Originally I went to the Palladium to see the children’s movie “Inside Out”, but like I seemingly do with every movie, I was late. My friend and I begrudgingly looked for another option as we did not drive all the way to the Palladium to drive back home. Regardless of the fact we thought it would be a snooze fest, there were not many options so we decided to choose “Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl.”

Opening to the main character Greg Gains (Thomas Mann), whose only goal of high school is to finish high school without making any real relationships with his peers. Right at the start of the movie I was hooked. The producers do a very good job of putting a light comedic touch on his home life and the situation his mother has put him in.

Greg’s mother (Connie Britton) forces him to visit Rachel (Olivia Cooke), a newly diagnosed with cancer girl from his school. The socially awkward boy who is mostly invisible at his school finds it hard and uncomfortable to visit Rachel. However something continues to draw him back to her.

Early in the movie Earl (Rj Cyler) is introduced as Greg’s best friend. Together they make films which they claim “are completely terrible”. When Earl meets Rachel he reveals the films and Rachel instantly loves them. The films become the only thing Rachel looks forward to and both the boys are pushed into making a film solely for her.

Now do not go in expecting a romantic love story where the main characters fall in love because this movie is not about a teen fling. The movie made me tear up at times and just when I thought things were going bad, the movie would find a way to lift the audience back up.

Even though the main character hints that Rachel may not die at the end, my friend and I were not expecting the ending. Rachel, although terminally ill, changed Greg’s life and gave him a purpose. Without this unexpected relationship, Greg would have been living at home with no desire to go to college or make something of himself.

We went in expecting another chick flick and came out with a new found perspective on life. I’m not saying the movie was the best movie someone could ever see but it was entertaining and well worth the money spent. I did not read the book the movie is based on, but overall I would give it a well-earned four stars.