Reviews

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  ★★★★½ review by davidehrlich on Letterboxd

  it's The Fault in Our Stars for Criterion Collection fetishists + a Brian Eno soundtrack ugh it's so good ugh this hurts my brand ugh.

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  ★★★★★ review by Eli Hayes on Letterboxd

  All I'm going to say is that I was not crying, but sobbing, throughout the entire second half of this film.

  I was weeping into my shirt to the point that I almost began to hyperventilate. I nearly walked out of the film because I feared my sobs could be heard by those sitting around me, and because of how emotionally, destructively brilliant it is.

  This was a Mommy-esque experience, a Beasts of the Southern Wild-esque experience, for me.... a depressing, overwhelming, cathartic cinematic expression of the knowledge of the world, knowledge of pain, knowledge of hardships, knowledge of pure human spirit and the highs and lows which it encapsulates.

  I have nothing more to say for now.

  I am broken.

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  ★★★★ review by Evan on Letterboxd

  If I didn't know any better I would say this film was directed by Wes Anderson and that is indeed a very very good thing.

  Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a surprisingly hilarious (I laughed out loud countless times), charming, and thoughtful coming of age drama that doesn't fall victim to standard cliches that we have seen so many times in these teen cancer films. I laughed out loud many times, grinned like a fool more than once, and cried like a toddler that just go put in time-out. I'm even misty eyed right now as I reflect back on this film to type my thoughts.

  I always love when a movie makes me feel several different emotions; especially from one extreme to another. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is now among a select few films that have truly touched me on a personal level. I loved this movie so much.

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  ★★★½ review by Lucy on Letterboxd

  earl says "titties" 7 times throughout this movie

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  ★★★★★ review by jose on Letterboxd

  I feel like I have seen a lot of films like this over the last few years, but this one is more mature and thoughtful than the standard teen coming-of-age flick. And more fun. The story is about a self-imposed isolationist (the kind of guy who knows everyone yet knows no one) who learns about friendship via an initially forced relationship with a girl who has been diagnosed with leukemia. The title and subject suggests that it would be a schmaltzy film, designed solely to make the audience bust out the Kleenex, but it is never emotionally manipulative. It all feels absolutely genuine, and that is what makes the film special. It's also quirky and funny - the real achievement of the film is how well it balances the fine line between light and heavy. It's also so well acted by its three young leads, they are all fantastic. The camerawork is unusual, with its odd compositions and shifting angles, and I can't figure out if it was brilliant or pretentious. Maybe it's both. At least it's energetic, and that combined with its sharp script results in a well-paced, charming, and high quality movie. Additionally, I have a soft spot for this film because of its clever and hilarious references to classic films. The main characters are film buffs and spend their time making their own intentionally terrible versions of classics... like "Senior Citizen Kane" and "My Dinner with Andre the Giant". You get to see snippets of these mini-films and they are hysterical, even if you don't know the movies they are spoofing. This is a smart and idiosyncratic film with both humor and heart, and is a great watch for both teenagers and adults alike.

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