‘Love, Simon’ is a rare, feel-good gay movie

Contents:

• LOVE, SIMON IS A GROUNDBREAKG GAY MOVIE. BUT DO TODAY'S TEENS ACTUALLY NEED IT?
• 'LOVE, SIMON' IS A GOTDAMN LIGHTFUL ROM, AND 'S GAY AS HELL
• LOVE, SIMON? DON’T LOVE, SIMON?: A DEBATE ON THE LTLE GAY MOVIE THAT COULD
• LOVE, SIMON: AT LAST HOLLYWOOD IS SAYG ‘I’M GAY’
• 'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY
• AUTHOR BECKY ALBERTALLI ON ‘LOVE, SIMON,’ THE GROUNDBREAKG ADAPTATN OF HER GAY TEEN ROMANCE
• ‘LOVE, SIMON’ IS A RARE, FEEL-GOOD GAY MOVIE
• LOVE, SIMON IS A CHARMG GAY STUD MOVIE THAT MAK US HUNGRY FOR MORETEENS WILL SWOON, ADULTS WILL SIGH.BY RICHARD LAWSONMARCH 13, 2018PHOTO BY BEN ROTHSTE/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOXSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIT’S GOG TO BE HARD TO TALK ABOUT LOVE, SIMON, THE NEW GAY TEEN ROMANTIC EDY OM FOX (YEP!), WHOUT TURNG TO A THERAPY SSN. BRIGHT AND ATTRACTIVE BOTH ST AND PRODUCTN SIGN, GREG BERLANTI’S FILM—ADAPTED OM THE BT-SELLG YOUNG-ADULT NOVEL SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA—HAS A PLEASANT BEARG. THOUGH TELLS AN EMOTNAL STORY ABOUT INTY AND G OUT, ’S AN EASYGOG MOVIE, GLOSSY AND KD AND ZILY RNY. AND YET, FOR ME, WAS ALSO A GHT EXPERIENCE, BOTH PAED AND GIDDY, CHEERG AND DISMAYG. IT’S A LOT, THIS LTLE MOVIE.WELL, MAYBE ’S NOT LTLE. LOVE, SIMON IS THE FIRST MAJOR STUD FILM ABOUT A GAY KID G OUT. WHICH IS A RATHER BIG AL, EVEN IF THE MOVIE IS JT A SPRG EDY. (AND ACTUALLY, MAYBE THAT ’S A SPRG EDY MAK A BIGGER AL.) LOVE, SIMON ARRIV POISED TO ACMODATE A LOT OF BAGGAGE, WH EACH GAY PERSON WHO SE HANGG A LTLE OF THEIR OWN ON THE MOVIE (OR, I SUPPOSE, JT CHOOSG NOT TO ENGAGE WH AT ALL). THE THKG—AND PART OF THE MARKETG STRATEGY—IS THAT LOVE, SIMON WILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNY TO HAVE A CERTA BURN LIFTED, THAT WILL DO THE HONORABLE REPRENTATNAL WORK OF LETTG SEE OUR PAST AND PRENT AND FUTURE SELV ON THE BIG SCREEN WARM AND CELEBRATORY WAYS. WE WILL SEE LOVE, SIMON AND FEEL UNTED, FALLY.AND, SOME WAYS, YEAH, I DID. THE STORY OF A 16-YEAR-OLD, SIMON (NICK ROBSON), WHO ISN’T QUE READY TO E OUT UNTIL HE BEGS AN ANONYMO E-MAIL ROMANCE WH ANOTHER CLOSETED BOY AT HIS SCHOOL, LOVE, SIMON IS EXCG HOW DIRECTLY AND WHOLLY FOC ON S GAYNS. SIMON IS MAYBE—WH ALL OF ROBSON’S BOYISH, STRAIGHT-ACTG PHYSILY AND TIMBRE—ONE OF THOSE “JT HAPPENS TO BE GAY” TYP, BUT HE IS NOHELS GAY, SOMETHG THE FILM REMDS OF, TEXTUALLY OR SUBTEXTUALLY, JT ABOUT EVERY SCENE. (I ONLY WISH A FANTASY SEQUENCE WHICH SIMON IMAG WHAT LIFE AS AN OUT GAY GUY LLEGE WILL BE LIKE DIDN’T END WH SIMON SAYG VOICE-OVER, “WELL, MAYBE NOT THAT GAY.” WHY NOT THAT GAY? WHY NOT MORE GAY?) IT’S THRILLG AND ALMOST SURREAL TO BE GIVEN TWO HOURS OF THIS—WHOUT ANYTHG SHAD, D, OR TRAGIC— STUD PACKAGG, CYNILLY PALIST AS MAY BE. CHERISHED AS THE SPARSE APARTMENTS AND SIMPLE PHOTOGRAPHY OF SO MANY BELOVED STRAND AND TLA RELEAS ARE, GAY STUFF LOOKS GOOD ON A BIGGER BUDGET.THE FILM’S PERFORMANC ONLY ADD TO THE MOVIE’S AFFABLE SPARKLE. THOUGH I WISH HIS SIMON READ, ANKLY, A B GAYER, ROBSON IS NO DOUBT A CHARMER, A HANDSOME GUY WHO GIV A MTED, SENSIVE PERFORMANCE. THE ACTORS WHO PLAY SIMON’S IENDS, ANTAGONISTS, AND LOVE TERTS—AMONG THEM KATHERE LANGFORD, ALEXANDRA SHIPP, LOGAN MILLER, AND KEIYNAN LONSDALE (SWOON)—ALL PROVI STRONG SUPPORT, GIVG THE MOVIE’S TEEN SOCIALIZG A CREDIBLE ENERGY, EVEN IF THE KIDS ARE A LTLE MORE VOLUBLY ELOQUENT THAN THEIR REAL-LIFE UNTERPARTS. (SNAPPY DIALOGUE THAT WORKS A WTY BOOK DON’T ALWAYS WORK ON SCREEN, SOMETHG SCREENWRERS ELIZABETH BERGER AND ISAAC APTAKER ARE HIP TO ABOUT HALF THE TIME.) AND JENNIFER GARNER AND JOSH DUHAMEL ARE CUDDLY AND GENERO AS SIMON’S DOTG PARENTS, WH GARNER PARTICULAR NAILG THE MOVIE’S MOST THOUGHTFUL, WELL-ARTICULATED SCENE.STORY-WISE, THE MOVIE MOV ALONG WELL, TELLG A SURPRISGLY TRITE TALE OF CSH AND SECRET INTI. SOME OF LOVE, SIMON‘S PLOT VELOPMENTS ARE STARTLGLY DARK—CHIEF AMONG THEM A BLACKMAILG SCHEME THAT PROV DISASTRO—AND WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THE FILM TERROGATE OR NTEXTUALIZE THAT A B MORE. MUCH OF SIMON’S ONLE ROMANCE IS JT THAT: ONLE. AND IS HARD TO DRAMATIZE E-MAILG ON FILM. SO SIMON’S RELATNSHIP TO “BLUE,” HIS INTER PARAMOUR, MAY FEEL RICHER BOOK FORM. BUT MOSTLY, THE FILM DO A GRACEFUL JOB OF ILLTRATG SIMON‘S NER TURMOIL—HIS FEAR NOT OF BEG GAY, BUT OF LIFE CHANGG TOO DRASTILLY WHEN HE ANNOUNC THAT HE IS—WHILE MATAG S SPIRED, FUNNY, HUMANE AIR. IT’S A CRGE-Y MOVIE, SO BEWARE IF YOU’RE AVERSE TO THAT SORT OF THG. (I AM, AND I SURVIVED.) B-STORI WEAVE WELL WH SIMON’S MA THROUGH-LE, AND THE MOVIE ENDS WH A SENSE OF EQUY FOR EACH OF S WELL-DRAWN KIDS. (EVEN IF LANGFORD’S CHARACTER SORTA GETS THE SHAFT. OR DON’T, SO TO SPEAK.)SO, ALL OF THAT IS GOOD. I LEFT THE THEATER A LTLE JUMPY AND LIGHTHEAD, LGHG WH A IEND ABOUT HOW SILLY AND FLHED WE FELT. LOVE, SIMON’S WELL-MEANG “FALLY!” IS A HEADY THG TO WNS, S CLOSG SCEN SO HAPPY AND AFFECTNATE THAT YOU WANT TO HUG SOMEONE. (OR KISS SOMEONE!)MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORDINSI ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANDREW STT AND PL ML’S METAPHYSIL LOVE STORYBY DAVID CANFIELDOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLIT WAS A FLEETG HIGH, THOUGH. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME OM THE THEATER (O.K., MY IEND AND I HAD A UPLE OF DRKS TO LM DOWN—BUT AFTER THAT), SOMETHG HAD SOURED ME, AND THE FILM BEGAN TO TAKE ON A DARKER—OR AT LEAST MORE TROUBLED—EDGE. WHAT I’VE BEEN WRTLG WH THE PAST UPLE OF WEEKS IS HOW MUCH OF THAT IS THE FILM’S DOG, AND HOW MUCH OF IS A PRODUCT OF MY OWN STUFF. ALL THAT BAGGAGE I’D TEMPORARILY LENT TO LOVE, SIMON QUICKLY STARTED TO WEIGH ON ME AGA, EVEN FEELG A B HEAVIER THAN BEFORE.I THK HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH THE KD OF IMAGG WE GAY ADULTS ARE MA TO DO ABOUT A MOVIE LIKE THIS. “WHAT IF I’D HAD THAT WHEN I WAS A KID?” WE FD OURSELV SAYG WH AWE, WH WISTFULNS, WH MAYBE (FELY?) A PANG OF JEALOY. (AND, OF URSE, “WHAT IF I’D LIVED THAT?”) OR, AT LEAST, I DO. IT’S A BTERSWEET ACTIVY, THIS NOSTALGIA FOR A YOUTH WE WISH WE HAD, AND FOR A YOUTH WE HOPE GAY KIDS ARE HAVG NOW. BUT IS A HEALTHY ONE?OF URSE ADULTS OWE TO YOUNG PEOPLE TO TE THEM, TO PROVI FOR THEM, TO HELP CLARIFY THE EMOTNAL WORLD FOR THEM. AND, Y, A PART OF THAT DUTY MAY BE GIVG THEM A LIKABLE, SOMETIM TRATGLY UNGAY GAY TEEN EDY ABOUT A WEALTHY KID WHOSE NANCY MEYERS–IAN LIFE IS DLY DISPTED UNTIL ISN’T, AND HE’S MET WH BROAD AND UNQUTNABLY LOVG SUPPORT THROUGHOUT. JUDGG OM THE REACTN TO A RECENT TIME PIECE THAT HAD THE TEMERY TO ASK IF LOVE, SIMON’S PLEASGLY BLAND PICTN OF RELATIVELY NORMATIVE GAYNS WOULD APPEAL TO TODAY’S MORE SOCIALLY NSC TEENS (A GOOD AND FAIR QUTN WORTH ENGAGG WH BEYOND THE PIECE’S HEADLE, FOLKS), THERE SEEMS TO BE A MAND, AN EAGER ANTICIPATN FOR THIS MOVIE. SO IF LOVE, SIMON DO SOMETHG—ENTERTAS, ELAT, TRANSPORTS—FOR THOSE QUEER KIDS NEED OF , THEN ’S ALL WORTH .THERE’S STILL A PART OF ME THAT WONRS IF KIDS NOW, WH YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM OFFERG UP A PLETHORA OF GAY PEERS TO LOOK ON, ARE QUE AS STARVED FOR THIS MOVIE AS OLR GENERATNS WERE. BUT WHETHER OR NOT GEN Z-ERS FD SOMETHG NOURISHG AND OF VALUE THE MOVIE, WHAT ARE WE GAY ADULTS TO DO WH ? DO EVEN MATTER WHAT WE DO WH ?WHAT I’VE BEEN SORT OF DANCG AROUND HERE IS THIS: A FEW HOURS AFTER SEEG LOVE, SIMON, I FELT KDA PRSED. ALL THAT SWEET LONGG FOR A TEENAGEHOOD I NEVER HAD—AND A MOVIE THAT I NEVER GOT—HARNED TO A REGRET, A BTERNS. THE SAME GO, SOME WAYS, FOR CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, THOUGH THAT FILM’S MEDATIVE WHISPERS HAVE PROVEN A MORE LASTG BALM THAN LOVE, SIMON’S QUICK AND CLUMSY BURST OF POIGNANCY. I THK I MIGHT JT BE A LTLE TIRED—FOR THE MOMENT—OF THKG MELANCHOLILLY ABOUT WHAT ULD HAVE BEEN, TIRED OF TILLG THE EARTH OF MY TEENAGE YEARS AND IMBUG WH THE FANTASI, AND THEN ASSUMG THAT MEANS I’VE BEEN FULFILLED, THAT I’VE BEEN SATISFYGLY REPRENTED CEMA.MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORDINSI ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANDREW STT AND PL ML’S METAPHYSIL LOVE STORYBY DAVID CANFIELDOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLLOVE, SIMON IS NOT BEG MARKETED TO GAY ADULTS EXPRSLY, BUT PLENTY OF GAY ADULTS WILL SEE —HUNGRY FOR THIS FIRST MOVIEGOG EXPERIENCE, THE ONE LARGELY NIED TO THEM AS KIDS. WHICH IS GOOD. I HOPE THEY LOVE , AND THAT S TEND DIENCE OF TEENS LOV , AND THAT THE MOVIE MAK A BOATLOAD OF MONEY. AND I HOPE SOME OF THAT MONEY WILL THEN BE ED TO MAKE STUD MOVI ABOUT, AND FOR, GAY ADULTS, AND GAY OLD PEOPLE, AND GAY PEOPLE WHO ARE GAYER THAN NICK ROBSON, AND GAY MOVIE CRICS STARG DOWN THE BARREL OF THEIR 35TH BIRTHDAY. ALL KDS OF GAY PEOPLE!I—AND MANY OTHERS, I’M SURE—ULD BENEF OM A REMR THAT GAY LIV ARE NOT SOLELY FED BY PRIMAL DISVERY, THAT THEY EXIST LONG PAST FIRST BLH. FIRST BLH ARE GREAT, AND WE’VE BEEN BLSED WH SEVERAL GOOD FILMS ABOUT THEM RECENTLY, CLUDG LOVE, SIMON. BUT AS MUCH AS LOVE, SIMON’S WNG, IF SLIGHTLY BOWDLERIZED, G-OUT STORY IALLY MA ME YEARN FOR AN ALTERED YOUTH, ’S SCE MA ME YEARN EVEN MORE FOR STORI THAT REFLECT MY GAY LIFE TODAY, OR MY GAY LIFE AS MIGHT BE YEARS OM NOW. (AND YOUR GAY LIFE, AND YOUR GAY LIFE, AND YOUR GAY LIFE.) HERE’S HOPG FOR THOSE MOVI THE NEAR FUTURE. THK OF THIS WAY: IF THOSE FILMS GET MA NOW, THEY’LL BE THERE WAG FOR TODAY’S TEENS—SOON TO BE SMTEN WH SIMON—WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY GET OLR AND GROW HUNGRY FOR SOMETHG MORE. DO FOR THEM, HOLLYWOOD. AND FOR , TOO.RICHARD LAWSON

LOVE, SIMON IS A GROUNDBREAKG GAY MOVIE. BUT DO TODAY'S TEENS ACTUALLY NEED IT?

There’s a precent for stori about gay teens g to themselv.

The new movie Love, Simon reprents somethg new: a look at what ’s like to be a gay teen that’s as slick and mastream as n be, like any other YA romantic edy. As his profile at school evolv, he’s mocked for beg gay by the jocks, but elsewhere his search for a boyiend is met wh a zealo enuragement that saps the movie’s tensn. Plenty of gay kids are supported by those around them, but how many are appld and rooted on by the school en masse, as Simon is, as they seek love?

'LOVE, SIMON' IS A GOTDAMN LIGHTFUL ROM, AND 'S GAY AS HELL

A tone that feels overdue–the first mastream teen edy foregroundg a gay character–may have been outpaced by real life. Can a love story centered around a gay teen who is very refully built to seem as straight as possible appeal to a generatn that’s boldly reventg genr and sexualy on s own terms? There’s no reason that the first gay romantic edy for young viewers necsarily need to look so much like the pat, flat rom-s wh which today’s teens are barely faiar.

The culture, even a ago, was awash anti-gay rhetoric and msagg, om shows like The Office to movi like The 40-Year-Old Virg.

(The former relentlsly teased s lone queer office drone; the latter, a liberal-md edy, psed the actn for a lengthy sequence of mean gay jok. ) Love, Simon is a rrective to that, prentg a universe which beg gay is, fally, O.

LOVE, SIMON? DON’T LOVE, SIMON?: A DEBATE ON THE LTLE GAY MOVIE THAT COULD

Love, Simon feels like a film rpondg to an entirely different culture, like one which gay marriage was never legalized. That cisn both acknowledged that equaly for gays had won the day and opened the door for far more tertg and challengg fights, on the next generatn will lead.

Cast & crewUser reviewsTrivia2018PG-131h 50mSimon Spier keeps a huge secret om his fay, his iends and all of his classmat: he's gay.

Read allSimon Spier keeps a huge secret om his fay, his iends and all of his classmat: he's gay.

LOVE, SIMON: AT LAST HOLLYWOOD IS SAYG ‘I’M GAY’

When that secret is threatened, Simon mt face everyone and e to terms wh his Spier keeps a huge secret om his fay, his iends and all of his classmat: he's gay. I was gay.

Beg gay is HARD enough and kids m suici far too often alg wh and other issu. Love, Simon, the first major stud film to receive a wi release while centerg on a gay teen g out and navigatg romance, is already polarizg queer dienc. The extremely unfortable suatn of havg to s on the uch next to your parents while they ma jok about gay characters on televisn?

'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY

But to ll Love, Simon a mornly gay John Hugh movie is blasphemo, even though I still haven’t fiven him for Long D Dong.

” There are no ntours to Simon’s queerns, and he thks dancg to Whney Hoton wh lor-blocked outfs is too gay. Matt: Bowen, some gay high-schoolers like rock mic! But that’s another element that I thk this movie got right: When you’re gay high school, you have no chance of beg yourself.

You ph the sh that’s “too gay” out of the realm of possibily, even if you enjoy those thgs ep down si. That’s the gayt amement park ri.

AUTHOR BECKY ALBERTALLI ON ‘LOVE, SIMON,’ THE GROUNDBREAKG ADAPTATN OF HER GAY TEEN ROMANCE

Also, I’m gog to be brave right now: sayg Simon didn’t serve this movie is Whe Gay Erasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘LOVE, SIMON’ IS A RARE, FEEL-GOOD GAY MOVIE

The only real Whe Gay Erasure is Whe-on-Whe Gay Erasure, like when Sam Smh says he’s the first gay man to w an Osr and don’t know who Howard Ashman is. There’s this rponse that Love, Simon is manna om the queer cema gods and that all the medcre gay g-of-age films of yore never existed bee this one’s a wi release.

I thank this movie for speakg to me, the Basic Gay, and lettg me picture myself kissg the cute boy on top of the Ferris wheel. My dience cheered when they kissed at the end and that ma the sred gay kid me really happy.

No sha to Nick Robson, who is a lovely straight gay teen.

LOVE, SIMON IS A CHARMG GAY STUD MOVIE THAT MAK US HUNGRY FOR MORETEENS WILL SWOON, ADULTS WILL SIGH.BY RICHARD LAWSONMARCH 13, 2018PHOTO BY BEN ROTHSTE/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOXSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIT’S GOG TO BE HARD TO TALK ABOUT LOVE, SIMON, THE NEW GAY TEEN ROMANTIC EDY OM FOX (YEP!), WHOUT TURNG TO A THERAPY SSN. BRIGHT AND ATTRACTIVE BOTH ST AND PRODUCTN SIGN, GREG BERLANTI’S FILM—ADAPTED OM THE BT-SELLG YOUNG-ADULT NOVEL SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA—HAS A PLEASANT BEARG. THOUGH TELLS AN EMOTNAL STORY ABOUT INTY AND G OUT, ’S AN EASYGOG MOVIE, GLOSSY AND KD AND ZILY RNY. AND YET, FOR ME, WAS ALSO A GHT EXPERIENCE, BOTH PAED AND GIDDY, CHEERG AND DISMAYG. IT’S A LOT, THIS LTLE MOVIE.WELL, MAYBE ’S NOT LTLE. LOVE, SIMON IS THE FIRST MAJOR STUD FILM ABOUT A GAY KID G OUT. WHICH IS A RATHER BIG AL, EVEN IF THE MOVIE IS JT A SPRG EDY. (AND ACTUALLY, MAYBE THAT ’S A SPRG EDY MAK A BIGGER AL.) LOVE, SIMON ARRIV POISED TO ACMODATE A LOT OF BAGGAGE, WH EACH GAY PERSON WHO SE HANGG A LTLE OF THEIR OWN ON THE MOVIE (OR, I SUPPOSE, JT CHOOSG NOT TO ENGAGE WH AT ALL). THE THKG—AND PART OF THE MARKETG STRATEGY—IS THAT LOVE, SIMON WILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNY TO HAVE A CERTA BURN LIFTED, THAT WILL DO THE HONORABLE REPRENTATNAL WORK OF LETTG SEE OUR PAST AND PRENT AND FUTURE SELV ON THE BIG SCREEN WARM AND CELEBRATORY WAYS. WE WILL SEE LOVE, SIMON AND FEEL UNTED, FALLY.AND, SOME WAYS, YEAH, I DID. THE STORY OF A 16-YEAR-OLD, SIMON (NICK ROBSON), WHO ISN’T QUE READY TO E OUT UNTIL HE BEGS AN ANONYMO E-MAIL ROMANCE WH ANOTHER CLOSETED BOY AT HIS SCHOOL, LOVE, SIMON IS EXCG HOW DIRECTLY AND WHOLLY FOC ON S GAYNS. SIMON IS MAYBE—WH ALL OF ROBSON’S BOYISH, STRAIGHT-ACTG PHYSILY AND TIMBRE—ONE OF THOSE “JT HAPPENS TO BE GAY” TYP, BUT HE IS NOHELS GAY, SOMETHG THE FILM REMDS OF, TEXTUALLY OR SUBTEXTUALLY, JT ABOUT EVERY SCENE. (I ONLY WISH A FANTASY SEQUENCE WHICH SIMON IMAG WHAT LIFE AS AN OUT GAY GUY LLEGE WILL BE LIKE DIDN’T END WH SIMON SAYG VOICE-OVER, “WELL, MAYBE NOT THAT GAY.” WHY NOT THAT GAY? WHY NOT MORE GAY?) IT’S THRILLG AND ALMOST SURREAL TO BE GIVEN TWO HOURS OF THIS—WHOUT ANYTHG SHAD, D, OR TRAGIC— STUD PACKAGG, CYNILLY PALIST AS MAY BE. CHERISHED AS THE SPARSE APARTMENTS AND SIMPLE PHOTOGRAPHY OF SO MANY BELOVED STRAND AND TLA RELEAS ARE, GAY STUFF LOOKS GOOD ON A BIGGER BUDGET.THE FILM’S PERFORMANC ONLY ADD TO THE MOVIE’S AFFABLE SPARKLE. THOUGH I WISH HIS SIMON READ, ANKLY, A B GAYER, ROBSON IS NO DOUBT A CHARMER, A HANDSOME GUY WHO GIV A MTED, SENSIVE PERFORMANCE. THE ACTORS WHO PLAY SIMON’S IENDS, ANTAGONISTS, AND LOVE TERTS—AMONG THEM KATHERE LANGFORD, ALEXANDRA SHIPP, LOGAN MILLER, AND KEIYNAN LONSDALE (SWOON)—ALL PROVI STRONG SUPPORT, GIVG THE MOVIE’S TEEN SOCIALIZG A CREDIBLE ENERGY, EVEN IF THE KIDS ARE A LTLE MORE VOLUBLY ELOQUENT THAN THEIR REAL-LIFE UNTERPARTS. (SNAPPY DIALOGUE THAT WORKS A WTY BOOK DON’T ALWAYS WORK ON SCREEN, SOMETHG SCREENWRERS ELIZABETH BERGER AND ISAAC APTAKER ARE HIP TO ABOUT HALF THE TIME.) AND JENNIFER GARNER AND JOSH DUHAMEL ARE CUDDLY AND GENERO AS SIMON’S DOTG PARENTS, WH GARNER PARTICULAR NAILG THE MOVIE’S MOST THOUGHTFUL, WELL-ARTICULATED SCENE.STORY-WISE, THE MOVIE MOV ALONG WELL, TELLG A SURPRISGLY TRITE TALE OF CSH AND SECRET INTI. SOME OF LOVE, SIMON‘S PLOT VELOPMENTS ARE STARTLGLY DARK—CHIEF AMONG THEM A BLACKMAILG SCHEME THAT PROV DISASTRO—AND WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THE FILM TERROGATE OR NTEXTUALIZE THAT A B MORE. MUCH OF SIMON’S ONLE ROMANCE IS JT THAT: ONLE. AND IS HARD TO DRAMATIZE E-MAILG ON FILM. SO SIMON’S RELATNSHIP TO “BLUE,” HIS INTER PARAMOUR, MAY FEEL RICHER BOOK FORM. BUT MOSTLY, THE FILM DO A GRACEFUL JOB OF ILLTRATG SIMON‘S NER TURMOIL—HIS FEAR NOT OF BEG GAY, BUT OF LIFE CHANGG TOO DRASTILLY WHEN HE ANNOUNC THAT HE IS—WHILE MATAG S SPIRED, FUNNY, HUMANE AIR. IT’S A CRGE-Y MOVIE, SO BEWARE IF YOU’RE AVERSE TO THAT SORT OF THG. (I AM, AND I SURVIVED.) B-STORI WEAVE WELL WH SIMON’S MA THROUGH-LE, AND THE MOVIE ENDS WH A SENSE OF EQUY FOR EACH OF S WELL-DRAWN KIDS. (EVEN IF LANGFORD’S CHARACTER SORTA GETS THE SHAFT. OR DON’T, SO TO SPEAK.)SO, ALL OF THAT IS GOOD. I LEFT THE THEATER A LTLE JUMPY AND LIGHTHEAD, LGHG WH A IEND ABOUT HOW SILLY AND FLHED WE FELT. LOVE, SIMON’S WELL-MEANG “FALLY!” IS A HEADY THG TO WNS, S CLOSG SCEN SO HAPPY AND AFFECTNATE THAT YOU WANT TO HUG SOMEONE. (OR KISS SOMEONE!)MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORDINSI ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANDREW STT AND PL ML’S METAPHYSIL LOVE STORYBY DAVID CANFIELDOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLIT WAS A FLEETG HIGH, THOUGH. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME OM THE THEATER (O.K., MY IEND AND I HAD A UPLE OF DRKS TO LM DOWN—BUT AFTER THAT), SOMETHG HAD SOURED ME, AND THE FILM BEGAN TO TAKE ON A DARKER—OR AT LEAST MORE TROUBLED—EDGE. WHAT I’VE BEEN WRTLG WH THE PAST UPLE OF WEEKS IS HOW MUCH OF THAT IS THE FILM’S DOG, AND HOW MUCH OF IS A PRODUCT OF MY OWN STUFF. ALL THAT BAGGAGE I’D TEMPORARILY LENT TO LOVE, SIMON QUICKLY STARTED TO WEIGH ON ME AGA, EVEN FEELG A B HEAVIER THAN BEFORE.I THK HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH THE KD OF IMAGG WE GAY ADULTS ARE MA TO DO ABOUT A MOVIE LIKE THIS. “WHAT IF I’D HAD THAT WHEN I WAS A KID?” WE FD OURSELV SAYG WH AWE, WH WISTFULNS, WH MAYBE (FELY?) A PANG OF JEALOY. (AND, OF URSE, “WHAT IF I’D LIVED THAT?”) OR, AT LEAST, I DO. IT’S A BTERSWEET ACTIVY, THIS NOSTALGIA FOR A YOUTH WE WISH WE HAD, AND FOR A YOUTH WE HOPE GAY KIDS ARE HAVG NOW. BUT IS A HEALTHY ONE?OF URSE ADULTS OWE TO YOUNG PEOPLE TO TE THEM, TO PROVI FOR THEM, TO HELP CLARIFY THE EMOTNAL WORLD FOR THEM. AND, Y, A PART OF THAT DUTY MAY BE GIVG THEM A LIKABLE, SOMETIM TRATGLY UNGAY GAY TEEN EDY ABOUT A WEALTHY KID WHOSE NANCY MEYERS–IAN LIFE IS DLY DISPTED UNTIL ISN’T, AND HE’S MET WH BROAD AND UNQUTNABLY LOVG SUPPORT THROUGHOUT. JUDGG OM THE REACTN TO A RECENT TIME PIECE THAT HAD THE TEMERY TO ASK IF LOVE, SIMON’S PLEASGLY BLAND PICTN OF RELATIVELY NORMATIVE GAYNS WOULD APPEAL TO TODAY’S MORE SOCIALLY NSC TEENS (A GOOD AND FAIR QUTN WORTH ENGAGG WH BEYOND THE PIECE’S HEADLE, FOLKS), THERE SEEMS TO BE A MAND, AN EAGER ANTICIPATN FOR THIS MOVIE. SO IF LOVE, SIMON DO SOMETHG—ENTERTAS, ELAT, TRANSPORTS—FOR THOSE QUEER KIDS NEED OF , THEN ’S ALL WORTH .THERE’S STILL A PART OF ME THAT WONRS IF KIDS NOW, WH YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM OFFERG UP A PLETHORA OF GAY PEERS TO LOOK ON, ARE QUE AS STARVED FOR THIS MOVIE AS OLR GENERATNS WERE. BUT WHETHER OR NOT GEN Z-ERS FD SOMETHG NOURISHG AND OF VALUE THE MOVIE, WHAT ARE WE GAY ADULTS TO DO WH ? DO EVEN MATTER WHAT WE DO WH ?WHAT I’VE BEEN SORT OF DANCG AROUND HERE IS THIS: A FEW HOURS AFTER SEEG LOVE, SIMON, I FELT KDA PRSED. ALL THAT SWEET LONGG FOR A TEENAGEHOOD I NEVER HAD—AND A MOVIE THAT I NEVER GOT—HARNED TO A REGRET, A BTERNS. THE SAME GO, SOME WAYS, FOR CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, THOUGH THAT FILM’S MEDATIVE WHISPERS HAVE PROVEN A MORE LASTG BALM THAN LOVE, SIMON’S QUICK AND CLUMSY BURST OF POIGNANCY. I THK I MIGHT JT BE A LTLE TIRED—FOR THE MOMENT—OF THKG MELANCHOLILLY ABOUT WHAT ULD HAVE BEEN, TIRED OF TILLG THE EARTH OF MY TEENAGE YEARS AND IMBUG WH THE FANTASI, AND THEN ASSUMG THAT MEANS I’VE BEEN FULFILLED, THAT I’VE BEEN SATISFYGLY REPRENTED CEMA.MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORDINSI ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANDREW STT AND PL ML’S METAPHYSIL LOVE STORYBY DAVID CANFIELDOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLLOVE, SIMON IS NOT BEG MARKETED TO GAY ADULTS EXPRSLY, BUT PLENTY OF GAY ADULTS WILL SEE —HUNGRY FOR THIS FIRST MOVIEGOG EXPERIENCE, THE ONE LARGELY NIED TO THEM AS KIDS. WHICH IS GOOD. I HOPE THEY LOVE , AND THAT S TEND DIENCE OF TEENS LOV , AND THAT THE MOVIE MAK A BOATLOAD OF MONEY. AND I HOPE SOME OF THAT MONEY WILL THEN BE ED TO MAKE STUD MOVI ABOUT, AND FOR, GAY ADULTS, AND GAY OLD PEOPLE, AND GAY PEOPLE WHO ARE GAYER THAN NICK ROBSON, AND GAY MOVIE CRICS STARG DOWN THE BARREL OF THEIR 35TH BIRTHDAY. ALL KDS OF GAY PEOPLE!I—AND MANY OTHERS, I’M SURE—ULD BENEF OM A REMR THAT GAY LIV ARE NOT SOLELY FED BY PRIMAL DISVERY, THAT THEY EXIST LONG PAST FIRST BLH. FIRST BLH ARE GREAT, AND WE’VE BEEN BLSED WH SEVERAL GOOD FILMS ABOUT THEM RECENTLY, CLUDG LOVE, SIMON. BUT AS MUCH AS LOVE, SIMON’S WNG, IF SLIGHTLY BOWDLERIZED, G-OUT STORY IALLY MA ME YEARN FOR AN ALTERED YOUTH, ’S SCE MA ME YEARN EVEN MORE FOR STORI THAT REFLECT MY GAY LIFE TODAY, OR MY GAY LIFE AS MIGHT BE YEARS OM NOW. (AND YOUR GAY LIFE, AND YOUR GAY LIFE, AND YOUR GAY LIFE.) HERE’S HOPG FOR THOSE MOVI THE NEAR FUTURE. THK OF THIS WAY: IF THOSE FILMS GET MA NOW, THEY’LL BE THERE WAG FOR TODAY’S TEENS—SOON TO BE SMTEN WH SIMON—WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY GET OLR AND GROW HUNGRY FOR SOMETHG MORE. DO FOR THEM, HOLLYWOOD. AND FOR , TOO.RICHARD LAWSON

Wh the rporate clout of 20th Century Fox behd , Love, Simon is the first gay teen movie om a major stud. Tolerance has s mercial benefs; a gay film need no longer appeal exclively to small or specialised when Betiful Thg opened 1996, the UK age of nsent for gay men had only recently been lowered om 21 to 18 (still two years higher than the heterosexual one). Lbians and gay men were banned om servg the armed forc, the sid Sectn 28 was seven years away om beg repealed while phras like “civil partnership” and “marriage equaly” were as unfaiar then as “social media” and “trigger warng” Get Real, a Brish g-out movie that followed two years after Betiful Thg, feel-good material still had to acknowledge the possibily of vlence and homophobia.

Photograph: RONALD GRANTThe -stigmatisatn of homosexualy has removed om drama one of s olst standbys: the threat of ostracisatn and social . Audienc the 1960s uld well prehend the distrs of the barrister, played by Dirk Bogar, who is blackmailed over his sexualy Victim, jt as their 1980s unterparts appreciated the sndal of a married man wh a gay lover Makg Love.