It's not every day that I will gush endlessly about a film, but today, I will. Having been lucky enough to have premiere tickets, as well as a meet and greet with the film's stars Dakota Fanning, Kaya Scodelario and Jeremy Irvine (who I have wanted to meet properly for ages!), you could say yesterday was a very special day for me. But it all ended in tears - lots and lots of them! So before I even begin to review "Now is Good", here's an early warning: BRING TISSUES. Lots and lots of them!
The premiere was held in Mayfair, so it was very different to the usual Leicester Square events. Everything was much more cosy and I really enjoyed the friendly, intimate atmosphere. It was made even more intimate when we - and about 4 others - got to step into the meet&greet zone (just a sectioned off area inside the cinema by the bar!). Then Kaya, who plays Zoe in the film, was introduced to us. She is absolutely stunning and completely down-to-earth as we had a group chat, confessing, "I'm even more nervous than usual because all my friends are here!" Several moments later, a man bearing a huge grin came along, asking our names one by one with a handshake and a "Hi! I'm Jeremy!". And I think at that moment, everyone (coincentally all female) attempted to stifle a looming squeal. For someone who was handpicked by Spielberg and is one of the biggest rising stars England has to offer with the brightest of Hollywood futures, Jeremy Irvine is such a gentleman. Not only is he undoubtedly handsome, but you can just tell fame has not gone to his head. He's simply a supremely talented, genuine, and very normal, 21 year old. "At the moment, I've been listening to 'The National' a lot", he said with a smile when I asked him what sort of music he's into. Last to arrive was the gorgeous Dakota Fanning who was dressed in one of the nicest dresses - a dazzling number - I have ever seen! ("It's Stella McCartney!"). She definitely did not look like a "child star", or a "child star turned rebel" for that matter.

Onto the film then. It was slightly weird with the cast were sitting with us in the cinema, but as I said earlier, cosy is good! Writer and director Ol Parker has done a terrific job with adapting Jenny Downham's novel "Before I Die"; it was one of my favourite books as a teenager and although I read it over 5 years ago, it's a book that I remember a lot about...it's simply hard to forget. Saying all that, "Now is Good" remains faithful to the storyline in most respects, telling the story of teenage cancer patient Tessa (Dakota Fanning). She has a limited amount of time to live, having stopped her chemotherapy, and has a list of things to do before she dies. What she doesn't expect, however, is to fall for her new neighbour Adam (Jeremy Irvine); their relationship is explored over the course of the film and believe me, it is no typical tale of a teenage romance! (Ok, so some of it is a tad predictable, but it is sweet and convincing enough for me to overlook it.)

The chemistry between the two leads is very solid and they make a believable couple. There's no point thinking "oh, they're both ridiculously attractive individuals - of course there's going to be chemistry" because it's not the straightforward thing you get/expect in every rom-com. There are emotions, not just physical attraction, and his character makes her more alive than she has ever felt. A slight issue (depends how you see it) is that Adam is pretty much the perfect guy. The perfect love interest. The perfect gentleman. Which leaves you thinking, when you leave the cinema, "I'm never going to find a guy like that!". Too unrealistic? A bit like Edward Cullen, perhaps, and for some reason this feeling was stronger watching "Now is Good" than any of the "Twilight" movies - I'm not entirely sure what that says...

The acting is what makes the film such an enjoyable one to watch. Director Ol Parker said himself that as soon as they met with Dakota, they knew she was Tessa. And of all the films I have seen starring Dakota Fanning, this is by far her best. I cried with her, laughed with her, and marvelled at just how amazing and convincing her British accent is. Like with Renee Zellweger of Bridget Jones, you forget she is actually American. I really, really cannot stress enough how brilliant she is; she captures the seemingly carefree teenage spirit and broken vulnerability at the same time. Where there is heartbreak, it is passed seamlessly onto the audience because the acting is just so damn great. And with the whole hair-difference (I'm sure you've seen the photos by now), I saw Tessa as Tessa - not Tessa played by Dakota Fanning...formerly very cute child in War of the Worlds and The Cat in the Hat! 

Other supporting roles include Jeremy Irvine who, apart from being perfect in real life, is also perfect on screen. (I may be ever so slightly biased here.) He's the college drop-out who changes her life. It may seem like a cliche girl-meets-boy story here but I fully believed the story. I've thought this from Day One when he was the kid from "Life Bites" on Disney Channel, past the mesmerising "War Horse", and have never been more convinced now after seeing "Now is Good": Jeremy Irvine is the future face of Hollywood. He will be a household name among the ranks of Damon, Renolds, Cruise, Pitt and Clooney. And more charming than Pattinson, if I say so myself. Fans of the book "Before I Die" will notice that the character Adam is significantly different from page to screen though. Whilst he's that magic mushroom guy with a question mark there, here he is Mr Perfect and almost unrealistically romantic. Anyhow, I won't complain too much. Kaya's exactly how I imagined the character Zoe to be - rebellious girl with a tough facade who leads innocent Tessa towards the wild side of life. Another standout performance was from Paddy Considine as the father who provides all the emotion from a helpless parent, as well as Olivia Williams who plays the slightly incapable mother. Add that to the frank but adorable little brother, the whole family affair really does tug on your heartstrings.  

Speaking of emotion, did I mention it is an emotional film? The biggest mistake I made walking into the cinema was not to pack a pack of Kleenex. Because halfway through the film, during one of Considine's speeches, I burst into tears and just didn't stop. It's a moving tale because through all the trauma, Tessa is just a normal teenager with ambitions (albeit some of them slightly on the crazy side) - and brave in spite of being the "dying girl". She even manages to make you laugh and smile through it all - credits to the brilliant writing which was probably all crafted just to get you to cry (it worked). Yes, it is insanely cheesy in places, there are cliches in the speech and an awkward moment or two, and I also found the film transitions confusing at times as it might jump from one scene to another, possibly taking place days later. My friend also pointed out irregularities in the location of things... But the whole thing comes together. Cancer is a sensitive topic in itself but somehow another side of it all is brought to life in the film, in particular the "Before I die" list.

The list, which is the main focus of all the film summaries I've seen online, includes things like "take drugs" and "have sex" which aren't exactly the principles which teenagers should be encouraged to share. That's the controversial part, but I don't actually think the list is the main focus. Instead, it is the journey of Tessa - how she deals with life and the prospect of dying. Living every moment like it is your last because sometimes there is too much to do, and too little time, and time is precious.

By the last scene and closing song, you'll appreciate how life really is a series of moments. And when you leave the cinema, if you're like me (female and no stranger to sobbing; I'm not entirely sure if the male audience would agree with my review), you'll be hysterically trying to hide a red blotchy face...whilst also feeling appreciative of the time we do have. Like I said, time is precious. Too much to do, and too little time. So do it now, because Now is Good.