Me Earl and the Dying Girl scenes

"We're not even friends." Greg (Mann) is finally a senior. He as survived high school by trying to be invisible to everyone and not causing any drama. When his mother tells him that a classmate (Cooke) has been diagnosed with cancer and that he should hang out with her he hesitates. What starts off as something he is forced to do actually helps him to become who he truly is. If you have teenagers this is a movie they should watch. The movie is a mix of Fault in our Stars and Perks of Being a Wallflower. There is humor and drama in this but the best part about it is that it feels real and nothing about it is forced. The movie could have easily been cheesy and almost after-school-special-like but it stays away from that and becomes something that is truly special. It isn't anything all that original but the writing and acting really make this one of the better movies of this genre and I recommend it. Overall, a movie that could have been very hokey but instead turned out to be very real and heartfelt. A movie teens should watch. If you liked Fault in our Stars you will love this movie. I give it a high B+.

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9/10

Hellmant8 July 2015

'ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Critically acclaimed indie comedy-drama flick; about an awkward high school teen, and his young filmmaking buddy, who befriend a sick classmate with leukemia. The film stars Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, Ronald Cyler II, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, Katherine C. Hughes and Jon Bernthal. It was directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (who's most well known for directing popular TV shows, like 'GLEE' and 'AMERICAN HORROR STORY') and it was written by first time feature film writer Jesse Andrews (and based on his book, of the same name). I absolutely love this movie!

Greg Gaines (Mann) is a senior at Schenley High School, in Pittsburgh, who's made it through school mostly unnoticed, by only slightly communicating (politely) with everyone (in every social group). He makes short film spoofs, with his best friend Earl (Cyler II); who he's known since childhood. One day, Greg's mother (Britton) informs him that another childhood friend, Rachel (Cooke), has been diagnosed with leukemia. He's then forced, by his mom, to spend time with his sick classmate; against both their wishes. A touching friendship forms.

The film is quirky and hilarious, in places. The actors are all perfectly cast and the characters are all lovable, and memorable. It's also a very touching film, and quite depressing (at times); but it's always beautiful to watch, and wonderfully moving. The cinematography is gorgeous and the score is perfectly fitting. The script is brilliant, and clever as well, and the director is definitely one to watch out for. It's sure to become a cult classic, for many years to come, and who wouldn't love that title?!

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8/10

jbroc628 July 2015

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl offers a very accessible, honest, and humorous look at not only how someone deals with being diagnosed with cancer, but it also turns the clichés of the coming-of-age story on its nose, and the people behind this film are able to do that by finding the perfect balance between drama and comedy within this unfortunate tragedy.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl centers around Greg (Thomas Mann), a very sarcastic and self-loathing high school student going into his senior year. Greg believes that if he shuts everyone out of his life so that he won't have to deal with anything, then things will be okay, and this gives him a sort of self-gratification. So to uphold his philosophy, he doesn't try to be friends with anyone, but makes sure he's on low-key, good terms with everyone in his school. However, he does spend his time with his co-worker/"friend" Earl (RJ Cyler) making parodies of classic foreign cinema together. However, when Greg learns from his mother that a childhood friend of his, Rachel (Olivia Cooke) is diagnosed with Leukemia, Greg begins a blossoming friendship with Rachel; a friendship that would take him through the best of times, the worst of times, and eventually shape him into the person that he will become.

While this film definitely shares characteristics with 2014's The Fault in Our Stars (which is a pretty good movie in my opinion), this film to me is more heartfelt and inventive than TFiOS ever was. And most of this has to do with the brilliant screenplay written by Jesse Andrews, who happened to write the book that his film is adapted from. The way that Andrews addresses how to deal with this sickness is wonderfully human and clumsy; whether through comedy, wit, or drama, Andrews finds a way to make the whole scenario relate in some way, shape, or form to anyone and everyone.

The direction and cinematography are absolutely incredible. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, who is known for his work on American Horror Story, and was a personal assistant to Martin Scorsese, shows not only his inventiveness, but his quirkiness as a director on this film. Gomez-Rejon shows his talent with stop motion animation, long panning shots, flashback sequences, and some very long takes that really allow the actors to give the best performances possible. There are even times when this feels like a Wes Anderson film, and this can also be contributed to the gorgeous cinematography. Chung-hoon Chung oozes with style behind the camera, and ultimately the film has a very vibrant look that gave the story being told so much life. These people tell this story with so much care and thought, it's evident that the filmmakers truly respected Andrews' work on the screenplay and wanted to do it the justice it deserves. And thankfully, we got it here.

The performances in this film are all magnetic. Every single one of these actors were able to hold their own on screen. The parents in the film, played by Molly Shannon, Connie Britton, and the always delightful Nick Offerman, all do fantastic work. Their relationships with their children are all very grounded in reality and realistically portrayed. Jon Bernthal is incredibly funny as Greg's history teacher, and is able to depict the "generic cool teacher who understands the main protagonist" in a different, refreshing light. However, the three leads all steal the show. RJ Cyler serves as a foil to Greg's character. Instead of BS-ing people in order to avoid any direct confrontation, Cyler's Earl is very frank with his language and emotions, and gets right to the core of the problem with Rachel. Olivia Cooke gives a very heartfelt and understated performance in this film, and watching her suffering through this sickness that's eating her up is truly heartbreaking to watch. However, the whole film rides on Thomas Mann's shoulders. His detached performance, and the way he handles Rachel's sickness is so realistically somber. His character actually reminds quite a bit of the characters Anthony Michael Hall played in older John Hughes films. He does a fantastic job with the darker comic moments in the film, and the way his character develops throughout the film is nothing short of stellar.

This film won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival this past January, and it's not hard to see why. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a film filled with heartbreakingly realistic performances, quirky direction, gorgeous cinematography, and spectacular writing. Whether your an art-house fan, a fan of cinema in general, or just the casual moviegoer, there's something in this film that everyone can relate to. It's in wide release right now, so do yourself a favor and go see it, because it's one of the best films of the year.

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10/10

A_Different_Drummer9 October 2015

According to the IMDb TOS, they are not currently accepting 2-word reviews -- OH WOW -- so I am going to flesh this out a tiny bit:

1. Self-aware. The key to all movies about teenage angst. Possibly the key to all the good movies of all time. If you can compel the viewer to look within and produce a shared experience without the accompanying moral outrage, you have nailed it. Ferris Bueller did this. BRICK did this. ME/EARL does this. Instant classic. Oh Wow. (Ooop -- getting repetitive)

2. Andrews, the writer/adapter, is obviously a film buff. Many film makers have tried to show off their encyclopedic knowledge of film within the confines of their movie -- even the infamous QT, especially the infamous QT -- but nobody was ever this clever. The "trope" of giving the main characters a hobby where they spend their spare time spoofing major films is .. brilliant.

3. Speaking of brilliant, the tiny Claymation sequence off the top where it is scientifically demonstrated how very pretty girls can destroy a passerby without even realizing it ... is not merely brilliant but iconic. That alone guarantees this film will never be forgotten.

4. Cook is a find. She presents as a love child from Jessica Alba (the eyes) and Rachael McAdams (inner glow). A great pedigree.

5. I could go on, but hopefully you get the point. Catch this one NOW, because films this good only come along every 6 or 7 years... if you're lucky

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10/10

Hitchcoc10 November 2015

I saw this film on a four hour flight. I had it on my list of films to see, but I never got around to seeing it. What we have here is a classically gifted child who tries to hide in the bushes. His friend is a down-to-earth black kid who comes from humble roots. His contributions are more basic. He has a seemingly dangerous brother. The star is a filmmaker, taking classics like "Apocalypse Now" and "Breathless" and turning them into truncated parodies. The titles are probably better than the movies. One day, his somewhat overbearing mother, lets him know that a classmate of his, a young woman, has leukemia, and that it would be nice to for him to visit her. He reluctantly goes to see her, and it is only his explanation that his mother will make it hell for him if he doesn't spend time with her. What develops is a fascinating connection between the two and love at arm's length. Earl is only a part time player and not a great factor, other than being a refreshing distraction. What makes this movie so wonderful is the natural development of love and friendship, the realities of the illness, and a slow revealing of truths between the two characters. The movie is funny at times and never maudlin, although it has its dark moments as well. I'd not heard of the kids playing the roles, but they are strikingly poignant in their delivery. Nick Offerman, who is only in a couple scenes, plays the father of the boy. He steals every scene he is in. He is an experimenter with life where the young man experiments with film. See this.

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Not Just Marketable, But Good Too

SLUGMagazineFilms30 January 2015

It would be easy to criticize the fact that Me & Earl & the Dying Girl appears to have been genetically engineered to be a summer box office moneymaker (Fox Searchlight and Indian Paintbrush have already snatched up the rights for a record- breaking $12 million). It's an adaptation of a young adult novel about adolescent friendship in the midst of terminal illness, which is hot in Hollywood right now thanks to The Fault in Our Stars. Basically, I went in to this film wanting to despise it for its utter marketability. Upon seeing it, however, I was reminded that movies can be commercially successful and good at the same time—and that's okay. The film chronicles the senior year of Greg (Thomas Mann), his friend Earl (R.J. Cyler), and Rachel (Olivia Cooke), who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Though all of the teen dramedy tropes are present—awkward parents, the teacher who gets it, the exploration of high school cliques—the excellent supporting cast keeps the narrative fresh. Greg's parents (Connie Britton and Nick Offerman) add an eccentric jolt of parental weirdness to their scenes, and The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal takes archetypal cool teacher role into some original territory with his tattoos and battle- scholar vibe. While I found myself wanting more in regards to Rachel's character, the film's treatment of her friendship with Greg is both darkly funny and realistically somber. This is one movie that it's safe to see regardless of its soon-to-be huge commercial appeal. –Alex Springer

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9/10

kosmasp28 October 2016

Or maybe not. But then again, you have to watch the movie to really know. One thing is for sure: the movie is funny if you like weird humor that is out there. That is really strange and has a strong script (the dialog is amazing, maybe you may think it's too much for some teenagers to talk like that). If you actually thought the fault in our stars movie was good, wait until you get a load of this. And just to be clear, I'm talking about the other movie, not the novel that it was based on, that I never read.

But back to this, because while some pretend to be real, this actually feels real and all without much of an effort. The actors do a phenomenal job, but do have a source that is helping them out a lot too. Emotional but rewarding in a sense

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10/10

tomtobias-230-8370043 February 2015

I saw Me & Earl last week at Sundance and have not stopped thinking about it. That is a long (6 day) shelf life. What more can one ask from a film? The writing and execution is elite quality. All scenes seem necessary. Parent/child relationships, peer relationships, teacher/student relationships all are captured in humorous and touching ways. Life and death realities are also visited through the lens of "kids" who make as much sense as possible when facing the grim possibilities of severe illness.

Sorry to be redundant from other reviews but this darn film has HEART and should be required viewing for anyone who sees at least one movie a year.

Thanks to the team that made this one happen.

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10/10

yusufpiskin27 December 2019

All I'm going to say is that I was not crying, but sobbing, throughout the entire second half of this film.

I was weeping into my shirt to the point that I almost began to hyperventilate. I nearly walked out of the film because I feared my sobs could be heard by those sitting around me, and because of how emotionally, destructively brilliant it is.

This was a Mommy-esque experience, a Beasts of the Southern Wild-esque experience, for me.... a depressing, overwhelming, cathartic cinematic expression of the knowledge of the world, knowledge of pain, knowledge of hardships, knowledge of pure human spirit and the highs and lows which it encapsulates.

I have nothing more to say for now.

I am broken.

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10/10

robertemerald1 May 2019

You'll be enchanted by this movie. It has a wit that easily makes you smile, and that wit continues through most of the movie. The dying girl is the same actress as the girlfriend in Bates Motel tv series, playing a similar role, and is the anchor against which the drama rocks. The characters here are really likeable. The two lead protagonists are humble and yet a source of fantastic creativity, their works bouncing around the film and adding heart and colour to proceedings. It's a highly unusual story, with unexpected rays of sunshine around every corner. I highly recommend Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. It's an easy watch for sure as it is so inspiring, and will be remembered as a classic.

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7/10

ross-bob9 July 2015

I saw it three times. Yes,it was painful because we were all that kid -- geek, awkward, nowhere with girls.

The movie is honest, funny, and I will see Olivia Cooke's unreal face in front of me for months. (And she did shave her head; I wondered about that.) R.J. Cyler gave perfect balance to the lead actor's awkward role.

The best thing about this movie is the writing; it crackles at times with insight into the outsider's life.

I am much aggrieved that it only earned four million at the box office nationally. It's worth a lot more.

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8/10

bartonj24105 September 2015

It's easy to dismiss such a quirky film as Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, the latest independent film to get a release after making quite an impression at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize in the drama category.

Make the film too quirky and you could alienate an audience however, a subtle amount of quirkiness combined with a good blend of comedy and drama will give you a film like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, which ends up being both irresistible and infectious to its audience.

Greg (Thomas Mann) is a high school student who just wants to get through school without associating himself with any of the various cliques or making enemies. Along with his friend Earl (RJ Cyler), Greg spends his spare time making parodies of their favourite classic movies.

When he learns that his childhood friend, Rachel (Olivia Cooke), has been diagnosed with leukemia, he is forced by his overbearing parents to befriend her in her time of need. Through this friendship, Greg soon finds his outlook on life altered.

There is always the uneasy feeling of laughing at a film that centres around a girl suffering from cancer. There is great care taken though by director, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, in making sure that the subject gets the delicate treatment it deserves with the perfect combination of comedy and drama.

He is aided by a delightful screenplay from Jesse Andrews, the author of the book the film is adapted from, full of enough wit, charm and quirky cutaway moments, such as the feeling of when the hot girl at school talks to you, to leave you with a smile on your face.

The film is elevated to another level by the three main performances from Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler and Olivia Cooke, all showing fine range in both the dramatic and comedic departments. They are supported quite wonderfully by the likes of Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Jon Bernthal and Molly Shannon, and keep your ears peeled for a funny voice cameo from Hugh Jackman that fits the quirkiness of the film so well.

Critics love it and so should audiences, I'm just hoping people decide to go and see it instead of some of the inane drivel that Hollywood produces these days. It really does deserve all the success it can get.

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9/10

namashi_121 September 2015

Based on Andrews' 2012 debut novel of the same name, 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is sheer beauty on celluloid. Its a sensitive, heart-wrenching, melancholic tale about Friendship, Love & Loss.

'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' Synopsis: High schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.

'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. The narrative is so nicely maintained, that it often finds humour amidst tragedy. Its also a tribute to Films & the magic they leave on us.

Jesse Andrews's Screenplay works wonders. I laughed & cried, at the correct places. The characters are real, their situations are genuine & their togetherness touches your heart. I wasn't bored even for a minute! Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Direction is superb. He has handled this sensitive tale, with maturity & control. Cinematography & Editing are sharp. Brian Eno & Nico Muhly's Score is wonderful.

Performance-Wise: Thomas Mann is the find of the year. What a stupendous performance! Olivia Cooke oozes naturalness in her portrayal of the unfortunate child diagnosed with cancer. Ronald Cyler II is remarkable, adding tremendous weight to his part. Jon Bernthal & Molly Shannon stand out in supporting roles.

On the whole, 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is among the bravest indie films of 2015. Don't miss it!

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10/10

meeza3 October 2015

The independent movie "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" is a rich, creative, emotional, and inspiring narrative that is so much more than a tale of a teenager diagnosed with leukemia. Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon no se rajo and orchestrates the picture as a quirky gem still respecting that one of its main characters is in a mortal state; and in no way, shape, or form, disrespects that. The film stars Thomas Mann as Greg, a high school student who evades being part of a click in high school, but not having absolute distant from any of them. RJ Cyler co-stars as Earl, Greg's best friend and also film partner. Greg & Earl make eccentric short films with a pun touch on film classics; which personally I think was masterful. My fav of the bunch was Sockwork Orange, which was bloody hilarious. Anyways, back to the story. Greg's mother pressures him to better befriend & be supportive to Rachel (Olivia Cooke), who has just been diagnosed with leukemia. Greg is hesitant at first, but then a very cool friendship blossoms between Greg & Rachel that sure had lots of life in it. Sure, there are a couple of predictable turns in the movie, but it does not hamper the film in one bit. Young thespians Mann, Cyler, and Cooke were very solid in their performances; most notably Cooke. And I loved the supporting work of the underrated Jon Bernthal as Mr. McCarthy, the unorthodox history teacher who becomes some sort of new wave mentor for Greg. Jesse Andrews' adapted screenplay of his novel is Oscar-worthy and I wish I had Jesse's world of script talent. So liven up your life just a little bit, and go visit "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl". It's the best movie I have seen so far in 2015. ***** Excellent

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8/10

StevePulaski28 June 2015

Greg Gaines (Thomas Mann) is an awkward, self-loathing teenager, wandering the halls of his high school with a relaxed and mellow attitude. He's not anti-social, as he goes out of his way to talk to people of all different social groups and cliques, fully intent on never getting too close to call them "friends" and operating just basically enough so he can never become fully immersed in their life or embarrass himself. His friend, though he won't call him that, is Earl (Ronald Cyler II), who has been by his side for years, as the two make low-budget parodies of classic films (IE: "A Sockwork Orange" is their version of "A Clockwork Orange," Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless" becomes "Breath Less," a film about a man's attachment to his inhaler, and "Midnight Cowboy" becomes "2:48 P.M. Cowboy"). Despite these films blatantly being awful, the two continue their productions for reasons they can't even adequately explain.

One day, Greg's mother makes Greg visit the home of Rachel Kushner (Olivia Cooke), a girl Greg's age who has just been diagnosed with leukemia, to express his well wishes and give her some company. Right from the get-go, despite being loved and embraced by Rachel's mother (Molly Shannon), who is constantly sipping alcohol following her divorce and her daughter's diagnosis, Rachel detects the obligation of Greg's visit. Nonetheless, the two make casual small talk, with Rachel revealing her normal side and Greg continuing to harp on his awkward, self-hating side with little tact and emotion. He remains in a constant state of mellow carelessness at all times, but grows close to Rachel, even going the distance to working with Earl to make a movie for her when she begins chemotherapy and becomes increasingly withdrawn.

"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" immediately feels like a Wes Anderson picture that tackles realm of quirky teenage films so heavily that it becomes twee and almost petty. The opening sequence alone reminded me how tired I was of hearing stories that begin with "this is not your typical high school love story" or the continued affirmation of the main character's unique story by saying "this is the part where her and I should kiss" or "this is not your typical romance." This has gone from being subversive and innovative to a cloying attempt to be original and unique, incessantly reminding the audience that your story is different.

Yet, "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" is special because, much like Rick Famuyiwa's "Dope," released last week, it reminds how people are much more complex than films often portray. "Dope" focused on the perils of living in South Central Los Angeles and getting caught up in gang activity all while struggling to remain true to yourself, find yourself, and stay in tune with your morals. With that, "Dope" showed how a person is not easily defined and there were many shades of gray in defining a human and his choices.

This film operates on the same plane. Scenes with Greg and Rachel do not go the way we expect at all. At no moment does Greg comfort Rachel by holding her, caressing her, kissing her, or giving her the reactionary statement that "everything's gonna be all right." At no point does he really ever give her a reason to smile because he is being flattering or particularly kind to her. Quite frequently, I found myself being really surprised at his behavior; it's unlike most behavior we see between two adolescents in film, but yet, not uncommon of adolescents in the real world.

Films have shaped our ideas about teenagers in a way that paints many of them as stereotypes or members of an easily defined class. Films like this, "Kids," and "The Breakfast Club" have worked to paint richer, more realistic pictures, showing the grayness in defining adolescents and showing that the emotions they feel, the decisions they make, and the paths they work to forge for themselves can be just as daunting as the priorities many adults face each and every day. If nothing else, "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" reminds, if not, informs, that teens aren't easily defined caricatures - some sit before computers and edit their own makeshift films with their friend with posters of Martin Scorsese's "Mean Streets" and François Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" neatly hung on the walls behind them.

"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" also mixes the brutally honest, complex emotions of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" with the basic premise (but not mawkish sentimentality and ultimate corniness) of "The Fault in Our Stars." Mann proves to be an interesting character, almost an anti-hero in his ability to love or be loved because of his own stubborn attitude and coldness to the idea of personal connection. Kushner also gives a tremendously affecting performance on a low-key level, with emotional scenes that hit right on the noise. They're not too overdrawn and they're not too cutely resolved or painted; they're brutally, unequivocally real.

The only thing burdening the film is its obsession with its own quirkiness and its increasingly irritating ability to try and remain meta and different. The film's insistence on its own desire to be unique unintentionally undermines Jesse Andrews' compelling, heartwrenching story and Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's (who also directed the strong remake of "The Town That Dreaded Sundown") directing, which resembles the astute, symmetrical-precision of Wes Anderson. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl," however, ultimately succeeds in showing humans, particularly adolescents, as they naturally are - complex, sometimes detached, but never boring.

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8/10

gbill-748771 December 2016

Endearing film about an awkward high school misfit, his friend who makes amateur movies with him, and, well, a dying girl who he begins visiting at the request of his mother. All three leads – Thomas Mann, R.J. Cyler, and Olivia Cooke – turn in strong performances, and while the movie could easily be cloying or derivative of countless others with this sort of subject, it somehow avoids all that. Almost every note rings true, and the characters are far from idealized, expressing the difficult emotions of growing up as well as dealing with cancer. The vantage point – the misfit and not the dying girl – apparently rubs some people the wrong way, but I found it to be part of the movie's truth. And, despite the heavy subject matter, the dialog is fresh and funny, and the amateur movies the kids make are very clever twists on classic films, which injects lightness into the film.

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