By Anthony Torres
Big strides for the LGBT community were achieved with the film “Love, Simon.”
“Love, Simon” is a coming of age film like no other. It’s the basic story of love and misfortune, except it’s boy meets another boy anonymously and tries to keep his sexuality a secret while trying to meet said boy.
Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) is 17 and starting his senior year. High school can be a confusing time for teenagers still trying to figure themselves out, but it is even harder for a closeted boy who fears that admitting his sexual preference will change his whole life for the worse.
Someone discovers Simon’s secret and uses it against him, creating a plot reminiscent of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Simon’s life is turned upside down when he is outed and he deals with the repercussions of trying to keep it a secret. Although it is not without a happy ending for Simon.
Watching “Love, Simon” was enjoyable, but it has its faults. It was too cookie cutter in the essence that Simon did not struggle as much as the openly gay character Ethan (Clark Moore) did.
Simon’s family and friends seemed to be fully supportive. It begs the question of how realistic the situation may be, but it shows how happy anyone can be when they are their true selves, no matter their sexuality, when fully supported by their family.
It is full of the teen angst cliches that can be found in any other coming of age movie, but director Greg Berlanti gave the genre a fresh, new perspective and a soundtrack that will have you tapping your feet and bobbing your head.
With the political climate faced by the LGBT community, this film is a must watch to better understand the hardships, or at least to scrape at the surface of understanding what a person in this situation goes through.
“Love Simon” is playing at the Regency University Stadium at University Village, as well as AMC and Harkins. The movie was definitely worth the watch.