This past Saturday, my friends were all in town for Spring break, and we were trying to cram in as much fun as we could into that one precious day. We decided to go see Love, Simon, which had just come out the day before. We had heard a lot of good things about it and couldn’t wait to go see it.
Love, Simon is the story of Simon Spier, a high schooler who has a great family life, great friends, and one huge secret: he’s gay. Simon’s world gets turned upside down, when someone else at his school comes out anonymously in a post on the school’s blog. The two start messaging back and forth, and instantly bond over the secret they share. Soon, Simon has to choose between keeping his friends close or keeping his secret hidden.
This heartwarming and fun film was one of my favorites that I’ve seen in a long time. It was a nice break from the heavier, more dramatic Oscar season films I have been watching recently. The high school teen movie is a genre that I still find oddly comforting, even though I’m almost halfway through college at this point. Seeing it with friends, that I have known since high school especially, made it seem like high school was just yesterday.
The characters in this film also help to give it that warm, comfortable feeling. His parents (played by Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel) are supportive and caring. His friends are basically just like any group of friends who do everything together.
In addition to being a great LGBT teen film, it’s also a very important one. Love, Simon is the first film produced by a major Hollywood studio to feature a gay teenage protagonist. Not only that, but the cast is also very diverse as well, which makes this a film full of representation for young people.
One quick thing I’ve noticed, when going to the movies recently, is that the director and usually the lead actor in the movie will have a short video right before the film starts, thanking the audience for coming to the theatre and supporting the artists and creators that made the film possible. As someone who hopes to go into this industry, I love seeing this and I think it is very important in a world where internet piracy is such a prevalent occurrence.
Overall, Love, Simon is a heartwarming film that is a symbol of the progress we have made as a society. I hope to see more movies like this in the future that I can enjoy with my friends.
