I have been meaning to write the review of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl for so long that it makes me sad to see it stand waiting for so long, in the backcloth of my mind, hungry for appreciation. It deserves adulation. It deserves your attention. My sole intent is to shower undying love for this intensely deep and touching movie that beats every convention that mainstream cinema sells us today.

DIRECTION OF ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a constant droll that stays beautifully supplemented by the subtle direction of Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. What you cannot certainly overlook is its extraordinary cinematography that pays attention to meticulous details at different crises. If you pay attention enough you will approve the existence of the genius behind the camera.

Alfonso’s frames are in a perfect sync with the flick’s deadpan. Also, you are invariably smiling at the way things are shown which makes Me and Earl and the Dying Girl a propitious watch. Camera’s superlative swiveling from a single axle point and such countless experimentation throughout, will make you realize how Jesse Andrews might not have been able to get a better director for this movie.

Apart from stunning camera movements, the flick scores high on editing too. It stays fueled by its perfect timing for skipping frames, or throwing in a funny jest every now and then. Best ones are stop motion animation scenes that try to expound what our protagonist is thinking. It is intelligently depicted, and bides by its “out of the box” thinking.

PLOT OF THE DYING GIRL (SPOILERS)

Even though the titular flick gives away the primal plot through the moniker itself, it balances on a mere assertion to show us what might or might not happen. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl stays in the head of Greg played by Thomas Mann at all times, and depicts coming of age stuff from his perspective. We also have Earl who is Greg’s best friend, played by RJ Cyler who gives a brilliant icing to the story. There are subplots to the tale that unveil as a result of an unusual setup which get superbly helmed too.

It also has 21 mini movies that tell you how talented and amazing the brains behind the Me and Earl and the Dying Girl are. All of these short movies land up one way or the other inside the flick, and you can’t help but reflect on your childhood dreams. You are compelled to brood over that passion of yours that could never really go anywhere.

Olivia Cooke as Rachel is absolutely perfect for the role. Her eyes do most of the talking, and you can’t thank the casting director enough to have chosen her. Earl doesn’t disappoint either. He creates this perfect comportment to depict ‘distance’ whenever it was the call of the hour. Thomas Mann can’t be applauded enough. His Greg brings plausibility to the tale and makes him a very promising character.

FILM FOR RACHEL

The final movie on Rachel is a colossal metaphor. It leaves you wondering about things that constantly float in the head of Greg. It is hard to picture someone as furled as Greg have gargantuan profundity hidden.

There are images that run wild without words that try to say bazillion things to Rachel. It is Brian Eno’s music, and Greg’s animation that speak up abstract thoughts in a language only Rachel understands. It is so beautiful and poetic at the same time that you cannot clap enough for the writer to have thought something as eccentric as that.

THE FINAL VERDICT

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a fun frolic into the lives of Greg, Earl and Rachel. But the tragedy that awaits or doesn’t, at the culmination point is going to leave your mind impassioned with emotions. A must watch!

Check out the trailer of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl here:

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl 8.1 Direction 8.5/10

















Plot 7.8/10

















Screenplay 7.5/10

















Editing 8.4/10

















Drama 8.2/10

















Pros Magnificent Direction

Exceptional Editing

Extraordinary performances by the cast

Beautiful theme of the movie

Subtlety in its frames Cons Not for mainstreamers

Related