Simon, an ordinary boy, must steer his way through the difficulties of teenage life while continuing an anonymous email relationship with another boy from his school. Greg Berlanti, with the guidance of Becky Albertalli, the author of the book (Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda) on which the film is based, explores themes of sexuality and blackmail in a rare Hetero-normative fashion.
Love, Simon is a classic young adult love story, but with one huge twist. The love story is shared between two young boys. It is unusual for a film in the Young Adult genre, especially being produced by a major film company, such as Fox 2000 Pictures, to explore topics such as homosexuality because it isn’t seen as very commercial. The movie is thought by many to be the “first gay teen movie by a major film company…” (Haley Jr, 2019: 1). Love, Simon as a piece is thought to be special because it happens to be a love story about two gay men who happen to be in love, rather than the gay element playing as the main conflict.
If you live a queer lifestyle or are just a fan of great love stories in general, this movie is one for you. The normative tone on homosexual themes is a clever technique that makes the film feel no different from any other piece of work in the young adult genre. Impressive dance scenes, and accepting scriptwriting, all brought together by bright colour and music from LGBT artists and activists alike, make for a heartfelt celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Nick Robinson gives an outstanding performance, his honest and emotional portrayal of Simon Speir brings tears to your eyes. His on-screen partner, Keiynan Lonsdale, is just as convincing in his portrayal of blue. Supporting talents only strengthen the overall heart of the film. The likes of Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel provide moments of heart that aren’t often seen within the world of cinema when discussing homosexuality in terms of family and the effect that it can have on relationships.
Although held in high regard, Love Simon forfeits some of the magic of the original work for visual beauty. A private confession of love while on a theme park date, a moment that melted the hearts of many readers, is exchanged for a cinematic spectacle in which the two main characters meet for the first time in front of their whole student body before sharing their first kiss to a round of applause. This is to be expected when converting the written word to big screen, but makes for a less honest representation of love, especially when starting a queer relationship.
In conclusion, this movie is unlike any other made before. A movie, aimed at the masses, that just so happens to feature two LGBT love interests. A step into the future of what film could be, and what most want it to be.
Writings Of A Queer Mind 