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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (film)

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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlfonso Gomez-Rejon
Screenplay byJesse Andrews
Based onMe and Earl and the Dying Girl
by Jesse Andrews
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyChung Chung-hoon
Edited byDavid Trachtenberg
Music by
Production
company
Distributed byFox Searchlight Pictures
Release dates
  • January 25, 2015 (2015-01-25) (Sundance)
  • June 12, 2015 (2015-06-12) (United States)
Running time
105 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8 million[2]
Box office$9.1 million[3]

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a 2015 American comedy-drama film directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and written by Jesse Andrews, based on Andrews' 2012 debut novel of the same name. The film stars Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, and Jon Bernthal. The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival to a standing ovation.[4] It received positive reviews from critics, who praised the screenplay and cast.

Plot

17-year-old Greg Gaines (Thomas Mann), who is self-described as having the face of a “little groundhog”, is a senior at Pittsburgh's Schenley High School who avoids close engagement with other students. He learns that fellow student and former childhood friend of his, Rachel Kushner (Olivia Cooke), has been diagnosed with leukemia and is forced by his parents (Nick Offerman and Connie Britton) to befriend her in her time of need. Despite an awkward first encounter on Rachel's staircase, with neither of them truly wanting the other's company, Greg manages to strike up a conversation about her pillow collection. She comes to find his quirky personality and honesty endearing.

Greg introduces Rachel to his "coworker" Earl (RJ Cyler) (who tells Rachel that Greg avoids calling people his friend out of fear they won't reciprocate), with whom he makes short films parodying famous film titles. Despite Greg's reluctance, Earl shares their collection with her, which she finds entertaining. As Rachel begins her chemotherapy treatment and subsequently loses all of her hair, Greg begins spending less time on schoolwork and more time with and caring for her by entertaining her to lift her spirits. Though Rachel suffers through her treatment and seems to get worse and worse, Greg, who often breaks the fourth wall, assures viewers that she does not die in the end.

Madison (Katherine C. Hughes), a pretty girl at school, convinces Greg and Earl to make a film dedicated to Rachel, and Rachel persuades Greg to apply to a local college. Greg continues to ignore schoolwork, and eventually school altogether, in order to finish the film. After realizing that her chemotherapy is doing more harm than good, Rachel opts to discontinue her treatment. Greg and Rachel have a heated argument over her choice where Greg accuses Rachel of giving up on herself and in return Rachel points out his unwillingness to do anything selfless unless he's told to do so. He leaves, devastated that he can no longer help her.

In a rage, Greg confronts Earl, blaming him for the events leading to the end of his friendship with Rachel. Earl in turn admonishes Greg's inability to care and sympathize for anyone but himself, before ultimately punching Greg after the latter dares him to. Later, Earl gives Greg a heartfelt testimonial for Rachel’s film before letting him know that he's finished with their friendship. Greg's admission to the college he planned to attend is later revoked due to his poor grades.

Later in the year, Greg learns that Rachel is back in the hospital and is dying. His mom encourages him to visit her. Madison invites Greg to the prom, but at the last moment, he decides to go to the hospital instead. During the journey there, Greg is asked by the limo driver if he loves the girl he's going to see, a question he finds himself unable to answer. He brings his iPhone and a portable projector and places a corsage around Rachel's wrist before running the film he made for her on the front wall of her room. Rachel is moved to tears by the movie, but falls into a coma shortly after viewing it and dies about 10 hours later. Greg admits to the viewer that he lied about Rachel not dying, as he "didn't think she would."

At her shiva, Greg is comforted by Rachel's mom and they grieve together. Greg and Earl rekindle their friendship. During the funeral, Greg sneaks into Rachel's room, where he finds a card from her stating that she wrote to Greg's college and explained that he missed school for her sake. It also states her wish for Greg to take any of her possessions that he pleases. He finds several intricate carvings within her books depicting scenes of her with Greg and Earl. Greg leaves with one of the books containing a personal carving and his favorite of Rachel's pillows.

Some time later, Greg writes his story of his time with Rachel and mails it to the college along with the film he made for her with a warning that "the last person who saw this immediately went into a coma and DIED."

Greg and Earl's Short Films

Cast

  • Thomas Mann as Greg Gaines
    • Gavin Dietz as young Greg
  • Olivia Cooke as Rachel Kushner
  • RJ Cyler as Earl Jackson
    • Edward DeBruce III as young Earl
  • Nick Offerman as Victor Gaines
  • Molly Shannon as Denise Kushner
  • Jon Bernthal as Mr. McCarthy
  • Connie Britton as Marla Gaines
  • Chelsea T. Zhang as Naomi
  • Katherine C. Hughes as Madison
  • Natalie Marchelletta as Anna
  • Matt Bennett as Scott Mayhew
  • Bobb'e J. Thompson as Derrick
  • Hugh Jackman as Himself and Logan / Wolverine (voice)
  • Karriem Sami as Limo Driver
  • Marco Zappala as Theater Dork
  • Etta Cox as Principal
  • Masam Holden as Ill Phil
  • Kaza Marie Ayersman as Rachel's Friend
  • Cheryl Kline as Rabbi
  • Joan Augustin as Elderly Mourner
  • Mark Granatire as Testimonial Student #1
  • Kayana White as Testimonial Student #2
  • Linda Kanyarusoke as Testimonial Student #3
  • Drew Palajsa as Testimonial Student #4
  • Elly Silberstein as Testimonial Student #5
  • Nicole Tubbs as Children's Hospital Nurse
  • Arcade Matt Magnone as Toothy Goth

Production

Screenwriter Dan Fogelman decided to produce the film after reading a manuscript of the 2012 novel Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. The production company Indian Paintbrush and producers Steven M. Rales and Jeremy Dawson then got involved. Having never read or written a script before, Jesse Andrews adapted his own New York Times best-selling novel. Andrews' screenplay appeared on the 2012 Black List of Hollywood's best unproduced screenplays.[5] Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon became interested in the project after reading a leaked copy of the script. He had worked as a production assistant and second-unit director for Nora Ephron, Martin Scorsese and Alejandro González Iñárritu, and had been looking to direct his first personal film, to express his own cinematic vision and his grief for his late father.[5][6]

The film was shot over a four-week period for an estimated budget of under $5 million.[7] Principal photography began on June 13, 2014, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;[8] they started filming high school scenes on June 16.[9][10] Cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung shot the film digitally using Arri Alexa cameras with prime and anamorphic lenses in a widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio.[11] A Pittsburgh native, writer Jesse Andrews' family home in Point Breeze was used as Greg's house in the film. Rachel's house was located in Squirrel Hill, and Earl's house was in Braddock.[12] Other locations included Schenley High School (closed since 2008), The Andy Warhol Museum, Copacetic Comics in Polish Hill, and a street corner in West Oakland, which served as an ice cream shop.[13][12] The Criterion Collection lent its library of classic films for use in the book-and-DVD store in the film.[14]

Brian Eno scored the film using a combination of previously unreleased recordings and a few original compositions;[15] Nico Muhly composed the music for the beginning high school sequence and final credits.[16] Filmmakers Edward Bursch and Nathan O. Marsh made 21 stop motion animated and live-action short films to represent Greg and Earl's classic film parodies, including the final short film made for Rachel set to Brian Eno's "The Big Ship".[17] Differing from the novel, director Gomez-Rejon felt the final film should reflect Greg's artistic growth and express his love for Rachel in an abstract way, using color, texture, and shapes, similar to the work of Stan Brakhage.[15]

Release

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl premiered on January 25, 2015 at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, to a standing ovation.[4] The film was acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures for $12 million in a bidding war hours after its premiere,[18] and won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and the Audience Award for U.S. Drama at the festival.[19] On February 24, it was announced the film had been scheduled for a limited release on July 1, 2015 in the United States.[20] On March 10, it was stated that the film would instead be released on June 12, 2015.[21] The film had a gradual theatrical release, opening in 15 art house theaters, expanding to 68, and then to more than 350 screens. The film went wide to 870 theaters during the July Fourth holiday.[22] It was released in the UK on September 4, 2015.[23]

Home media

The film was released on video on demand on September 18, 2015, and DVD and Blu-ray on October 6, 2015.[24] The DVD and Blu-ray include an audio commentary by the director, deleted scenes with optional commentary, the film made for Rachel, Greg's trailer, and a photo gallery. The Blu-ray also includes the featurette, This Is Where You Learn How the Movie Was Made, a conversation with Martin Scorsese and Gomez-Rejon, and a montage of Greg and Earl's short films.[25]

Reception

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

The film has received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 81%, based on 212 reviews, with an average of 7.60/10. The website's consensus reads "Beautifully scripted and perfectly cast, Me & Earl & the Dying Girl is a coming-of-age movie with uncommon charm and insight."[26] The film has a score of 74 out of 100 on Metacritic, given by 40 critics, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[27]

Indiewire gave the film a grade of A−, describing it as "a beautifully charming, captivating knock-out".[28] Peter Debruge of Variety wrote that the film "is destined not only to connect with young audiences in a big way, but also to endure as a touchstone for its generation".[4] Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter later noted that the film had failed to crossover and connect with mainstream audiences, having grossed just $6.2 million in the 6 weeks after its release.

Accolades

List of Accolades
Award / Film Festival Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Casting Society of America Film Studio or Independent Comedy Angela Demo, Nancy Mosser and Katie Shenot Won
Empire Awards Best Comedy Nominated [29][30]
Best Male Newcomer Thomas Mann Nominated
Best Female Newcomer Olivia Cooke Nominated
Georgia Film Critics Association Best Picture Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society The Overlooked Film of the Year Won
San Diego Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actor, Female Olivia Cooke Nominated
Best Supporting Actor, Male RJ Cyler Nominated
Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize
(U.S. Drama) 		Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Won [31]
Audience Award
(U.S. Drama) 		Won
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Chemistry Thomas Mann and RJ Cyler Nominated [32]
Choice Movie: Breakout Star Thomas Mann Nominated
Choice Summer Movie Nominated

References

  1. ^ "ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. May 29, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  2. ^ a7ooh "'Me & Earl & the Dying Girl' lights up Sundance Film Festival". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 14, 2015. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  3. ^ "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Debruge, Peter (February 1, 2015). "Sundance Film Review: 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl'". Variety. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Anderson, John (June 5, 2015). "Jesse Andrews Learns on the Fly to Write 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl'". The New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  6. ^ Macaulay, Scott (April 28, 2015). "I'll Come Running: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and Jesse Andrews on Me and Earl and the Dying Girl". Filmmaker. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  7. ^ Machosky, Michael (June 17, 2014). "Point Breeze author: 'Me and Earl' is renegade brother of 'Fault'". TribLive. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  8. ^ Christine (June 13, 2014). "'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' begins filming in Pittsburgh". onlocationvacations.com. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  9. ^ Sostek, Anya (June 2, 2014). "'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' to start filming in East End". post-gazette.com. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  10. ^ "ON THE SET FOR 6/16/14: BOXING DRAMA 'SOUTHPAW' STARTS, 'AMERICAN ULTRA' WRAPS". studiosystemnews.com. June 16, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  11. ^ Silberg, Jon (June 23, 2015). "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl': Conveying the Complexity of the Adolescent Experience". Creative Planet Network. NewBay Media. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Machosky, Michael (June 15, 2015). "Pittsburgh-shot 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' gets red-carpet welcome". TribLive. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  13. ^ Vancheri, Barbara (June 24, 2015). "'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' director found Pittsburgh picture perfect". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  14. ^ Eisner, Ken (June 10, 2015). "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl gets told in high style". The Georgia Straight. Vancouver Free Press. Retrieved July 29, 2015. (Criterion Collection president Peter Becker recently told us, 'We loaned our whole library to those guys for their movie!')
  15. ^ a b Goldsmith, Jeff (June 12, 2015). "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Q&A". The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith (Podcast). Event occurs at 50:02. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  16. ^ Gupta, Shipra Harbola (July 19, 2015). "This Mixtape By The 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' Director Is a Cinephile Indulgence". Indiewire. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  17. ^ Watercutter, Angela (June 9, 2015). "How They Made Me and Earl and the Dying Girl's Mini-Movies". Wired. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  18. ^ Barnes, Brook (January 26, 2015). "Pace of Deals Picks Up at Sundance Festival". The New York Times. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  19. ^ Puig, Claudia (February 1, 2015). "'Me and Earl' wins top 2 Sundance awards". Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  20. ^ Dave McNary (February 24, 2015). "'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' Release Date Set for July 1". Variety. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  21. ^ "Me & Earl & the Dying Girl release". March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  22. ^ McClintock, Pamela (July 22, 2015). "'Me and Earl' and the Dying Box Office: Why the Sundance Hit Fizzled". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  23. ^ "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl - video review". The Guardian. September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  24. ^ Fox Searchlight [@foxsearchlight] (August 19, 2015). "This is the part where #MeAndEarl comes out on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ^ Vancheri, Barbara (October 2, 2015). "Film notes: Hollywood Theater's Halloween party features B-movie, critic". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  26. ^ "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  27. ^ "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  28. ^ Perez, Rodrigo. "Sundance Review: Wonderfully Funny, Bittersweet and Inventive, 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' Is a Knock-Out". Indiewire. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  29. ^ Nugent, John. "Star Wars and Mad Max win big at the 2016 Jameson Empire Awards". Empire. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  30. ^ "Star Wars beats Mad Max at Empire awards". BBC News. March 20, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  31. ^ "Here Are Your 2015 Sundance Film Festival Winners". Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  32. ^ "2015 Teen Choice Award Winners – Full List". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. August 16, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
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