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, 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 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?!
The best part about this movie is its script. I love the film's main characters, not just because they're well-developed, but also because they feel like real people, in a situation like this. The script also has great realism, like I said before, and it really teats its themes, allowing the audience to get invested, without hitting its themes over the head *cough*If I Stay*cough*, resulting into some incredibly emotionally effective moments (though I didn't particularly cry). There is also some great humor, especially the funny dialogue by Earl. If I had one problem with this film, I'd say that there is a certain cliché in the third act, that I really don't like, but that's just one personal gripe of mine.
Overall, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is another great coming of age film. It has great humor, great heart, great characters, and great...well almost everything. This is definitely, one of the best films of the year so far, please don't miss is. It's already in wide release now.
8.1/10·IMDb
81%·Rotten Tomatoes
74%·Metacritic
9/10 - Verdict
No comments:
Post a Comment