Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Name: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: June 12, 2015
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, Thomas Mann

2015

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 40 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 211 Ratings

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 211 Ratings

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Me And Earl And The Dying Girl

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: June 12, 2015 | PG-13

Starring: Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, Thomas Mann

Summary: Greg (Thomas Mann), a high school senior who is trying to blend in anonymously, avoids deeper relationships as a survival strategy for navigating the social minefield that is teenage life. He even describes his constant companion Earl (RJ Cyler), with whom he makes short film parodies of classic movies, as more of a ‘co-worker’ than a bestGreg (Thomas Mann), a high school senior who is trying to blend in anonymously, avoids deeper relationships as a survival strategy for navigating the social minefield that is teenage life. He even describes his constant companion Earl (RJ Cyler), with whom he makes short film parodies of classic movies, as more of a ‘co-worker’ than a best friend. But when Greg’s mom (Connie Britton) insists he spend time with Rachel (Olivia Cooke) – a girl in his class who has just been diagnosed with cancer – he slowly discovers how worthwhile the true bonds of friendship can be. [Fox Searchlight]… Expand

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 105 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Calvin Wilson

Jun 25, 2015

A must-see — and one of the best films of the year. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Jul 9, 2015

The film remains sadly profound and profoundly sad, yet it holds just enough humor to lighten a weighty subject without trivializing it. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Jun 18, 2015

Consistently hits the right notes, earning both the tears and smiles that result. Read full review

The Guardian Ed Gibbs

Jan 31, 2015

High-school students have plenty of growing pains to offload, and Gomez-Rejon clearly knows what makes them tick. His film is at once buzzy, fun and confronting. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Jun 11, 2015

The chief limitation of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is an old story: However touching, Cooke's Rachel is there mainly to prop up the sweetly messed-up young male lead, and then to quietly guide him toward adulthood. Read full review

Jeff Baker

Jun 25, 2015

Me and Earl is smart and appealing, but it spends way too much effort saying "I'm not like that" when it really is. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Jun 9, 2015

Gomez-Rejon has erected a gleaming shrine to adolescent narcissism. Read full review

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User Reviews

Compi24

Jun 12, 2015

"Me And Earl And The Dying Girl" perfectly synthesizes Wes Anderson and John Hughes's filmic tones, earnestly gutpunches the audience's collective heart with honest pathos, and achieves a bullseye in the follow-through of nearly every joke it delivers. In short, it wins. Take a victory lap"Me And Earl And The Dying Girl" perfectly synthesizes Wes Anderson and John Hughes's filmic tones, earnestly gutpunches the audience's collective heart with honest pathos, and achieves a bullseye in the follow-through of nearly every joke it delivers. In short, it wins. Take a victory lap Alfonso Gomez-Rejon.… Expand

10 of 10 users found this helpful100

FarhanFiroz

Oct 2, 2015

This is one of the most underrated and best movies of this year. The movie is flawless. The plot was so simple and great. The casting was perfect and everyone gave their best performance. The characters were so relatable which makes the movie even more interesting . The movie teaches us soThis is one of the most underrated and best movies of this year. The movie is flawless. The plot was so simple and great. The casting was perfect and everyone gave their best performance. The characters were so relatable which makes the movie even more interesting . The movie teaches us so many lessons like girls and boys can still be friends , the friends you know may surprise you and more. The last act of the movie is the best last act I've seen this year. It will destroy you thoroughly emotionally. I can guarantee 90% people will cry at the end. The score was absolutely great. The cinematography was so good and unique from other Hollywood movies. The movie even has a great twisted sense of humour.

In the end I recommend everyone to watch this movie as soon as possible.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

bfoore90

Oct 18, 2019

"Me And Earl And The Dying Girl" is a revaluation. Similar to "The Fault in Our Stars" or "50/50" but without the romance. We see this movie a ton of times: boy meets girl or vice versa, turns out girl or boy has cancer and is dying, they fall in love and one of them dies. Like i said, we've"Me And Earl And The Dying Girl" is a revaluation. Similar to "The Fault in Our Stars" or "50/50" but without the romance. We see this movie a ton of times: boy meets girl or vice versa, turns out girl or boy has cancer and is dying, they fall in love and one of them dies. Like i said, we've been down this road a couple times but this film was incredibly different, its a film about friendship in the face of loss and death and how you can make an impact on the lives with even the bleakest of outcomes. I loved this movie… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

reviewfrom19842

Aug 10, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is hilarious, and touching. All of the charters are likeable even the main charter who kind of a dick. The ending is amazing if this would be any other movie the ending would be cheesy and lame but the ending is touching and sad. Racheal dies in the when Greg shows her the film he made for her.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

fungusgnat

Aug 9, 2015

Fine performances, an offbeat musical score, and Greg’s not-always-reliable narrative voice lift what might have been an ordinary weepie into indie heaven, as director, writer, and cast get it all right—or just about all right (the less positive reviews make some good points, but suchFine performances, an offbeat musical score, and Greg’s not-always-reliable narrative voice lift what might have been an ordinary weepie into indie heaven, as director, writer, and cast get it all right—or just about all right (the less positive reviews make some good points, but such worries did not intrude much on my enjoyment or appreciation of the film ).… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

whitewind

Jul 15, 2015

"Me and Earl" is a very good movie, but not as great as the critics would have one believe. The beginning, especially, wanders over the teenage angst map, and I wondered if it was going to be worthwhile at all. As the movie progresses, and we learn about Olivia Cooke's cancer, it gets down"Me and Earl" is a very good movie, but not as great as the critics would have one believe. The beginning, especially, wanders over the teenage angst map, and I wondered if it was going to be worthwhile at all. As the movie progresses, and we learn about Olivia Cooke's cancer, it gets down to cases, and begins to show dramatic progress. It never really completely comes together as a story, but it is watchable. Knowing what we do now, I probably would have waited until it became available as streaming or DVD.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

GreatMartin

Jun 26, 2015

Though I hate to limit myself, regarding genres of movies, after last week’s “Dope” and this week’s “Me And Earl And The Dying Girl” (from here on refereed to as “Earl”) each about 3 nerdy/geek kids and each, seemingly, critic’s darlings, I think I will add teenage movies about nerds to myThough I hate to limit myself, regarding genres of movies, after last week’s “Dope” and this week’s “Me And Earl And The Dying Girl” (from here on refereed to as “Earl”) each about 3 nerdy/geek kids and each, seemingly, critic’s darlings, I think I will add teenage movies about nerds to my list with westerns, horror, violent, raunchy boy/man, comic strip and most sci-fi pictures I will avoid seeing. (Hey, I am looking forward to “Magic Mike XXL” next week, what can I tell you?)

In the case of “Earl” and “Dope” I think there is definitely a very wide generation gap. The last time I saw my teens was 60 years ago and though I enjoyed “The Fault Is In Our Stars” last year it was more of a drama than teenage angst. There is some humor in “Earl” regarding the movies that Earl (RJ Cyler) and Geg (the ‘Me’-- Thomas Mann) make redoing classics, especially the titles they give their films. Olivia Cooke is certainly endearing as ‘the dying girl, Rachel, while Greg grows up over the course of the film and Earl is a wise young man before his time.

Molly Shannon as Rachel’s single mother and Connie Britton as Greg’s mother, both overbearing parents, along with Nick Offerman as his beatnik father---by the way Earl doesn’t have any parents and lives with his older brother who threatens Greg with telling him his dog will bite off his face--and Jon Bernthal as a teacher and, more or less, a guidance counselor to the boys, are sort of annoying adults you will find in most pictures about teenagers though the latter less than the others.

“Earl” is being sold as a comedy, a sort of John Hughes movie with lessons to be learned. Greg is constantly reminding the audience--there is a lot of voice over-- that Rachel doesn’t die and there are screen titles telling the passing of time and where we are at in the story. As a social misfit Thomas Mann carries the film and RJ Cyer is his effective sidekick and shows his many sides. Olivia Cooke is endearing as the dying girl who has leukemia and is very instrumental is helping Greg grow up.

The direction by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is all over the place, somewhat like the movies the boys make, while the screenplay by Jesse Andrews, who wrote the best selling novel, is low key without trying to tell the audience how to feel. The director of photography shows off Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, almost always in a glow of light, even in the night scenes.

I laughed once and that was the boys film take-off of “Midnight Cowboy” with the “Everybody’s Talking” theme song and, for a comedy, laughing once is not a good endorsement.

I left the theatre wondering whatever happened to the girl who got stood up on prom night--maybe that’s the sequel?… Expand

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

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