It’s an ordinary teenage rom-com, but with a crucial element. It’s a gay romance. It’s the first mainstream film that features a lead character who’s gay and that explores a homosexual relationship. It’s a film that’s breaking barriers, and it’s more than worthy of the high levels of success it’s been reaching.

“Love, Simon” is a movie based off of the book “Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda.” If you want to read a review on the book go here. It follows the coming out story of a closeted gay high school student named Simon. When he finds out that another kid at his high school is also gay, but is using a different screen name to keep it a secret, Simon starts messaging him and starts to to fall in love. He, along the way, learns the importance of his relationships with friends, family and himself.

This is the best way to describe the movie: it’s a modern day John Hughes movie, but better. Now, the film is not better just because it focuses on a gay character. The film is such a standout due to magnificent writing, and a far more talented, stronger cast that never fails to deliver.

The biggest thing that surprised me about “Love, Simon” was the humor. The film is funny; it’s not cute funny or stupid funny. It’s genuinely funny. Every joke, every gag was perfect in terms of writing and delivery. The jokes never took away or distracted the audience from the current scene or the movie as a whole. The movie couldn’t have done this without the amazing screenwriter and cast.

What an amazing cast this was. Everyone was perfectly casted for their roles. Each actor/actress gave what was to be a natural, authentic performance. The delivery of the humor was well done, they didn’t overdo any of the emotional scenes and they had great chemistry. It’s basically everything someone would want in a John Hughes film.

The big standout performance, however, was Nick Robinson. He has true, raw, star talent, and he basically came out of nowhere. Some of his previous work came from Disney Channel movies, or Indie films, but if his career doesn’t get a boost from this, I would be shocked. He played his character with a very human quality. Sometimes actors go down the road where they play their character with such power and gravitas to point where they seem fake.

Yes, I know it’s a movie and it’s supposed to make-believe, but Robison took his character in a direction where I felt like I could just reach out and talk to him. He made the audience feel something for his character. He made the audience look at his character from a different point of view. He made the audience relate to his character regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The biggest home run this movie hits is the fact the movie represents the LGBTQ community, specifically relating to teenagers, in a very real, human way. This movie gives such a strong, powerful statement about being true to you and finding yourself, and the unique thing about this message is that it doesn’t just apply to the LGBTQ community. The main focal point for the message is for the LGBTQ community, but anyone can relate to this message. Sometimes people are lost, but with the support, love and comfort from not just those who love you, but yourself as well, you’ll be your truest self. This is what “Love, Simon” successfully conveys. If you want to read more on LGBTQ representation in movies/TV go here. 

My heart just melted away with this movie. The story is a very cute story, but it’s also a very real story. This is the first mainstream Hollywood rom-com to ever feature a gay romance, and it’s about time. “Love, Simon” is major movie magic.