Saturday, September 19, 2015

Review of ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL: On Friendship and Films

September 18, 2015




Greg (Thomas Mann) is an awkward introverted teenager who would rather stay invisible in high-school. Together with his childhood pal Earl (RJ Cyler), whom he would rather call his "co-worker," Greg would rather create strange little videos spoofing films he watched, as influenced by his quirky stay-at-home Dad (Nick Offerman). 

One day, Greg's overeager Mom (Connie Britton) nags him to visit his schoolmate Rachel (Olivia Cooke) who had just been diagnosed to have Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. While Greg's first visit was coerced, he and Rachel actually hit it off very well and became very good friends. However, it was a friendship he described as "doomed" from the start.

Like all the other coming-of-age films before it, from "The Breakfast Club" to "The Perks of Being a Wallflower", "Me and Earl" also tackles friendship among teens and how these friendships develop their individual personalities. Being an independent film, "Me and Earl" does not exactly have the gloss of a big Hollywood production. However, being indie -- with unknown actors and non-mainstream musical soundtrack-- gave it a fresh and unusual vibe. 

Lead actor Thomas Mann, with his unusual sad sack facial features, was the perfect actor for a role like Greg. He might be trapped in playing socially-inept nerdy characters like this for sometime though. RJ Cyler has that cool laid back brother vibe as Earl. It would also be his character who suddenly would spout the most intuitive and profound sentiments at the most unexpected moments. Olivia Cooke was radiant as the ill-fated Rachel. Her big round eyes are very expressive of her inner thoughts.

Being a film buff, the best of parts of the movie for me are those hilarious spoofs of old classic films as ingeniously made by Greg and Earl. Breathless (1960) by Jean-Luc Godard became "Breathe Less". The Grapes of Wrath (1940) by John Ford became "The Prunes of Wrath". Rashomon (1950) by Akira Kurosawa became "Monorash". The Seventh Seal (1957) by Ingmar Bergman became "The Seven Seals". A Clockwork Orange (1971) by Stanley Kubrick became "A Sockwork Orange".  These delightful juvenile parodies were painstakingly made combining live action with stop-action animation and puppetry. The cover designs of their DVD covers were also very witty.

This film may not be for all tastes. Just last year, the depressing topic of cancer in a teenager was tackled in the box-office hit "The Fault in Our Stars." "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" may have the same central story, but it has a remarkable difference -- this is not a love story, not exactly. Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon has a hip and vibrant vision of Jesse Andrews' script (adapted from his own novel). It is more of a coming of age movie, about a teenager discovering himself and the friends around him. It was more about the journey and the artistic way it was told, than its inevitable destination. 7/10.

20 comments:

  1. This is very interesting. I'd love to watch this my girls!

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  2. This must be a good movie to watch with family. Indie movies are sometimes better than hollywood.

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  3. Really, your review makes me feel younger and eventually...reality strikes back..ha..ha..ha..Some audience may expect the love story concept of the movie. Great review!

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  4. I am so excited to see this movie and find it out why this movie is "perfectly wonderful" one. I am carried away the way to present your review for this movie.

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  5. I actually like films that circulates about finding and knowing themselves. Sometimes, indie films, even if simple, gives us great realizations.

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  6. I loved fault in our stars mainly because it felt so real. I think I am excited to see this too.

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  7. 7 out of 10 and I haven't even heard of this movie before. The title definitely made me curious, will see it one of these days! Thanks Fred!

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  8. Interesting movie - I didn't know about it before. It looks like a story to discover :)

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  9. This does sound interesting. I don't really like coming of age movies anymore but hopefully this one isn't too cheesy for me!

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  10. Movies like this are always super interesting to watch. I think it would totally have me contemplate my life afterwards :)

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  11. It looks like a nice movie for both teens and parents. They could easily relate with the movie.

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  12. I would love to watch this, I shall look out for its DVD release. I love watching 'The Fault in Our Stars' and I think the way the filmmakers capture the tragedy in life that happens during the teenage years, just raw and unadulterated. I hope this movie is as good as that.

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  13. Sounds like a good film. If I chance upon it on a flight or when we want to do a movie night at home, I will remember your recommendation and perhaps watch it.

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  14. This is a great show for family. Thanks for sharing. But i don't think my country has this on big screen

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  15. Sounds like a great movie to watch with my girls sometime with light comedy to sit back and enjoy.

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  16. This is an inspiring story but I am not sure it will be screen in my country or not. However, I will try to check it out online. Thanks for the detail review.

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  17. Love this! It's very much like my favorite movies, A Walk To Remember and Fault In Our Stars.

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  18. Coming of Age films aren't really blockbuster hits, save for a few. Indie storytelling doesn't appeal to everyone so as you said, it might nor be everyone's cup of tea. But I am interested, although I'm still hungover from watching Heneral Luna.

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  19. Might just want to watch it, but the dying girl makes me hesitate as it might end up soppy~

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  20. I'll be honest, i didn't read the review because I want to watch the movie and get no spoilers at all.

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