Greg, a socially awkward and self-deprecating high school senior, has someway managed to be a part of every major social group at his school. He doesn't have any friends per se, but everyone leaves him alone and Greg likes it that way. Greg is a cinephile, who spends nearly all his energy recreating his favorite films with Earl, his "business associate". When Rachel, a fellow high school senior, is diagnosed with leukemia, Greg is forced to befriend her by his mother. Awkward at first, the two eventually become good friends, which changes their lives forever. Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl is the latest quirky dramedy to come out of Sundance, and unfortunately it is as frustrating a movie experience as I expected. First of all, the film has some very uncomfortable racial dynamics, with the only African American character in the film, Earl, being a walking and talking sterotype of a culture that is simply insensitive and silly. Getting that out of the way, this is a film about the importance of having a strong self image, a important concept for sure, but Me, Earl, and The Dying Girl lacks subtlety and nuance in its storyteling. Greg is self-loathing more because we are told he is than anything else, as the whole film suffers in never feeling organic. The film certainly has the charm and quirkiness that can be entertaining, and I laughed at times sure, but like a lot of films of this ilk, the desire to be quirky takes away from the dramatic weight of the storytelling. The photography is energetic and unique at times, but the motivations between many decisions doesn't feel thought out or motivated, as if the filmmakers simply chose a shot because it "looked cool." I'm probably being a bit harsh, but Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl is a film with a strong and important message that sadly had very little emotional resonance.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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