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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Play trailer Poster for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl PG-13 2015 1h 45m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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81% Tomatometer 210 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
An awkward high-school senior (Thomas Mann) and a gravely ill classmate (Olivia Cooke) surprise themselves by becoming inseparable friends.
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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

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Critics Consensus

Beautifully scripted and perfectly cast, Me & Earl & the Dying Girl is a coming-of-age movie with uncommon charm and insight.

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Critics Reviews

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Max Weiss Baltimore Magazine Rachel's dying isn't really about Rachel at all. It's about Greg. In fact, everything that happens in the film is about Greg. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 10, 2016 Full Review Ty Burr Boston Globe I found myself relishing the skill of the cast and laughing at the sharply turned dialogue while wincing at the self-consciousness of the storytelling and the self-congratulatory pop-culture references. Rated: 2.5/4 Dec 31, 2015 Full Review Leah Greenblatt Entertainment Weekly Somewhere along the way Earl eases up on the suburban-Wes Anderson whimsy and starts to find its heart, infusing the story's self-conscious cleverness and trick-shot set pieces with something sweeter, sadder, and even a little bit profound. Rated: B+ Dec 31, 2015 Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson It can be understated in one moment and then completely outgoing the next. It is a film that can feel facetious and yet still be profound. Rated: 5/5 Jul 20, 2025 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies It’s a story with a lot to say about the value of true friendship, and it’s not ashamed to tackle a difficult subject in its own personal way. I kinda like that boldness. Rated: 4/5 Aug 24, 2022 Full Review Victoria Luxford City AM Where so many American indie flicks would overdo it on the kooky characters and wink-wink one-liners, this (film) knows when to hold back. Like Greg himself, Me and Earl is gentle, self-effacing and a good deal smarter than it lets on. Rated: 4/5 Feb 18, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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ryan y I've still in middle of watching it and I've seen both good and bad reviews. But I am hooked ! The actors, the performances,the writing spot on amazing. Not what I was expecting. the choreography is also very good..it adds to film in its own way.mix of known actors and fresh faces. Don't expect typical young person who has cancer flick and you'll love it ....or not. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/03/25 Full Review TheMovieSearch R I finally watched Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, available on Disney+ through the Hulu bundle, after putting it off for some time. The premise is immediately compelling: a high school student, Greg, is reluctantly forced by his mother to befriend Rachel, a classmate recently diagnosed with leukemia. With his filmmaking partner and longtime friend Earl at his side, Greg navigates this awkward new friendship, which promises both emotional depth and coming-of-age insights. At first glance, the setup hints at a heartfelt story centered on Rachel’s journey as a young girl confronting a life-threatening illness. Yet, the film quickly pivots away from her perspective and instead focuses almost entirely on Greg. While Greg’s awkward humor and self-conscious narration provide some comic relief, they overshadow Rachel’s experiences, leaving the audience with a sense that the emotional core of the story is missing. The “dying girl” of the title becomes secondary, which creates a disconnect between expectation and reality. The performances are mixed. Thomas Mann, who plays Greg, brings a believable awkwardness and charm, embodying the stereotypical overthinking, socially anxious teen. RJ Cyler, as Earl, provides solid support, though his character is mostly a sounding board for Greg’s internal monologue rather than a fully realized individual. Olivia Cooke’s Rachel is competent and sympathetic, but the script affords her very little room to shine. Her emotional journey, which should have been the heart of the film, is underdeveloped, leaving her as more of a plot device than a fully fleshed-out character. Visually, the film is inventive. The filmmakers employ unique stylistic flourishes, including animated sequences and meta-commentary, to inject energy and humor into a narrative that could easily have become heavy-handed. Some of these moments are clever and memorable, showcasing the filmmakers’ creativity and ambition. Yet, stylistic flair can only go so far: when the story’s emotional focus is misplaced, these choices sometimes feel like distractions rather than enhancements. The pacing also suffers. The narrative alternates between attempts at humor, awkward social commentary, and emotionally charged scenes, but these transitions rarely feel seamless. Moments that should evoke empathy or reflection are often undercut by quirkiness or deadpan delivery. By the time key emotional beats occur, the audience has often been distanced from Rachel’s perspective, diluting the intended impact. Ultimately, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a film that had the potential to be deeply moving, but it misses the mark by prioritizing Greg’s awkward coming-of-age story over Rachel’s very real, very serious journey with cancer. The screenplay is clever in parts, the direction is competent, and the performances are solid, but none of it is enough to anchor the emotional weight the story promises. It’s a film that may appeal to viewers drawn to quirky teen narratives or unconventional storytelling, but for anyone hoping for a genuinely heartfelt portrayal of a young girl’s struggle with illness, it will likely feel disappointing. In conclusion, while the film has its moments of humor and inventive style, it ultimately feels unbalanced and emotionally misdirected. Rachel, the character who should be at the center of this story, is largely sidelined, leaving Greg’s perspective to dominate the narrative. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is watchable and occasionally engaging, but it is not the emotionally powerful experience that its premise suggests. For those seeking a story that truly honors the challenges and humanity of a young person facing terminal illness, this film falls short. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/05/25 Full Review Faiz D Funny and touching at the same time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/13/25 Full Review Audience Member Powerful performances by the young actors and a sad story... Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/28/25 Full Review Milagros V Hay demasiadas películas de amor adolescente, pero pocas demuestran lo importante que es la amistad en esta edad, todavía lloro al recordar el final. Los diálogos, cinematografía, cada personaje, todo crea una atmósfera que te atrapa y hace que te sientas parte de la historia. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/13/25 Full Review The H Was an okay movie, expected it to be a lot better honestly. One thing I liked is that it wasn't the typical love story, fall in love with someone dying trope that so many other sick type movies have done, they were just friends & forced to hang out with each other. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/19/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

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Movie Info

Synopsis An awkward high-school senior (Thomas Mann) and a gravely ill classmate (Olivia Cooke) surprise themselves by becoming inseparable friends.
Director
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Producer
Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales, Dan Fogelman
Screenwriter
Jesse Andrews
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
Production Co
Rhode Island Avenue
Rating
PG-13 (Language|Drug Material|Sexual Content|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 3, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 2, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.6M
Runtime
1h 45m
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