It’s a movie you’re likely to be hearing a lot about, especially once the award season kicks into gear. After making a big splash at Sundance and even our own Dallas International Film Festival, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL is already a film festival hit, and now opens wide in theaters this weekend. Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s take on Jesse Andrews’ novel is something almost all ages can relate to, and has a personal feel and sincerity rarely seen in films these days. I had a chance to sit down with Rejon and principal cast members Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke and RJ Cyler (I apologize for mis-pronouncing his name in the video, it’s pronounced “Ky-ler”) for a fun chat about putting the film together and what it means for them. This is one of those special productions you owe it to yourself to check out. Give our interviews a look, and then get your butt to a theater this weekend to see for yourself what all the chatter is about.
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL is the uniquely funny, moving story of Greg (Thomas Mann), a high school senior who is trying to blend in anonymously, avoiding deeper relationships as a survival strategy for navigating the social minefield that is teenage life. He even describes his constant companion Earl (R.J. Cyler), with whom he makes short film parodies of classic movies, as more of a ‘co-worker’ than a best friend. But when Greg’s mom (Connie Britton) insists he spend time with Rachel (Olivia Cooke) – a girl in his class who has just been diagnosed with cancer – he slowly discovers how worthwhile the true bonds of friendship can be.