Movie Review: Love, Simon

I truly wasn't expecting a great deal from Love, Simon thinking that it would not be much more than another teen drama movie, but how it developed into incredibly nuanced navigating mature themes with characters who, for the most part, seemed painfully real and connected was quite striking.

The writing was fairly strong, there was a playfulness in the first act that kept it engaging albeit oddly familiar, and there were some pretty strong poignant moments. These were all carried by a very solid performances by the winning ensemble, especially Nick Robinson who acted with real subtlety. I felt Simon from his difficult days, his loneliness, his frustrations, and even his small and sometimes fleeting joy and happiness. The ending was frustratingly predictable though, but its adherence to the tired formula was in itself a message that a love story - regardless of sexual orientation - is still essentially a love story. I was hoping it was handled a little bit differently.

Love, Simon was a thoroughly charming, witty, enjoyable, and an extremely relatable film with great characters, truly passionate scenes, and a story rich and complex enough that made me think. Oh, and that "you get to breathe now" line was extremely and perfectly written and executed.