Article written by Dylan Bell.
Before I start this review, I would like it to be known that I have a personal bias for this movie. As a proud gay man myself, most of what I saw spoke to me on a personal level or at the very least hit me emotionally. Although I will do my very best to critique this movie as evenly as possible it should be known that I do have a personal bias.
Love, Simon is a phenomenal film, I’m certain you’ve heard that from one person or another and they are right, this film perfectly demonstrates just what movies are capable of everything from the acting to the writing is marvellous and I really cannot say it in any other way. This is the film we needed.
Now when I say we needed this film most of you will be assuming, and rightfully so, that I am referring to the LGBT+ community of which I am a proud member, and although this is very true the LGBT+ community are not the only people that needed to see this, this film displays what it is like coming out as gay wonderfully, (perhaps a tad idealistic but we will come back to that later) but it’s not just about a gay guy coming out, it’s about a real life struggle. Throughout this movie Simon jumps through hoops to keep his sexuality a secret because he is afraid just like many in the LGBT+ community this movie speaks to many people including myself on a deeply personal level.
There are many aspects of this movie that make it the masterpiece it is, and those are the incredible writing and acting, both of which make this movie. In regard to the writing this movie took a different approach to most coming of age movie aimed at teenagers, it took it’s time, it was slow paced with realistic dialogue making this movie feel very grounded. Several times whilst watching Love, Simon I found myself listening to the conversations and thinking I have had these conversations as well have many others not just those in LGBT+ community and that is what makes the writing stand out, it’s realism.
Aside from the writing, which most people look over understandably, the acting is what makes this movie, everyone gives the best performance possible. My personal favourite side characters of the film where hands down Simon’s parents, his mother played by Jennifer Gardner, portrays a busy loving mother without fail and during my personal favourite scene in the movie after Simon has come out to this family she has a talk with her son which is perfect, he tells her that just because he is gay it doesn’t change who he is, but what makes this scene my personal favourite, is that she repeats that line back at him, displaying what every person going through that situation needs to hear, that they are still them.
Simon’s father played by Josh Duhamel also has a fantastic scene with Simon where he apologises for making Simon feel as though he could he couldn’t come out, during a great deal of the movie Simon’s father is portrayed as a jokester which entertains his family, however mixed in with all his jokes are a few gay jokes which, although not meant maliciously on his part, put fear and anxiety into Simon being one of the reasons he was afraid to come out, reflecting perfectly the real fear that most LGBT+ people go through. The conversation Simon and his father have after he comes out is, once again, perfect, the dialogue, the performance was outstanding.
However the best performance in this movie by far goes to Nick Robinson who plays Simon. Throughout this movie he oozes charm and a delightful sense of whit, but never sympathy and that is what makes his performance. We are not meant to see Simon struggling in his story and feel sad or sorry for him, we are meant to relate and see ourselves in his place, which everyone who watches this movie gay or not will do. Everyone can remember a time during high school when you made bad decisions in order to keep a secret hidden, or to get someone to like you, and that’s what this movie portrays best, it feels very real the situation and conflict everything feels real and emotional. This owed in great thanks to Nick Robinson for his outstanding performance.
Now by this point you must be thinking that I believe this movie is perfect, well no, it is outstanding and one of the best movies I have seen in a very long time, but it is not perfect. I don’t believe these small imperfections taint the movie in any serious way, however I would not be doing my job if I did not point them out. The first, and I believe biggest, problem with the movie is the antagonist, Martin played by Logan Miller, is a disgusting human being, now this is partially on purpose and done fairly well until the very end, because throughout the movie Martin black mails Simon into convincing his friend into dating him or he will out Simon, now this is a terrible act and done for horrible reasons in the film, however I can excuse this because it moves the plot along fair enough, what I cannot excuse is once Simon’s secret is revealed he does not get punished aside from being yelled at by Simon which although a very good scene is the last we hear of it and is in my opinion the films biggest let down.
Another minor issue I have with this film is the portrayal of Simon’s life, specifically how idealised it is, Simon and frankly most of his friends are financially well off, this is displayed by showing that Simon has his own car that always has enough fuel, despite him not having a job, not to mention enough spending money to buy him and his three best friends coffee’s every morning. Now some of you may be thinking what’s the problem with that, the problem is that Simon’s life, as is the entire movie, is idealistic. Simon lives in a perfect world, which aside from a small amount of backlash from his friends for manipulating them he suffers not a lot of difficulties. There is one instance of him being bullied for being gay which is immediately followed up by those bullies being punished, this is my issue because although I think we wish we lived in Simon’s world, we all must admit it is definitely not the real world.
Although I have made some small critiques of this movie they never come close to ruining it, this is still a phenomenal, ground breaking film. Referring to the title of this piece, the film everyone needed, if you still do not understand why I said this I shall make it clear. This movie speaks to people in the LGBT+ community and justifies their fear, without giving them the right to abuse that fear, but it also speaks to the friends and family of LGBT+ people, showing them what is needed of them, showing them that all they need to do is be there for them. I would like to leave you with what I believe is the film’s most poignant line spoken by Emily Simon’s mother which surmises the message of this film to everyone not just LGBT+ people, and shows the reason why everyone needs this movie.
“I need you to hear this, you are still you… You get to exhale now”
Love, Dylan.
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