Review of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"

Every year there seems to be at least one 'coming-of-age' film to come out of the Sundance Film Festival. I usually look forward to them, because they tend to be right in my wheelhouse. The Way Way Back, which was released two years ago at Sundance, is among my favorite films of recent memory; I can watch it over and over again and cry every time. This year's big 'coming-of-age' flick to come out of Sundance was Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Both of my best critic friends loved this movie, with one saying that it was easily a frontrunner for Best Picture at the Oscars. While I don't share his sentiment, I did really like it.

THE GOOD

The acting is so spectacular in this movie. Nick Offerman gives probably his most memorable performance outside of playing Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation. Connie Britton (Nashville, Friday Night Lights) gives an almost unrecognizably quirky performance. And the kid that they got to play Earl, RJ Cyler, is just a revelation. I don't know if it was the superb direction or whether Cyler is actually that good, but it's just a spectacular role.

The Storytelling of this movie is pretty remarkable. The gradual reveals and head fakes build a complexity that I didn't think was possible for a movie about a kid's senior year of high school. The main character, Greg, is the most complex and relatable character of the year. I really relate to him, and Thomas Mann's portrayal of him is just so good. I certainly hope he gets nominated for an Oscar, because it's the best performance and characterization since Ralph in Wreck-it Ralph for me, hands down.

Many people are contrasting this film with The Fault In Our Stars, which makes sense: they are both about teenage cancer patients. I didn't care for Stars and its overly emotional plot devices. Earl feels much more real to me, although I never had cancer or knew anyone who did in high school, so perhaps I'm not the best judge.

I also found this movie to be incredibly funny and refreshingly creative in its plot devices.

THE NOT SO GOOD

I didn't find the abstract camera work to be as accessible as it could have been. My critic friends just ate up the cinematography, but I'm just not as good at following artsy subtext as they are (for example, I didn't care for Birdman, whereas they adored it). I'm sure the art direction had meaning, however I just couldn't see it.

CONCLUSION

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is one of the better movies of the year so far. It's sweetly complex, endearingly quirky, and deeply emotional. I wouldn't recommend it to the average popcorn film-goer, but only to folks who enjoy quirky, Oscar-type films.

4/5 Disco Balls.

PARENTS GUIDE

This movie is a lot dirtier than I expected it to be. Lots of references to girls as 'titties' and way too many masturbation jokes. It also has them accidentally getting high from marijuana cookies.