Director: Greg Berlanti
Writers: Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker
Cast: Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Clark Moore
Simon Spier is an average, teenager with good friends, a loving family, and one big secret, he’s gay. Unbeknownst to his family and friends his secret is a massive burden, threatening to crush him. His burden gets a little easier to bear when he begins an email love affair with an anonymous classmate. This budding romance gives Simon a courage he never knew he had. Just as things start to heat up, tragedy strikes. A classmate discovers their secret emails and threatens to expose the affair. Burdened with a big secret and now blackmailed because of it, Simon must decide whether it is easier to be imprisoned by his hidden love or to be freed by his truth and accept all the changes it brings.
Nick Robinson portrays the impossibly average Simon Spier. He’s an average teen with an average life in every way except that he’s gay. Which shouldn’t be a big deal, but it is. The film is narrated by Simon affording us a rarely captured glimpse into the proverbial “closet.” We watch him cringe at lighthearted gay jokes and deflect when talking about girls. His discomfort lets us into a world that not all of us may understand. In one important moment in the film, Simon asks, Why is hetero the default? This is a loaded question that forces viewers to look inward. Why is his gayness such a big deal? Despite our growing understanding, homosexuality still struggles to find its place in normalcy. It is normal to many of us, but far too many are still fumbling with the concept. Simon’s story will hopefully bridge the gap and lead to some important conversations.
While Simon may not be ready to live life out loud, another character is out and proud. Ethan, played by Clark Moore, is an absolute scene stealer. He may not have had a small role but his presence made a big impact. His in your face, take me as I am attitude is fun to watch. As the only openly gay student in his high school, Ethan is teased relentlessly but takes it all in stride, hurling venomous one-liners like a seasoned pro. He is flamboyant but not cartoonish. His mannerisms and movements are as natural as the air. There’s no neck rolling or overly dramatic interactions, he approaches his haters with a cool detachment and dry wit. Make no mistake he isn’t the comic relief but instead the walking embodiment of truth.
Love, Simon is a first for a major studio. While teen romance is a time-weathered genre, this is the first with a gay male lead. Usually, the gay character is the comic relief or the dramatic best friend of the lead. Love, Simon lets us experience first love from a unique and much-needed perspective. Without being too heavy-handed or preachy, this story presents us with a teachable moment that just happens to be a massively entertaining film. After years of watching teens fall in love with vampires werewolves, mutants, and all manner of fantastical beasts, we finally witnessed a romance worth rooting for.
Love Simon opens Friday, March 16th.