You Will Laugh, You Will Cry: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

It is not surprising that Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, an award winning coming-of-age film centered on a teen dying of terminal illness, got a standing ovation at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The story follows awkward, insecure Greg, who has drifted through three years of high school without making enemies or friends. An outsider, Greg has no close friends except for Earl, a sharp-witted urchin from a tough part of town, whom he refers to as an “associate.” Their alliance is built on creating low-budget parodies of classic movies with names such as Gross Encounters of the Turd Kind.

“People’s stories continue to unfold after they die.”

Olivia Cooke and Thomas Mann
(Credit: Ropeofsilicon.com)

When Greg’s overbearing mother pressures him into spending time with Rachel, a former kindergarten pal, who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia, Greg bristles, determined to not get involved, while Rachel is not keen on the idea of it either. “I don’t need your stupid pity,” Rachel announces after Greg appears at her house. Greg assures her that he’s not there out of pity, but rather because he was forced to do it, and begs Rachel to help him get his mother off his back by letting him spend time with her. That sets the tone for the exceptionally believable and humorous dialogue that continues throughout the film. What Greg does not expect is that even though Rachel’s death, in a way, does destroy him, it also pulls him deeper into his own humanity and anchors him to his potential to grow.

WARNING: Some spoilers for the film below. This review does not reveal the ending, but does contain details about the first half of the film.

Rachel accepts Greg, finding his idiosyncrasies endearing, while Greg discovers that around Rachel he can just be himself. Soon Earl convinces Greg to show Rachel their films — something that they have never done for anyone before. The parodies become a welcome distraction for Rachel as she endures chemotherapy. There are no quixotic moments in the story, no youthful kisses, but as Greg and Rachel lie together watching movies next to Rachel’s barf bucket, they are surrounded by a much deeper love that comes from complete acceptance and understanding. Soon Greg forgets the rest of his life, and devotes all his time to being Rachel’s lifeline.

Credit: Post-gazette.com

Eventually Rachel becomes the subject of Greg and Earl’s latest film, as Greg is trying to convince himself and the audience that Rachel is not going to die. When chemotherapy begins to do more harm than good, Rachel makes the decision to stop her treatment. Enraged, Greg is unable to accept her choice and ends his friendship with her, as well as with Earl, whom he blames for the events that led to the end of his relationship with Rachel. As Greg tries to return to his previous school life, he realizes he has not just created enemies, but has also been rejected from the college that he planned to attend due to his failing grades. When Greg is asked by Madison, his old high school crush, to be her prom date, Greg makes a surprising decision that devastates him and later shows him a side of Rachel that he never knew.

What Greg does not expect is that even though Rachel’s death, in a way, does destroy him, it also pulls him deeper into his own humanity and anchors him to his potential to grow.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl deserves to be seen more than once. It carries a theme that, in the words of Greg and Earl’s hip, tattooed history teacher, Mr. McCarthy, “People’s stories continue to unfold after they die.” This theme is supported not only through smart scenes, but through a multitude of subtle visual details, such as Rachel’s implied fondness for scissors, for example, that continually reveal little bits of truths about the characters. Funny and poignant, this film takes on the premise of dying young — with its ever-present risk of becoming melodramatic or cliché — and turns it into something unique, heartbreaking and truly authentic.