by Luke Loranger |
It is clear from the first frame of “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” why it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. The story, of a boy who makes friends with a girl who is dying of leukemia, isn’t remarkable. In fact, there has a been a whole spate of recent films surrounding this same premise, including the recent hit “The Fault in Our Stars,” which Earl is often compared to. However, what separates Earl from the rest of these films, and many teenage films of recent years, are the characters.
Greg is self-loathing, deeply invested in old films and not fitting in. His one friend is Earl, who helps him recreate parodies of classic and often obscure films, such as Peeping Tom and the Lady Vanishes. Under his mom’s request, Greg befriends Rachel, who is diagnosed with late-stage leukemia. Throughout the film, Greg softens under the influence of Rachel, who is the sole watcher of the parody films Greg cares so deeply about.
The film works because director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is willing to take risks. It is clear from the references to old films and the distinctive characters that this is a passion project of the young director, which is largely why the film is such a success. The film also draws from a distinctive stylized version of a neighborhood in Pittsburgh surrounded by industry.
The success of the film and what has polarized many is the main character Greg. The film is largely told through his viewpoint, and Greg is hardly cinema’s most likeable character. He is a selfish, brooding teenager, who is easily agitated by Earl and his family. Much of the criticism of this film comes from the belief that the rest of the characters are not nearly as fleshed out as Greg and are flat stereotypes.
However, Greg remains fundamental to the film. Ultimately, the film is about the world through Greg’s eyes, and his growth during his friendship with Rachel. Like other coming of age films, Greg becomes a much more mature and empathetic character toward the end of the film. Disliking the film due to Greg’s characterization is an easy task, but undercuts the importance of the “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.”
“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” is a film worth watching, and easily one the best films about the teenage experience to come out in the last 10 years.
Luke Loranger is a reporter for The Beacon and can be reached at loranger18@up.edu or @loranger18.
