Me and Earl and the Dying Girl review

Greg (Thomas Mann) is in his senior year of high school. Graduation is just around the corner. Despite his parent’s concerns, however, he seems unwilling to seriously consider the idea of going to college. Instead, he focuses his energy on blending in and making movie parodies with his friend Earl (Ronald Cyler II).

Then one day his mum tells him that a girl at his school called Rachel (Olivia Cooke) has been diagnosed with leukaemia and, after some wonderful scenes of emotional battery, persuades him to first call and then to visit her. Although Rachel is at first reluctant to engage with Greg, she soon becomes charmed by his quirky personality.

The rest of the film sees the friendship between them grow with Earl also becoming involved so that the three of them form a mutually supportive trio.

A tight script from Jesse Andrews (author of the novel upon which the film is based) ensures that Me and Earl and the Dying Girl treads a well-judged line between comedy and drama. It avoids the clichés and calculated sentimentality that can plague a film dealing with emotive issues; as Greg says, ‘this isn’t a touching romantic story.’

Empty platitudes and motivational speeches are also helpfully avoided and are in fact made mock of in a scene where Greg and Rachel humorously imagine what the responses of their peers will be to Rachel’s diagnosis.

The performances from the three leads are suitably assured although in comparison to the other two title characters Earl is curiously underdeveloped. It also seems a shame that the friendship between him and Greg is not explored in greater depth.

Jon Bernthal (from The Walking Dead) makes his mark on the film in a small but important role as the heavily-tattooed history teacher Mr. McCarthy. A scene in which he recounts the events surrounding the death of his father to Greg is especially poignant and has a profound effect on Greg later in the film.

Rather than feeling emotionally manipulated, you come away from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl feeling you have watched a very natural and unforced piece of human drama. Refreshingly it treats its audience as adults and not children who require a cushion placing between them and life’s truths.