in her sensitive portrayal and her skills are matched by inimitable performances by Paddy Considine, Olivia Williams, Jeremy Irvine, Kaya Scodelario and a superb supporting cast. This is a very beautiful film that begs to be seen and understood. Never sanguine, it is just an honest piece of life - and death.

Grady Harp

First of all, don't worry, I won't spoil anything about this film because I'm too lazy to summarise the plot since it has been already summarised by many other reviewers.

I have read the book and watched this film twice, and here is my final review on this film: - very well abridged and modified. - very well acted by all actors, especially by Dakota Fanning. I am not British but I am quite familiar with some British accents by watching many British TV series and listening to British youtubers. And as far as I can say, Dakota's British accent seems to be quite flawless. Of course, if you're British, you are welcome to disagree with me.

The only minus point: I am still wondering if Olivia's blonde wig was necessary. Or maybe she should have dyed her hair to make it look more natural. But even if those two actors (Olivia and Dakota) had kept their natural hair colours, the film would still have worked because the script was perfectly written.

Definitely worthwhile. Colorful, innocent & touchy. The acting is good, even by the other relatively less famous actors. 8 Stars well deserved.

Fanning has certainly established that she will evolve, and so will her roles in diversity. Coming from a child-star, she definitely has lived up to what is expected.

The editing is nice and crisp. There's no rush, no loose-ends, no surprises, yet curiosity still remains throughout, wanting you to keep going on and on and on.

This is comparable to the likes of Burning Man and My Sister's Keeper, and is momentous, beautiful and full of sentiment. It really hits you in multiple ways. What can I say: it made me cry multiple times, and I'm a guy, so.

Now would be a Good time to watch it - though you can always get back to it, and it might just make you do so.

In my opinion, this movie deserves 10 out of 10. Some reviews say that Dakota Fanning's portrayal of a terminally ill teenager with cancer wasn't 'convincing' however, I beg to differ. The personality Dakota derived for 'Tessa' is just perfect. She's angry and sarcastic, rude to her loved ones and doesn't let any one in. Her take on playing this role was just fantastic. You believe she's ill because of how she acts, not because of how many times they remind you she's dying, how many days she has left, her short hair and her pale appearance; those aspects just add to the character. This movie is being compared to 'A walk to remember' which, I can see the resemblance to of course; but this film isn't just about a bucket list or romance or just about cancer; it's about how it can make the individual person suffering really feel. I can't really explain in words why I thought it was so good. I just know that I was in tears at the end and I'm not usually one for crying at movies. I think it was seeing that hard shelled character Tessa eventually breakdown at the end after seeing her hold it in for so long. The realisation that she was dying is something that I felt the audience connect to. When the nurse explained what it would feel like to die over the course of the next few days to Fanning's character 'Tessa', you could hear a pin drop. It was perfect, realistic and Dakota was phenomenal. I also am proud that this film was a British production. After hearing Dakota's British accent in the trailer, I was a little worried that it would be hard to bare whilst watching the film, however, it was well spoken on her part and I thought she did an excellent job. I really did like this film. The casting was fantastic and so was the characterisation and family dynamic. It was great to see a typical teenagers response to leukaemia. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Please go and see it whilst it's in cinemas. I'm definitely buying this on DVD. (:

American Dakota Fanning leads the cast in this British production about a teen terminally ill from leukemia who wants to crowd all she can in the months or maybe weeks she has remaining. Prominent on the list is that she wants to lose her virginity.

Bring some industrial strength Kleenex to the theater because you'll need it. Fanning gives a sincere and somewhat restrained performance considering the circumstances. Her parents Paddy Considine and Olivia Williams also do well.

If I was going to have a first and last love I couldn't do much better than young James Irvine who scored very big Steven Spielberg's The War Horse. He's the perfect handsome and sensitive youth that anyone would fall for. His role is a supporting one, yet you'll remember him as much as you do Fanning.

Although her British accent could have used some improvement and I suspect that she was cast so that the film could draw some dollars in the American market, Fanning is just fine in the role. You'll not soon forget her in Now Is Good.