Review of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) by Nightreviews — 07 Jul 2015

THIS IS THE PART THAT I BEGIN MY REVIEW AND INTRODUCE THE FILM WITH A CLEVER HOOK.

You would never think that a title with the words “dying girl” would be the most buzzed about film at Sundance 2015, causing a bidding war that would eventually be won by Fox Searchlight Pictures for a whopping $12 million, the largest distribution purchase in the history of the fest. But alas, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a true testament to the power of YA pop culture, and a young adult film infused with the current obsession with cancer-driven teen fiction.

Following in the footsteps of the widely popular The Fault in Our Stars and my personal favourite cancer-comedy 50/50, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a mix of both, with a hint of 500 Days of Summer in for good indie measure.

Thankfully, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is miles ahead of the aforementioned Stars and is easily one of the most wryly self-aware and raucously comedic films of the year.

The ironic aspect of Me and Earl is that cancer has never really been at the front-row of comedy in the real world. Although it is one of the most devastating diseases of our time, consuming the lives of many loved ones, cancer, in this instance, sets up one of the most endearing and authentic cinematic friendships seen on screen, in a very long time.

Now if you are all thinking, how in the hell is a film about a very pending friendship between two boys and a girl recently diagnosed with leukaemia one of the funniest and best films of the year? All I’d have to say is “Respect the Research” and find out for yourself.

THIS IS THE PART WHERE I EXPLAIN MY COMMENTARIES ON THE FILM.

One of the many (and I’m talking about a ton) charms of Me and Earl is its ability to share so many universal and relatable truths to its audience. The fact remains, Rachel Kushner (Olivia Cooke) is a seventeen-year old girl who is recently diagnosed with Leukaemia. Greg Gaines (Thomas Mann) is a smart-talking, quick responding, social leper who has serious issues with the word friendship and a great appreciation for hipster and event-garde culture (including Warhol, Herzog and B-films). Earl (RJ Cyler), the innocent by-stander in all of this, is your typical high-schooler who obsesses mostly with **** Yet, these three unique characters and the serious and lighthearted issues they face in a small Pittsburg high school offer some of the most insightful and emotional responses from an audience in the year 2015.

Based on Jesse Andrews’ book of the same name, the author was able to adapt his own book into a screenplay, keeping its infectious charm and wit intact. Luckily for us, Andrews’ book has been described as a book made to be read by anyone; anyone who has gone to high school, anyone who has lost someone they love, or grew up with a family, or has wondered what life is all about.

Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, a sophomore feature following his debut horror film The Town That Dreaded Sundown, the film blends a very inauspicious mix of quirk at first by beginning the story with an abundance of stop-motion animation, flashbacks, and some very obvious film-school favourites including; the long take; pans; and long shots. Rejon, who began his career as a personal assistant to Martin Scorsese, shows his range as a charming director who is able to not only amp up the quirk factor, but also get the best performances from his actors and characters to help narrate the story to uncontrollable moments of laughter. Much like its main character Greg (Thomas Mann) and his inability to obtain normal friendships or accept the obvious classes created in any high school setting, Rejon embraces the main essence of Andrews’ novel, loss and love and stays true to its unique nerdiness, owning every second of it.

THIS IS THE PART WHERE I…TALK.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and for the most part, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is easily one of the most satisfying films of 2015, and not for the usual ingredients that make an indie film so great either. While most indie films are applauded and hailed for their quirky soundtracks, incredible acting discoveries, and new finds, Me and Earl has an interesting quality of brining back the old, and making it cool again. Rejon, an obvious film enthusiast and lover of classics (Criterion quality to B-movie selections) sends great satisfaction of allowing his feature of reminiscing on these classic films in a fringe-type cinematic wet dream. His rehashing, mockery yet clear praise and reference to classic films shows his great admiration and love for film as a whole. While Greg and Earl half-heartedly remake some of their favourtite films, we get a clear sense of what makes them great friends, their ability to embrace their immaturity and playfulness. Rejon pulls it off through and through, that boys will be boys, while Mann and Cyler really hit that notion out of the par throughout each scene.