I wanted to take my teenage daughter to a movie, but I didn't feel like seeing a cartoon ( Inside Out ). I think I made the right choice with Me, Earl and the Dying Girl. At least for myself, I'm confident I made the right choice-- I really enjoyed this movie. It was well done, funny and a tear-jerker almost to the point of dehydration. It deals with some heavy life and death issues, but doesn't leave you depressed. Rather, it's one of the most cathartic movies I've seen.
The director is Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, making the leap from mostly television productions. I don't see anything on his resume that would suggest great quality. From this film, it's apparent that he's somewhat influenced by Wes Anderson, but the scattered stop-action animations in the film don't really fit in. It's really the chemistry between the three title characters, sort of like amino acids forming chains and sparking to life in the proverbial warm pond theory.
Like a Wes Anderson film, this one is surreal. Molly Shannon as the over-the-top wine drinking mother of the dying girl is an example of that. Greg (the Me) is more blatantly honest than any teen you'll meet and Earl is a one-of-a-kind. But, the film avoids all the usual gimmicks and manages to brag to the audience about that fact without breaking pace. The film retains its innocence throughout, deeply moving the viewer while remaining apolitical.
Lastly, Ron Swanson, errrr, Nick Offerman is in the movie and that by itself is worth a rating point.
8.7 out of 10 trees
The director is Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, making the leap from mostly television productions. I don't see anything on his resume that would suggest great quality. From this film, it's apparent that he's somewhat influenced by Wes Anderson, but the scattered stop-action animations in the film don't really fit in. It's really the chemistry between the three title characters, sort of like amino acids forming chains and sparking to life in the proverbial warm pond theory.
Like a Wes Anderson film, this one is surreal. Molly Shannon as the over-the-top wine drinking mother of the dying girl is an example of that. Greg (the Me) is more blatantly honest than any teen you'll meet and Earl is a one-of-a-kind. But, the film avoids all the usual gimmicks and manages to brag to the audience about that fact without breaking pace. The film retains its innocence throughout, deeply moving the viewer while remaining apolitical.
Lastly, Ron Swanson, errrr, Nick Offerman is in the movie and that by itself is worth a rating point.
8.7 out of 10 trees
