“Love, Simon” is a romantic dramedy that “came out” last weekend, and it’s the first movie produced by a mainstream studio to focus on a gay teenage romance.
Based on the novel “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli, the film presents itself similar to a 21st-century John Hughes high school movie. Main character Simon, played by Nick Robinson, is a typical high school teenager who struggles with his sexuality and his online romance with another closeted student at his school.
At the beginning of the film, Simon describes his life as normal, similar to the daily life of anyone else. However, his “normal” life is complicated by a gay student at his high school, known only as “Blue,” after he came out on an online forum. Simon, under the alias “Jacques,” reaches out to Blue and shares his own story. As Jacques and Blue form a genuine connection through emails, another student, Martin, discovers the email relationship. Martin blackmails Simon and forces him to set Martin up with Simon’s good friend, Abby, played by Alexandra Shipp.
Different from other LGBTQ+ movies, “Love, Simon” doesn’t focus on a great tragedy like “Call Me By Your Name” or “Moonlight.” Instead, the film presents Simon’s journey of finding his love, including both his happiness and struggles while keeping a lighthearted tone.
Traditional LGBTQ+ movies tend to focus on the romantic or social aspects of being gay. Movies like “Call Me By Your Name” are certainly artistic, but they also create distance between the story and audience.
But with “Love, Simon,” that gap is closed. Millennial elements were well crafted into the plot. It doesn’t feel like a parent is casually trying to be cool by adding the whole urban dictionary to the script. There is something relatable in this movie from everyone’s high school experience. Each character has their own personality, and each of them represents a type of student we ourselves may have encountered.
The experience of being a gay teenager is realistically portrayed throughout the film. “Love, Simon” illustrates that despite more and more social-acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, it still takes courage to reveal oneself to the world. This message does not only apply to sexual orientation or gender identity, but also any other number of things that people are afraid to reveal to the world.
Like the name of the movie, simple but meaningful, “Love, Simon” successfully delivered a heavy conversation to all audiences through the lightness of comedy.
