By Christopher Molina
It’s fairly rare that films with queer central characters get picked up by major distributors, and it’s even rarer for them to be aimed towards a wide audience. Without even taking the actual content of the film into consideration, this is what makes Love, Simon so important.
Directed by out director Greg Berlanti, Love, Simon breaks the mold for queer cinema as a whole, being one of the few backed by a major studio, 20th Century Fox. Love, Simon is at its core a high school comedy, like that of Easy A, Clueless, and Breakfast Club. We’re introduced to Simons relatively normal friend group and their usual morning routine. As the plot unfolds and Simon discovers more about his sexuality, the friendships don’t disappear into a B-plot, but instead become an integral part of what happens.
Love, Simon is realistic in its portrayal of coming out not being a one-step event done by ourselves, but rather a long drawn out process involving multiple people. The plot is unpredictable, but never shakes us or takes on a long-winded journey. Every twist feels like it’s in place for a reason and makes total sense. Once the film was done, the audience was lucky enough to participate in a Q&A with the author of Simon Vs. The Homosapien Agenda, Becky Albertalli.
While the film is a landmark for representation, it was a bit concerning that the story was written by a straight woman rather than a queer person. Albertalli assured the audience that she did her research, reaching out to queer high schoolers and learning about their experiences. While one can definitely see the concern, Albertalli seemed to put a lot of care and thought into the story, and its weight, and even says she sees herself in Simon. She went on to tell us all about the time she left a boy at a bar mitzvah to call her mom when the nerves got the best of her, just as Simon does in the novel and film.
Love, Simon’s ability to represent queer youth and the whole generation overall is impressive. While I wouldn’t call this the most technically dazzling film, it does make immense strides in representation which makes up for whatever issues it may have. Like the best high school films, its relatability will have you laughing and crying in a matter of minutes. With its beautiful story, and heartfelt characters, Love, Simon is sure to become a staple in both high school and queer cinema.
MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE 