Review of Love, Simon (2018) by Zoe C — 22 Apr 2018

The romantic comedy Love Simon is among the newest additions to the genre (released in 2018) and is already making waves as a coming of age and a coming out film. Directed by Greg Berlanti and starring Nick Robinson, the film tells the story of a teenage boy, Simon, who has not told anyone that he is gay and begins an online relationship with an anonymous and also-closeted boy at his school.

Simon says it himself, as his thoughts narrate parts of the film, when he states that he lives a totally normal life, other than the fact that nobody knows he's gay. He lives an idyllic life in a well-off suburb with parents who are perfectly accepting and supportive. Some may say that the film's lightness and aversion to introduce any major problems to Simon's life are one of its flaws, however I think that is precisely what gives it its charm. How many of us watch romantic comedies in search of an unrealistically ideal example of a love story? There is something very comforting about the film not being edgy or vastly innovative. It's normalcy in turn makes it all the more special. Additionally, I think the lack of other major roadblocks in Simon's life allows the audience to focus on the subtleties of what it is like to come out. Coming out is still a challenge in today's society, no matter how accepting you may except your family and friends to be, simply for the fear of being seen differently and changing how your life has always been.

In addition to the major theme of Simon's sexuality, the film has so many other elements to offer. Before watching the film, I expected it to be cliche and not bring anything new to the table. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. It is a very "high school movie" through and through, and deals with the familiar themes of gossip, bullying, great friendships, sentimentality, jealousy, and all the confusion that goes along with growing up. It features many genuinely funny characters, such as the over-zealous principal, played by Tony Hale, and the only openly-gay student and very flamboyant Ethan, played by Clark Moore. These characters add some much needed comedic relief to some of the more serious portions of the film. The writing is full of clever one liners you might miss the first time you watch the film.

The film engages with several other types of romantic comedies. Like films such as The Kids are Alright and Call Me By Your Name, Love Simon features the romance of a same sex couple. However it is also very much a coming of age, high school romance story, reminiscent of films like Sixteen Candles. Lastly, Love Simon features an anonymous love story similar to the popular romantic comedy You've Got Mail. Combining all of these themes into one film creates a dynamic and relatable film that is sure to resonate with all types of audiences.

Overall, I'd recommend the film to anybody who enjoys a classic, romantic love story, gay, straight, or otherwise. I think the film signals a shift of gay love stories entering into the most mainstream spaces of filmmaking, and for that it is already extremely successful. Gay and lesbian romantic comedies have existed for decades, but bringing it to a major, big-budget film studio and placing it into a high school setting will have great social significance by reaching audiences that smaller or more "out there" films do not. On top of that, it was simply a purely entertaining film. Being able to watch the film in theaters allowed me to see how much of an impact the film had. Everyone in the theatre, from all walks of life, was laughing, crying, and clapping along with the film.