Review of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) by Saitou Y — 22 Dec 2015

After the well-meaning but melodramatic pap of last years If I Stay and The Fault in Our Stars, it would seem like almost an impossible feat to suggest that a film could still exist in this sub-genre and offer something with more depth and smarts beyond the "moviemaking" emotional manipulation of its audience.

Well, it's not impossible, because Me, Earl and the Dying Girl is exactly that film. There is one caveat; as the film comes to a close, there is a good chance some will react strongly towards the extraordinary denouement. Positive or negative reactions will vary depending on your expectations and how much you appreciate what precedes it; but it's precisely this manipulation that makes this film so much better than the manipulation of its predecessors.

Rather than weighing the audience down with the weight of the narrative's bleak undertones, Me, Earl and the Dying Girl instead allows you to fall for its characters through the convincing performances from its trio of leads who make up everything that is so loveable and heart-warming about this movie. The script strikes the absolute perfect balance of the cynical and the charming. Rather than wallowing in melodrama, the film embraces the awkwardness and relatable characteristics of growing up and being young. The kids may still seem a little eccentric compared to most mainstream movie teens; but the smarts aren't condescending, just part of the charm.

Me, Earl and the Dying Girl may not seem it at first, but it has a warmth that will sucker-punch you by its end. It has the ability to leave you an emotional wreck if you give it the chance, and you won't see it coming, even though you really should. But you should still love it all the same, because it truly is a wonderful, sweet film.