REVIEW: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)

If you're considering skipping Me and Earl and the Dying Girl because you figure it's probably just another cancer teen movie and you've already watched The Fault in Our Stars last year, I'd urge you reconsider because this is not the type of film you think it is.

Meet Me, AKA Greg (Thomas Mann). He's lanky, pasty, overly modest to the point of self-loathing, and apparently he thinks he looks like a rodent. He's awkward with way of life that is basically to be on friendly terms with everyone, but at the same time not be friends with anyone. His father (Nick Offerman) is a sociology professor who has a thing for exotic food, and long, winding soliloquies; his mother (Connie Britton) is less eccentric, but nosier and very privy towards her son's life—the way a lot of mothers are, I guess.

Meet Earl (RJ Cyler), the closest thing Greg has to a best-friend, even though he refuses to admit it. Aside being the one Greg spends his lunchtime with—watching art-house films in their history teacher's office, swiping some of his pho while they're at it—they also have this thing where they make parodies of classic films with clever titles like A Sockwork Orange, Pooping Tom, and Rosemary Baby Carrots. But if there's anything to be said about Earl, he's cool with all that wisdom and with from the hood. Maybe a little too cool for Greg.

Finally, meet the dying girl, AKA Rachel (Olivia Cooke). She's the girl that Greg is forced to make friends with when his mom finds out that Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia. Rachel is that funny, witty girl-next-door that people can't help but relate to. In a nutshell, she's Greg's manic pixie dream girl.

Let their doomed friendship begin.

The loveliest thing about Girl is not the story itself, because overall it's very much been-there-done-that. High school, cancer kid, the other kid that goes to make friends with said cancer kid. It's another cancer rom-com right? Well, not exactly. What makes this film stand out from the rest is the unconventional way the story fleshes out. Strictly speaking, Girl is a story of friendship, no one crosses the line at any point of the movie, and it's perfect that way. The fact that the casting was spot-on also helped in making the characters asauthentic  they can be. It's not hard to connect and fall in love with any of them.

I should also mention that the soundtrack to this movie is absolutely brilliant with its funky, indie vibe. It's the type of music that you wish was playing in the background of your life back when you were a teenager. And with it's sweeping, panoramic cameraworks, plus some adorable stop-motion scenes (there's a running gag throughout the movie that involves a moose and a chipmunk), Girl is a joy to sit through.

Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon who used to be a personal assistant to names such as Martin Scorsese and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl premiered to a standing ovation at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize, all it wholly deserves.

Spoiler: After this scene, a lot of things just south for these three.

 Other trivial musings : If a story ever needs an unreliable narrator, call Greg. He gotchu.


 TL;DR : That funny cancer movie that's less romanticised than TFiOS. Basically, if TFiOS and Perks of Being a Wallflower had a baby, this movie would be it.


I rate it : 8/10 stars

Should you watch it? I'm not going to the take the usual route of simply pushing this film to anyone and everyone. It's slow, and it's not for everyone, so take that in mind. While it's similar in nature with TFiOS, it's tone is more like Perks. So if you like Perks, then you're probably in the clear for this.

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL (2015)

Genre : Comedy Drama

Runtime : 105 mins

Director : Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Cast : Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler

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