Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is an irreverent, heartfelt, thoughtful, and very funny dramedy based on the same-named book by Jesse Andrews. You know from the title that a teen girl is dying (cancer), so it's no spoiler to say that although the movie is quite humorous and sarcastic, it also explores intense subject matter, including post-high school boredom/lack of direction, fear of intimacy, and mortality. Expect some swearing (including "s--t" and "f--k"), cigarette and pot smoking by teens, and drinking -- but ultimately the take-away is that illness can ravage the body but not the soul, and friendship can conquer it.

Sexual Content

Innuendo. Frank, open references to/jokes about masturbation; lots of references to a girl's "t-tties."

Violence

A young man punches his friend; another threatens him in a verbal altercation. But cancer is the movie's main foe.

Language

Fairly frequent swearing includes "s--t," "goddamn," "a--hole," "hell," "bulls--t," "t-tties," and (much less frequently) "f--k."

Social Behavior

Illness can ravage the body but not the soul, and friendship can conquer it.

Consumerism

Labels/products seen include Apple, YouTube, and Toyota.

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Teens are shown smoking and talking about being high "accidentally." One character always seems to have a wine glass in hand. Discussion about cookies spiked with weed. A mom gives two teens some alcohol.