Yes, everything about this movie spells maudlin....except for one thing. I am surprised the reviewer fails to mention the "payoff:" Greg's absurd goodbye to his friend, in the form of an animation painfully constructed over weeks that he gives to her and she watches with tears in her eyes. The animation is just hundreds of small bits of red paper chasing themselves over a white background. The animator could not have chosen a more maddeningly difficult task, but that is what he chose. It is filled with inarticulate rage, frustration and impotence; it says nothing about anything, as adolescents so often do. But the amount of effort it took to complete says one thing to the recipient: we are friends and I am going to miss you. Goodbye.
1
I became aware of this film on a return trip on an airplane from somewhere; you've been on them, you watch something, you read, you sleep. I was sitting in Row 12, my wife behind me in Row 14. I turned around after finishing something and could see her and she was "in tears." I got up and went back to her and whispered "what is it, what are you watching?" She just pointed at the screen. So I started watching, but did not have enough flight-time left to finish. I got it from Netflix and I have had it for months. Months. She is away. I watched. I am in tears.
2
I loved this movie, and I don't usually like movies about adolescence or cancer, but this one, great--no sentimentality. A perfect movie.
1
My daughter of 20 and I watched this last night and enjoyed it immensely. While we—like other viewers—would have liked more Earl, we enjoyed the way his friendship with Greg seemed a given, and it was usually Earl who did and struck the more human emotional chord when Greg was caught up in uber self-consciousness. But that's very true of adolescence, especially the misfit variant.
This movie is refreshing for so many reasons, not least of which its guileless lead performances, and confident direction that strikes the right balance between zany humour and scenes that in other hands would be milked for over-the-top sentiment. This movie's draw on emotions is earned; there aren't nasty revelations lurking, nor a phony feel-good pay off. There's even a big lie. But it all works.
This movie is refreshing for so many reasons, not least of which its guileless lead performances, and confident direction that strikes the right balance between zany humour and scenes that in other hands would be milked for over-the-top sentiment. This movie's draw on emotions is earned; there aren't nasty revelations lurking, nor a phony feel-good pay off. There's even a big lie. But it all works.
2
I really liked the movie despite some of the adults who are "recognizable types from teenage literature." I wanted to know much more about Earl, but the movie is all about Greg - every scene is from his perspective - and I think he is a classic unreliable narrator. Greg is a film maker, so he portrays the adults in his life and the cliques in his high school to maximize their quirkiness and humor. It's only in his scenes with Rachel that he allows himself some vulnerability. It's definitely worth seeing.
1
I loved this movie; it iis so fresh. It is a break from the violence and the sex one encounters every weekIt seems that authors have lost their sensitivity, their sense of humor and dwell on technology and special effects. Here we have a boy who is surprised to have such tender brotherly feeling toward Rachel and she is grateful that there is no romantic feeling between them. It is the best movie I have seen in weeks.
2
I just saw this movie, and was completely won over by it. While there is a serious illness at its center, the vast majority of the work relates to the largely comedic indiosyncracies and activities of its characters. Highly recommended. Go see it.
7
My daughter and I entered this film with open minds. Her mom is close to dying from cancer but I somehow missed this topic (!) with my quick scan of positive reviews. As the film moved to a climax, as I enjoyed it, I feared emotions it might dredge so close to the surface for us. I was both transported back to Grade 12 at times, but also thought of my daughter. It will linger film during and after our difficult time. It will be obvious which lines are lasting, and I'm a bit surprised Mr. Scott didn't refer to one in particular about remembering loved ones (perhaps to avoid the spoiler role). Friendship, grace and the importance of humour all honestly portrayed.
3
Why is Earl a prop instead of the main character?
5
What a wonderful movie. It's much more than a suburban teen movie, and certainly not trite, formulaic or cliche-ridden and this motif has not been done. The movie is inventive and unpredictable in many ways, especially the laughter as testified by myself and the audience with whom I watched the movie. Yes, laughter, unexpected in a movie about cancer; yet never even mentioned by Mr. Scott.
8
I liked this review because A.O. Scott knows what the seasoned movie-goer would be suspecting (and dreading) from such a movie - a sort of cancer-movie meets Be Kind Rewind heart-tugger that I'd surely avoid. However, Scott goes to great lengths to settle such worries, and thus informed, I'll now go see it.
12
Some films mean far, far more to those who are of the similar ages
and experiences of the protagonists.
Would it hurt the Film Critic to admit that perhaps he is too old
to fully "feel" the film anymore ?
and experiences of the protagonists.
Would it hurt the Film Critic to admit that perhaps he is too old
to fully "feel" the film anymore ?
6
Anyone in the audience over 17 has lived through being 17 and thus would be fully equipt to feel the film. If we had to be exactly like the protagonists of works of art in age and experience, we'd be left with precious little to engage us. It is in living the experiences of those who are not us that we grow. We are never to old to feel.
4
Cygnifier,
We forget the feelings of youth and to presume that we do not
is to ignore that we do not all act like adolescents all of our lives.
I really rather not take my grandchildren to a Disney film, I do so
for their sake, but they rarely move me. I saw "Titanic" once and
that was enough but for those teenager girls who have a think
for doomed romances between beautiful actors - ten times was not enough. Perhaps you are the rare exception who can emote over
any age - most of of us cannot. If the Reviewer cannot, at it seems
to be the case here, what harm is there in handing over the review
to someone else who is younger ?
We forget the feelings of youth and to presume that we do not
is to ignore that we do not all act like adolescents all of our lives.
I really rather not take my grandchildren to a Disney film, I do so
for their sake, but they rarely move me. I saw "Titanic" once and
that was enough but for those teenager girls who have a think
for doomed romances between beautiful actors - ten times was not enough. Perhaps you are the rare exception who can emote over
any age - most of of us cannot. If the Reviewer cannot, at it seems
to be the case here, what harm is there in handing over the review
to someone else who is younger ?
1
The world can be terrible. Why see a movie that explores that issue?
Good grief. How much art - not just cinema - would be left to us if none of it explored the ways in which the world, and life, can be terrible?
9
C-. Not the film, this review. If you were one of my composition students, I would ask you to take this home and rewrite it so that there is actually some communication here with the reader. Sheesh!
3
“...a wishful tale of interracial friendship” – most of my relationships are interracial Mr. Scott; they are not wishful, they are real. And among the 20-somethings and the teens it’s getting more and more mixed up, not just mixed race friendships, but romantic relationships. Maybe you should get out more.
7
Seems to me that this motif has been done and done and done. Now we just have an updated version.
As to film critics and film festivals: Does anyone remember the tale of the Emperor's New Clothes? Seems that what is finally released for mass public consumption are the projects that the inner circle of critics and clique of developers have deemed suitable (or profitable?). Personally, I would like to see some originality!
As to film critics and film festivals: Does anyone remember the tale of the Emperor's New Clothes? Seems that what is finally released for mass public consumption are the projects that the inner circle of critics and clique of developers have deemed suitable (or profitable?). Personally, I would like to see some originality!
1
We are born and we die, and while we are alive, we work, dream, create, have friends, perhaps have children, suffer and love. There are only so many stories to tell; the only originality is in how they are told.
7
The facts undercut your observation. I was curious--How much had this film earned at the box office? After two + weeks, the box office was just under $2 million. I would hardly call that "mass public consumption."
Spoiler Alert: A teenage coming of age movie--No sex, not even a kiss. No intentional drugs or alcohol. No soundtrack of your life. This movie hardly followed the pattern of the many that have come before.
Spoiler Alert: A teenage coming of age movie--No sex, not even a kiss. No intentional drugs or alcohol. No soundtrack of your life. This movie hardly followed the pattern of the many that have come before.
2
What you're addressing regarding the film's lack of originality, is actually addressed directly. In fact, the film goes as far as to say, "so if this was a touching, romantic story, our eyes would meet, .... [etc] .... but it's not."
The idea is that it's the motif you expect, but the execution is not like other films.
The idea is that it's the motif you expect, but the execution is not like other films.
3
Excellent movie. Loved the preview.
5
This review is a perfect illustration of what drives me nuts about the state of film criticism at the Grey Lady. Mr. Scott appears to have liked the film, but before he can bring himself to say that he has to construct an elaborate intellectual framework to assure us (or perhaps himself) that he can never be fooled into experiencing anything that could be called an "emotion." He views film through multiple layers of irony and while he may leave the screening room shaken, he will never be stirred.
When did we as a film culture become so resistant to unfiltered human emotion, so terrified of surrendering ourselves to a filmmaker's vision, so unwilling to allow ourselves to be transported in the dark?
I found this film to be quite magical. It has a good chance of becoming one of those touchstone films for a generation, the one a few years older than the film's protagonists. Maybe Mr. Scott feels that way, too, but it would take the explication skills of a Harold Bloom to detect that in his review.
When did we as a film culture become so resistant to unfiltered human emotion, so terrified of surrendering ourselves to a filmmaker's vision, so unwilling to allow ourselves to be transported in the dark?
I found this film to be quite magical. It has a good chance of becoming one of those touchstone films for a generation, the one a few years older than the film's protagonists. Maybe Mr. Scott feels that way, too, but it would take the explication skills of a Harold Bloom to detect that in his review.
61
No stars at the NYT. I like that. At the end of the day, if you like the movie, that is all that matters. The reviewer should be giving insight into the film, not telling you to go or not go. You take it from there.
In other words, this big Sundance dramatic competition winner could be a lot worse than it is.
What a sad and sorry state of affairs, when a suburban teen movie, complete with cancer and the African-American best friend -- is celebrated as a triumph of "independent" American cinema.
What a sad and sorry state of affairs, when a suburban teen movie, complete with cancer and the African-American best friend -- is celebrated as a triumph of "independent" American cinema.
5
A sad state of affairs indeed. The movie is one long humblebrag, disingenuous and manipulative. The dying girl exists only to prove that the self-absorbed "Me" is a good, talented, caring person. He's the only character with the slightest dimension.
5
Clarification on my earlier comment.
The idea is that it's the typical setting, but executed in a very non-typical way.
The idea is that it's the typical setting, but executed in a very non-typical way.
1
Title seems so trite, formulaic and cliche-ridden that I am utterly uninterested in this movie.
5
that is a lame excuse for not seeing it....remember..."you can't tell a book by its cover"
7
That notion of the movie being trite is actually addressed multiple times. From the beginning Greg states "I don't know how to start this story, so I'll just choose a typical story line."
The point of the film is to be a typical high school film, that plays out in a very un typical way.
The point of the film is to be a typical high school film, that plays out in a very un typical way.
1
If this isn't a classic line, I don't know what is. "The film is touching and small, but also thoughtful and assured in a way that lingers after the inevitable tears have been shed and the obvious lessons learned."
I love your reviews Mr. Scott, simply because you write so well. Thank you.
I loved the line above so much that I sent it to my son who is a recent film school graduate.
I love your reviews Mr. Scott, simply because you write so well. Thank you.
I loved the line above so much that I sent it to my son who is a recent film school graduate.
21
I couldn't agree more.
I am amazed how personally many readers take Ms. Dargis' and Mr. Scott's reviews.
Many people are offended and in the next sentence state they have yet to see the film.
I am amazed how personally many readers take Ms. Dargis' and Mr. Scott's reviews.
Many people are offended and in the next sentence state they have yet to see the film.