Movie Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Title: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Based on the Novel by Jesse Andrews

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Screenplay: Jesse Andrews

Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Cast: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke

High schooler Greg Gaines, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.

 My Review

When I first saw that one of my favorite books, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl was being adapted for film, I was ecstatic! I had so, so, so much love for the book, and I couldn't be more thrilled to see the story and the characters come to life. I waited and waited for the day that I could go see it, but I was disappointed when I saw that theaters in my area weren't playing it. No, scratch that. I was as angry as book Earl, and I wanted to kick everything because it should have been in theaters here. It was freaking filmed in the city where I live! Ugh!

Flash forward a few months. I'm looking for it in stores. Can't find it. Like really? Come on. Finally, I found it in a local grocery store chain, and I bought it. I couldn't wait to watch it and finally see the movie that people were raving about.

Let me let you in on a little secret... All those glorious reviews are completely sound, and you should listen to them and grab a copy of this movie in some form or another. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a beautiful masterpiece! It's just one of those movies that should stick around for years and years to come because it does the unexpected. It's The Breakfast Club quality! I'm not even lying. It's so freaking good!

Now I read the book. I loved the book, and I thought it was hysterical. Naturally, I was expecting that the movie be just as funny. I got the humor that I wanted, but I also got a little something more. I got a serious case of the feels! I was such an emotional mess by the end of this movie that I couldn't even deal. I stared off into space as the credits rolled because Thomas Mann just delivers an emotional performance, especially in the film's final scenes. 

The main cast of Me and Earl is phenomenal. Thomas Dunn does a great job portraying Greg. It's been a while since I've seen him in a movie (It's Kind of a Funny Story), and he's really improved since then. It's great to see him take on a lead character, and he excels at it. Olivia Cooke is also amazing. She made me cry so much while I was watching this movie, and I really felt like she embodied what it's like to play a character with cancer. She nailed the ups and downs flawlessly. RJ Cyler also does a great job as Earl, but I just wish that the producers would have included more of his quirks and toughness in the film.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is now a new favorite movie of mine. It wrecked me. This movie broke my heart into a million little pieces. I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch it without crying like a little baby, but I do know that I'll be watching it from time to time. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. (P.S. It's available on Netflix DVD now!)