[REVIEW #2] THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY

As explained by our editor Tom Johnson in his critique of the film, seen on the occasion of the Washington, D. C. Film Festival, THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY, a form of obvious tribute to the cinema. This is achieved by the short films made by two college students Greg and Earl to pass the time. Pastiches of the great classics of cinema, transformed with the means of the board, pasteboard, that may remind him of the imaginary to the Michel Gondry. Apocalypse Now of Coppola becoming A Box O ‘ Lips, Wow, Eyes Wide Shut de Kubrick turned into Eyes Wide Butt , or even The 400 Blows from Truffaut reinvented in The 400 Bros. The director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon reuses the same elements from this film that he appropriates for his film. Decorations and accessories, to the excellent music composed by Brian Eno, which includes topics recognizable to earlier works – main theme from a fistful of dollars , composed by Ennio Morricone, or any of the themes composed by Bernard Hermann for cold Sweats.

However, behind all these nods to the film, as tributes, or just for fun, first of all there is with THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY, a beautiful film that can vary the genres. Taking the word the term comedy-drama, THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY alternates constantly between comedy and drama, combining perfectly the laughter and the tears. This thanks to the realization susceptible d’Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and the story itself of Jesse Andrews, the author of the novel Me and Earl and The Dying Girl, which is from the film, and screenwriter. His story is that Greg, a high school student rather banal who is looking to spend his high school years as discreetly as possible. His daily life is seen turned upside-down when his mother forces him to get back in touch with Rachel, an old friend of the mother suffering from leukemia. Away from the obvious and clichés, THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY deals with its characters with intelligent and honesty.

THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY is a touching story, handled with a certain form of ” realism “, far from the superficiality that characterize works of the same ilk. We could be heading towards a kind of Our star to the contrary (Josh Boone, 2014, also taken from a literary work), rather successful in its genre. The latter strongly supported the part dramatic but especially showed itself to be relatively predictable in the evolution of the relationships of its characters. Only here, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is much more malignant. He plays the same (maybe too much) with the spectator by making him notice the codes, the drama expected, before going in an opposite direction. While Rachel and Greg come to meet, the latter addresses the audience in voice-over : “You say that our eyes will cross and that we are going to have a shot of lightning one to the other. And well not. Because this is not a love story “. If this kind of transition allows the developer to show a certain formatting that accompanies today this type of film, where the evolution of the relationship between the protagonists is rather foregone, it is also a way for him to insist on the turn that he wants to give to his film. Between Greg and Rachel, it is a question of the birth of a friendship. A friendship strong, certainly, certainly, with a hand of love. Simple and complex at the same time, as one can live to that age. An age that he represents the best of ways. Far from the usual clichés. In high school, Greg is a student like the others. It is nothing special (in every sense of the term). Rather discreet in order to avoid the problems but sufficiently resourceful to agree relatively well with all students. The director, and Jesse Andrews , of course, capture very well the period of high school. Better, they understand the psychology of their character, up to image the different feelings of a teenager face of certain events. Like when a boy lambda is faced with the most beautiful girl of the school. One of these girls that you will break the heart without even realizing it, simply by you talking, you smiling or touching you on the shoulder. The metaphor, in image, a buffalo crushing a squirrel, every time that Madison (the famous most beautiful girl in the school) will be talking to Greg, is particularly well found, and will act as the comic of repetition of which one never tires.

“THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY alternates constantly between comedy and drama, combining perfectly the laughter and the tears.”

If the film is primarily carried by sarcastic sense of humour of its main character, or tenderness in the relationships between each characters – Greg and Rachel, but also with Earl, the parents of Greg, or even with Mr. McCarthy, a teacher at the high school -there emerges a real work of mise en scene. In particular, in the room of Rachel, where a large part of the film will take place. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon made up the majority of his film with games of diving and counter-diving. A way to include consistently the viewer into the everyday life and the private of the two teenagers. As if I had just been spying on a moment of their lives, discreetly, for fear of ruining moments. And he thought about it constantly its framework and the composition of its plans. We understand a little better the presence of the director of photography Chung-hoon Chung (Old Boy, Lady Vengeance, Thirst, this is my blood, Stoker), always as accurate, and clever here to illuminate the room of the teenage Rachel, whose forces are dwindling as.

The director, although often a virtuoso in his movements and placements of the camera, also knows how to leave the place to his characters and his actors at appropriate times. We could talk about the final sequence, so wonderfully heartbreaking (which it will only reveal nothing). But the scene the most significant will remain, perhaps, this sequence still in the room of Rachel, where the two friends will have their biggest argument about the future of the young girl. Camera placed in a corner positioned in a counter-dive very special, capturing in the foreground, Rachel, sitting, and frozen, and in the background Greg, evolving in the rest of the space. During this sequence the filmmaker leaves a complete freedom to its actors who come to us to captivate and move us only by the power of their game, capable of delivering as much as to elicit tears in a moment.

In THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY the two actors unfold literally in front of the viewer, they become bare for us. Thomas Mann, as funny as touching, is a good surprise since its passage in Project X, a film not memorable. Olivia Cooke, which we already knew the talent with the series Bates Motel (she was also a high school girl suffering from a respiratory disease, oxygen tube constantly with it), still exceeds more here. Shaved head, from a young solar girl to a character without life. She immerses us constantly in an emotion striking. The performers side, RJ Cyler, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Jon Bernthal, accompany them effectively and compose a nice distribution. By pulling the best of the history of Jesse Andrews, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon shows his ability to vary the genres, to move us when necessary, we grieve as much as we have fun. A beautiful film in every way.

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