Tuo, Simon

Helmed to be one of this generation's homage to John Hughes (well-curated soundtrack, romantic comedy in a high school setting), we're not exaggerating when we say this is the movie we needed when my generation was growing up.

Back in the day, I remember there was only one gay character on mainstream media: Jack McPhee from Dawson's Creek, a football player originally brought in to play a love triangle with Dawson and Joey. Eventually he broke TV grounds when he came out as gay and was the first featured ever male gay kiss on primetime television. This was back in the year 2000.

Going further back, the other gay character I had access to was Matt Fielding from Melrose Place in the early 90s. For a show that was all about gossip and scandals, surprisingly enough it relegated Matt in the background as the token gay character, way before the term was even conceived.

Fast forward to today and we have Love, Simon, a coming-of-age movie about Simon Spier, who is gay but is unable to come out for fear of being bullied and ridiculed and ends up exchanging anonymous messages with the other gay person in his school hiding under the name Blue. When a fellow student comes across their exchanges, Simon is forced further to remain in the closet when he is blackmailed to score the guy a date with one his girl friends (ah, don't you just miss high school life?)

Whether it was intentional that aside from the lead every one else (i.e. straight) was relegated to the background as supporting characters mostly because they didn't prolong some of the conflicts enough, making it seem like coming out is that easy. Sometimes it is, sometimes it can be messy. But the point is you'll never know until you try. And even if the movie didn't get it all right, it echoes what the lead Nick Robinson said in one his interviews, it's at least a conversation starter.

Wow...this was such a mixed experience for me. I frankly hated (no joke) roughly the first third to half of "Love, Simon," but, when more depth and consequences of actions are portrayed in the second half of the film I became engaged and loved it, up to and including the ending, which is as sweet and touching a conclusion as you hope for in a rom-com. I realize this is meant to be an homage to 80's teen films, so I tried to forgive the too-pat, flat, one-dimensional stereotypical characters frenetically surrounding the more grounded Simon (and there are far too many of them for you to have time to remember or care about), but the snarky, too-cool, and "clever" dialogue really got to me, and the film lost me for that first period. But then the consequences of Simon's selfish and, well, ultimately cruel actions toward his loving friends and family kicked in, and the resulting scenes swept me up and delivered me nicely to that sweet ending. I would likely watch this again, but with the awareness that I'd be enduring the first half (the equivalent of fingernails screeching on a blackboard) because it builds to a very satisfying second-half and conclusion. Worth viewing, but not the film I'd hoped it would be when I saw the clever and fun trailers for months prior to opening.

I was afraid this would be so sticky sweet I'd end up in a sugar coma. I was pleased to be completely wrong. I identified with Simon (even though I finished high school in '84). The fear of losing your family and friends makes the secret you carry that much more of a burden. This movie helps us all find peace in ourselves and teach us to celebrate our unique traits. Put this down as a feel good classic that will endure. I'm happy I went.

Finally. A Hollywood studio producing a big LGBT romantic comedy.

Based on the YA book this film is really something special.

Not preachy, but heartfelt, this film deserves the hype and love from fans it has in turn earned.

Well worth a watch.

As a lover of LGBT movies on someone who has experience the coming out process, I felt this movie was way too far fetched and slightly cringey. The ending was so unbelievable unrealistic and out there what I was hard pressed to keep watching. Especially having read the book and how smoothly the events unfolded in the written version, I feel like the film adaptation was not entirely believable, and mostly just cheesy.

That being said, I would still recommend people watch it as some might enjoy it. The protagonist was charming and cute as hell, and the whole thing was pretty uplifting.