Miss You Already

The best of friendships can last a lifetime, which sadly turns out to be all too true for Milly (Toni Collette) and Jess (Drew Barrymore) who have remained close since they were little kids. Now in their late 30s, their friendship is put to the ultimate test when Milly is diagnosed with cancer. Miss You Already deals with the fallout of someone you love having cancer in a realistic manner that will no doubt tug at your heartstrings.

What I noticed most about Miss You Already is that it doesn’t overcomplicate things with unnecessary drama. Milly was wild in her younger days and happen to get pregnant by her rockstar boyfriend Kit (Dominic Cooper). That in itself is nothing special, but rather than do the whole “rocker who’s not ready to settle down” scenario, they portray Milly’s and Kit’s relationship as completely normal. He’s a good father and husband. It isn’t until the cancer hits that you really start to feel the tension between them.

Jess, meanwhile, is struggling to get pregnant herself and desperately wants a family with her husband Jago (Paddy Considine). Of course that is all thrown out of order when Milly gets cancer and Jess, being the good friend she is, spends the majority of her time by her best friend’s side.

Miss You Already really captures what happens when a loved one gets cancer and how if affects everyone around them. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything, dealing with both the highs and the lows. The best comparison I can make is it’s the female version of 50/50. It’s depressing at times, especially the final third of the film as the cancer begins to spread, but it will also make you laugh.

It’s a given that a film revolving around cancer is going to try and made audiences cry. Miss You Already doesn’t shy away from it. Thankfully, it features a strong cast and story that backs it all up as well.