Love, Simon
4 stars
Director: Greg Berlanti
Stars: Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel
Duration: 75 mins
Class: 12
KRS Releasing Ltd

Teen coming-of-age movies are a dime a dozen these days. And, like their hormonal teenage characters, it is hard to stand out in a crowd. But, following last week’s release Blockers, which expertly tackled three female friends’ pact to lose their virginity on prom night, it is extremely refreshing to have a sleek Hollywood studio teen drama tackling a gay teenager’s coming-out story with sensitivity and authenticity – and Love, Simon hits all the right spots.

The affable Nick Robinson plays 16-year-old Simon Spier. As the film’s principal narrator, he tells us pretty much what to expect as he introduces himself and his perfectly normal life – loving parents, a sister he actually likes, good times at school as he enters his final year and a circle of close friends.

And yet, although he tells us he is just like us, he concludes by telling us he has one big secret… as he gazes longingly at the rather buff guy doing some gardening next door.

Simon is fully aware of his sexuality, but he struggles with the decision as to whether to come out to his family and friends or not.

Under the pen-name Jacques, he begins an anonymous online e-mail chat with a class-mate known as Blue who, Simon discovers, is in a similar predicament. When Simon accidentally leaves his e-mail messages open, Martin, a classmate with issues of his own, blackmails Simon into setting him up with fellow student and friend Abby Suso (Alexandra Shipp) or else he will out both Simon and Blue. This leaves Simon in a bit of a dilemma.

Ground-breaking in its presentation of an ordinary gay guy

While the impeccable production values of films of this ilk – the beautiful houses straight out of a glossy interior décor magazine, the protagonists’ trendy clothes, perfect hairstyles, and cool cars – are present and correct, Love Simon also penetrates through the sheen to get to the heart of the protagonist’s predicament with genuine feeling. This is in turn delivered with just the right amount of humour, warmth and fuzziness by the cast, including sympathetic turns from Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel as Simon’s parents. The latter have believable reactions to the news, when it eventually gets to them.

Coming out isn’t easy, and the script and Robinson’s performance accurately portray the angst that builds up ominously as one works towards sharing something so personal. 

The tumultuous emotions and lack of confidence eating at him are evident and, while if the circumstances were different Simon would clearly tell his blackmailer to stuff it, it’s easy to understand why he succumbs to the blackmail. So desperate is he to come out on his own terms, he is completely blinded to the repercussions of his actions. 

There’s a great line at one point: “For the last couple of years it’s been like you’ve been holding your breath.” Robinson really projects that image, nailing as perfectly as he does the struggles of a young man who outwardly seems completely okay, yet is inwardly struggling to find his place in a world which sadly still can be rather homophobic.

His close-knit circle of friends is equally well-drawn, especially Leah (Katherine Langford), who Simon has known “since the beginning of time”. Things become rather strained between the two – Simon is so preoccupied with his own issues he fails to notice she is struggling with her own, and the dynamic between them is strong.

The only dud note is the characterisation of Martin (Logan Miller). Described as the class clown, the reality is that his behaviour is despicable and, although he does get his comeuppance, it is played for laughs, the seriousness of his actions played down in contrast.

Yet, that is a minor quibble. Despite the fact it plays things rather safe – it carries a 12A certificate, so while it goes all out in its depiction of Simon’s emotional cravings, it is very coy when it comes to the physical ones – it is definitely ground-breaking in its presentation of an ordinary gay guy. The film is handled with aplomb by director Greg Berlanti, from a tight screenplay by Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, in turn based on Becky Albertalli’s acclaimed novel.

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