The romantic comedy-drama, directed by Greg Berlanti and based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, written by Becky Albertalli, is a 2018 american production that was incredibly well accepted by the public. Released in the end of February of this year, the film tells the story of Simon Spier, a regular teenage boy that holds one secret: the fact of being gay.
The plot is developed when Simon, living a normal life with his parents, sister and friends, starts to exchange e-mails with “Blue”, pseudonym of another gay guy that goes to the same school and hides the same secret. The e-mails end up being discovered by Martin, a classmate, who starts to blackmail Simon, threatening to make them public if he doesn’t help him to go out with Abby, one of Simon’s good friends.
Image Source: 20th Century Fox Movies
The cast has a natural chemistry. With the presence of famous actors like Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel as Simon’s parents, their performance together is genuine. It is not different in the scenes with his friends. With rising stars such as Katherine Langford, who played ‘Hannah Baker’ in the Netflix success 13 Reasons Why, the main cast also presents Alexandra Shipp and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as their group of buddies.
Image Source: 20th Century Fox Movies
Showing how confuse can be to figure it out your place in the world, the director is precise when capturing his bedroom as a safe place and the vulnerability in his eyes in some closes the camera does. Also, the soundtrack is well chosen, including new artists like Normani and Khalid, which complements the suburban air of Atlanta.
With the power to surprise the viewers, Love, Simon, although using the cliches of the teenage romance – conflicted youth and the fear of not knowing who you are and where you belong – is able to brilliantly express this part of everyone’s process of growing. The movie is, by itself, a strong message not only of acceptance, but also of courage.