From the second I saw my Twitter timeline blow up from the release of the new LGBTQ+ movie’s trailer, I knew that I’d want to see the movie once it came out. Being a fan of Nick Robinson’s previous work, I had high expectations for Love, Simon, and he definitely didn’t let me or the public down.
The film focuses on the life of a high school senior named Simon Spier, played by Nick Robinson, living an all-around above-average life: being raised by high school sweethearts that are fairly liberal with a sister that he enjoys being around, and living in a nice home in a fairly wealthy town. He has a group of friends he was practically raised with, along with a car to get limitless cups of iced coffee. Although it seems like he has it all, he is actually dealing with some form of inner conflict. From the get go, he reveals that he’s been hiding a secret from everyone: he’s gay. The story ultimately follows his life after being outed without his consent and how he copes with it. Aside from the protagonist’s sexuality, the film is your average, cliché, teen romantic comedy.
One aspect of the film that really stood out to me was the dialogue, which was composed of exactly what an adult would think teenagers would say– corny, trying hard to be relatable, and often reaching to appear hip, cool, and in with the crowd. The vice principal of his high school, played by Tony Hale, is a prime example of this, always trying to engage with the students, obviously trying way too hard to form a friend-like relationship with them, while simultaneously attempting to be an authoritative figure. His character was also seemingly problematic, acting very presumptuous and in-your-face towards his students in practically all aspects. The script also made a lot of pop culture references, such as naming the dog Bieber, mentioning Gigi Hadid, and mentioning the popular dating application, Grindr.
Although the movie was pretty corny and cliché, it provided the LGBTQ+ and POC community with more accurate portrayals of themselves they always wanted and needed. With the push for more representation in the media in all aspects, this film does a sufficient job. The film has a more diverse cast than others in its genre because it has two black leads (Alexandra Shipp as Abby Suso and Keiynan Lonsdale as Bram Greenfeld) and a protagonist who is gay.
On Twitter, there have been many people talking about how they brought their families to watch Love, Simon, in order to help them become more accepting of LGBTQ+ people. Simon’s bursts of confidence has also urged people to take the next step in self-expression and acceptance, which is really heartwarming. With a more diverse representation of sexualities and races, the film provides viewers with a more realistic outlook on society, not erasing queer or people of color’s existence.
What sets this movie aside from the other LGBTQ+ movies, however, is that it doesn’t involve a huge tragedy or death to the person who is part of the community. Most movies about LGBTQ+ people involve something along the lines of the heavy bullying and harassment or the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but this movie in particular is a lot more relatable because it centers on a young romance. As mentioned in the movie, straight is just naturally the default in terms of sexuality and you can see that this even applies to the film industry. Comparatively, there aren’t as many films that show the average life of a person in the LGBTQ+ community, especially young teens. When a film does include a gay individual, they are usually stereotyped to be the gay best friend, but this film does the opposite by putting a gay narrative front and center.
Overall, the movie had slight flaws, but I genuinely enjoyed it. Although I can’t relate in that sense, it was heartbreaking seeing a person so isolated for something they really can’t control. The movie has a happy, wholesome ending, circling back into a more content, self-accepting life that the protagonist deserves.
––Melissa Resurreccion