Written by Adam Mast
ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL (PG-13)
With its unflinching look at the effects of cancer and its depiction of youthful relationships, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” will certainly draw comparisons to “The Fault in Our Stars,” “(500) Days of Summer,” and the works of John Hughes, but this emotionally resonant film still manages to carve out an identity all its own. Furthermore, as was the case with Jonathan Levine’s excellent “50/50,″ this movie is able to wring humor out of what is normally very unfunny subject matter.
Oddly enough, on paper, the basic synopsis for “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” makes it sound fairly generic. It just goes to show you that strong (and honest) performances, sincerity, and delicate direction can transcend the conventional.
In “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” awkward but intelligent teen Greg Gaines (played by a wonderfully offbeat Thomas Mann) is heavily encouraged by his overbearing mom (a charming Connie Britton) to visit with Rachel (played effectively by lovely Olivia Cooke), a neighborhood teen who has just been diagnosed with cancer. After endless prodding at the hands of his meddling mother, Greg agrees to meet with Rachel, and shortly thereafter, this two-some bond famously. This is no pity party though, and as the film sets up from the very start, their story isn’t a love story. These traits set “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” apart from the sort of tragic high school romance you might be expecting.
The “Earl” in the title of the movie refers to Greg’s best friend (played by a stellar RJ Cyler), a fellow high school student who shares Greg’s pure love of cinema. In fact, these lifelong pals have such a passion for film that they spend much of their free time “sueding” (to coin a phrase from “Be Kind Rewind”) their favorite movies and creatively tweaking the titles ever so slightly.
At one point, Greg and Earl set out to shoot a project for an extremely depressed Rachel. It’s a very sweet gesture, and it’s that sense of sweetness that brings a little light to a film that’s quite dark around the edges.
It should be noted that Earl proves to be so much more than a wise-cracking supporting character in this movie. His voice of reason is an integral part of Greg’s growth process, and as a duo, Cyler and Mann bring real complexity to a most unique onscreen friendship.
Despite cancer’s pivotal role in this movie, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” is difficult to resist. It does try awfully hard to be clever and meaningful, and for the most part, I’ll be damned if it doesn’t pull it off. Heartfelt too. If you or anyone in your life has ever been affected by this terrible disease, you’re very likely to be moved by this film. By the end of the screening I attended, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
But as emotionally draining as it is, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” wisely refuses to slip into a dreary expose on death. Instead, this is a celebration of life and the importance of living every day to the fullest.
