Movie Monday is a weekly event, hosted over at Me, My Shelf and I, that spotlights what's hot, what's new, what's upcomming and what I've watched.
Author: Jesse Andrews
Format: Movie (Hardcover)
Release Date: June 12th, 2015
High schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.
From the Book:
Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.
Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.
And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.
Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.
And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.
My Stance:
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl just seems like a complete copy and paste, for the most part, of The Fault in Our Stars. I mean okay the girl is the one who supposedly dies in this movie, but the boy is a bit more enjoyable. That and this movie never got the hype, and it probably deserved a bit more than it got. I know I may have started out rather harsh, and don't get me wrong, the movie may be good. I am more or less going to try to pick this up in redbox sometime or see if a friend of mine manages to pick it up when it comes out on DvD/Blu-ray. I think the movie has potential, and the angle is a bit different than what The Fault in Our Stars did, which I may get into more.
There is a lot of new blood in this movie when it comes to acting. Olivia Cook plays Rachel, and having not read the book, seems like a good fit for the roll. She has this natural grungy look that just seems to fit what the characters outlook is. I am not saying she's ugly, she's far from that, but she's got this side that I think is a bit darker, than a cheery, happy-go-lucky demeanor. Maybe I am reading too much into her persona, but I think there wasn't a better choice of actresses for this role. Than RJ Clyer plays Earl who while not really being in anything of note at all, may end up being someone I tend to relate more to. In the trailer he was the one that managed to stick in my mind, he's got some rather large, moving lines, and some great comical relief. If RJ doesn't land this role and nail it, it'll be a disappointment. I am looking forward to his performance.
Thomas Mann plays Greg and while he's got a few significant roles under his belt there's nothing about him or his past that just stands out. I think most of all when choosing the actor for Greg the studio wanted someone that every guy could relate to. As a teen, maybe he'd be a good choice, but I don't see any reason he stands out. I don't even remember him from Hansel & Gretel, Project X, or Beautiful Creatures. He's just someone I think that sort of blends in with the movies he does and isn't someone that has a lasting impression. Let's hope the performance changes in this novel, because I view his placement as a rather large risk.
There is something about the trailer that has me interested. I am not sure if it's the relatability to The Fault in Our Stars, but there is something about how Greg makes a simple movie for a dying girl and ends up falling for her. I am faced with the dilemma now of do I read the book first, or do I try to find the movie? I think in this case the book will come first, because the cast just has me worried, the ratings aren't all that great, but I find that I am looking and wondering how it slipped past my radar. I am probably missing something, and maybe the directors and the screenplay writers tweaked the movie beyond the trailer to make it better, but I'm on the fence with it still.
There is a lot of new blood in this movie when it comes to acting. Olivia Cook plays Rachel, and having not read the book, seems like a good fit for the roll. She has this natural grungy look that just seems to fit what the characters outlook is. I am not saying she's ugly, she's far from that, but she's got this side that I think is a bit darker, than a cheery, happy-go-lucky demeanor. Maybe I am reading too much into her persona, but I think there wasn't a better choice of actresses for this role. Than RJ Clyer plays Earl who while not really being in anything of note at all, may end up being someone I tend to relate more to. In the trailer he was the one that managed to stick in my mind, he's got some rather large, moving lines, and some great comical relief. If RJ doesn't land this role and nail it, it'll be a disappointment. I am looking forward to his performance.
Thomas Mann plays Greg and while he's got a few significant roles under his belt there's nothing about him or his past that just stands out. I think most of all when choosing the actor for Greg the studio wanted someone that every guy could relate to. As a teen, maybe he'd be a good choice, but I don't see any reason he stands out. I don't even remember him from Hansel & Gretel, Project X, or Beautiful Creatures. He's just someone I think that sort of blends in with the movies he does and isn't someone that has a lasting impression. Let's hope the performance changes in this novel, because I view his placement as a rather large risk.
There is something about the trailer that has me interested. I am not sure if it's the relatability to The Fault in Our Stars, but there is something about how Greg makes a simple movie for a dying girl and ends up falling for her. I am faced with the dilemma now of do I read the book first, or do I try to find the movie? I think in this case the book will come first, because the cast just has me worried, the ratings aren't all that great, but I find that I am looking and wondering how it slipped past my radar. I am probably missing something, and maybe the directors and the screenplay writers tweaked the movie beyond the trailer to make it better, but I'm on the fence with it still.
