'Love, Simon' actor out as gay | SBS Voic

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• LOVE, SIMON IS A GROUNDBREAKG GAY MOVIE. BUT DO TODAY'S TEENS ACTUALLY NEED IT?
• IS NICK ROBSON GAY? 'LOVE, SIMON' ACTOR SETS THE RERD STRAIGHT!
• 'LOVE, SIMON' ACTOR OUT AS GAY
• 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 POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISIT 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 POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISLOVE, 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? DON’T LOVE, SIMON?: A DEBATE ON THE LTLE GAY MOVIE THAT COULD
• FROM PAGE TO SCREEN ‘LOVE, SIMON’ FETS IT’S A COMG OUT {GRID-ROW-START:2;GRID-LUMN-START:2;GRID-LUMN-END:3;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{GRID-LUMN-START:1;GRID-LUMN-END:2;}}{MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;MARG:0PX TO;MAX-WIDTH:640PX;Z-X:20;POSN:RELATIVE;} > DIV{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;} > DIV.SHORT-LEFT{FLOAT:LEFT;} > DIV.SHORT-RIGHT{FLOAT:RIGHT;} > DIV.SHORT-SMALL{MAX-WIDTH:200PX;} > DIV.SHORT-MEDIUM{MAX-WIDTH:400PX;} > DIV.SHORT-LARGE{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;} > DIV.SHORT-XLARGE{MAX-WIDTH:1000PX;} > DIV.SHORT-FULLSCREEN{PADDG:0PX;}{WIDTH:100%;}{MAX-WIDTH:1000PX;MARG:5PX 0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;LOR:#777;FONT-SIZE:15PX;}{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;MARG-BOTTOM:5PX;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;} IMG{PADDG-RIGHT:7PX;}BY {LOR:#BA0600;}MASON P. 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THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA” BY BECKY ALBERTALLI. BOTH THE BOOK AND THE FILM FOLLOW THE LIFE OF SIMON (NICK ROBSON), YOUR AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL STUNT, AS HE NAVIGAT G OUT AS GAY AND FALLG LOVE WH HIS MYSTER EMAIL PEN-PAL, BLUE. THEN, THE TWO VERSNS DIVERGE. WHEREAS, “SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA,” SIMON LEARNS TO ACCEPT HIMSELF WH HIS NEWLY REALIZED SEXUALY, “LOVE, SIMON,” SIMON LEARNS TO ACCEPT HIMSELF SPE HIS SEXUALY. THIS KEY DIFFERENCE MSAGE MAK THE MOVIE, EAGERLY ANTICIPATED BY DIENC AS AN THENTIC G OUT STORY, EMPHASIZE THE PERSONAL SELF-ACCEPTANCE THAT IS NECSARY FOR A STORY OF THIS KD.IN THE MOVIE, SIMON HAS REACTNS RANGG OM DISFORT TO OUTRIGHT HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA. DURG A HALLOWEEN PARTY, SIMON RIDICUL THE “FRDIAN SLIP” STUME OF HIS IEND, MART (LOGAN MILLER), SAYG HE LOOKS LIKE “A DRAG QUEEN ROLLED AROUND MAG POETRY.” SIMON N’T EVEN HANDLE DANCG LOR-BLOCK OUTFS TO WHNEY HOTON’S “I WANNA DANCE WH SOMEBODY” BEE, AS HE SAYS, HE’S “MAYBE NOT THAT GAY.” SIMON’S AVERSN TO FLAMBOYANCE IS A REFLECTN OF A GREATER TERNAL SIRE TO EMBRACE HIS ALL-HOODIE WARDROBE AND BE MORE STRAIGHT-ACTG, AND THIS SIRE NEVER CHANG NOR IS OPENLY ADDRSED. WHEN SIMON’S IEND, LEAH (KATHERE LANGFORD), TELLS HIM THAT SHE’S “KILLG OFF HETERO SIMON HER MD,” HE IMMEDIATELY OBJECTS. EVER AFTER G OUT, SIMON IS STILL AAID THAT PEOPLE’S OPNS ABOUT HIM WILL CHANGE. HE BE OBSSED WH ACTG STRAIGHT AND REJECTS HOMOPHOBIC STEREOTYP. HOWEVER, THE LENGTHS SIMON GO TO ORR TO FE HIMSELF BY WHAT HE IS NOT (“I’M GAY, BUT I’M NOT…”) SUGGTS THAT BEG GAY IS AN IMPOSED INTY RATHER THAN SOMETHG THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF HIM. TH, SIMON’S EFFORTS TO APPEAL TO THE IA OF “NORMALY” SOCIETY MAKE THE SOURCE MATERIAL’S ORIGAL MSAGE OBSOLETE.IN “LOVE, SIMON,” ACCEPTANCE OF SIMON’S HOMOSEXUALY OM EXTERNAL FACTORS, RATHER THAN OM SIMON HIMSELF. IN SOME SCEN, THIS ALLYSHIP AND SUPPORT IS PERFECTLY BALANCED. SIMON’S MOTHER (JENNIFER GARNER) GIV A TEAR-JERKG SPEECH ABOUT SIMON FALLY HAVG THE CHANCE TO FULLY BREATHE AND AFFIRMS THAT SIMON IS STILL SIMON, JT AS HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN. THE PURY OF GARNER’S PERFORMANCE HER ROLE AND GREAT SCRIPT THIS SCENE MAKE THE SPEECH STAND OUT AS SOMETHG EP, PERSONAL, AND THENTIC. THE FILM VEERS OM THE PERSONAL JOURNEY THAT IS SO CENTRAL TO SIMON’S STORY THE BOOK.THERE ARE TIM THE MOVIE WHEN ALLYSHIP IS OVERBEARG AND TAK THE SPOTLIGHT AWAY OM THE MA CHARACTER A SELF-NGRATULATORY MANNER. THE NTRASTG WAYS THE FILM AND MOVIE RPECTIVELY PICT THE FERRIS WHEEL SCENE EXEMPLIFY THIS DIFFERENCE. IN THE BOOK, THE FERRIS WHEEL IS THE SE FOR SIMON AND BLUE’S PRIVATE RENZVO. HERE, THEY ARE ABLE TO MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME PRIVATE, WHOUT SOCIAL PRSUR. IN THE MOVIE, THIS PRIVACY EVAPORAT. AFTER PUBLICLY LLG ON BLUE TO MEET AND REVEAL HIMSELF ON THE FERRIS WHEEL, SIMON RIS THE WHEEL AROUND AND AROUND WHILE THE ENTIRE STUNT BODY WATCH HIM ANTICIPATN FOR BLUE’S REVEAL AND BURST TO APPLSE WHEN HE AND SIMON MEET AND KISS. WHILE A GREAT DISPLAY OF ALLYSHIP, DISTRACTS OM THE CHARACTER VELOPMENT OF BLUE AND SIMON, RCG THEIR G OUT TO A SELF-NGRATULATORY PUBLICY STATEMENT ABOUT THE OPENNS OF THE MUNY RATHER THAN AN EMOTNAL CLIMAX OF SIMON AND BLUE’S G OUT AND SELF-ACCEPTANCE.EXCEMENT FOR “LOVE, SIMON” WAS HIGH THE BGLTQ MUNY. RIDG HIGH ON THE SUCCS OF MORE DIVERSE FILMS, “LOVE, SIMON” MARKETED SELF AS PART OF THIS MOVEMENT. ITS DISTCT FEEL-GOOD, YOUNG ADULT FEEL DIFFERS SHARPLY OM THE DISPROPORTNATE NUMBER OF MOVI THAT FOC ON STGGLE, PA, LOSS, AND ATH THE BGLTQ NNON. ITS GENERAL ROMANTIC EDY-QUE LIGHTHEARTEDNS IS PERHAPS SYMBOLIC OF THE CHANGG TIM MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD WHERE BEG BGLTQ HAS PERHAPS BEE SOMEWHAT EASIER THAN THE PAST BEE OF A MORE TOLERANT SOCIETY. THERE IS A NEW GENERATN WHO BELIEV, AS SIMON THE MOVIE SAYS, “EVERYONE SERV A GOOD LOVE STORY.” BUT WHILE THE MOVIE POTS OUT THE NEED, DO NOT ACT AS A REMEDY. UNLIKE “SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA,” WHICH IS AN THENTIC TALE OF A YOUNG BOY’S PERSONAL TRANSFORMATN G OUT AS A GAY MAN, “LOVE, SIMON” FOC TOO MUCH ON BEG ACCEPTED BY SOCIETY RATHER THAN ON {FONT-SIZE:16.5PX;LE-HEIGHT:26PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;MARG:1EM TO;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}WANT TO KEEP UP WH BREAKG NEWS? 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• GAY THERAPIST DISCS “LOVE, SIMON” OM A GAY MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE
• A GAY MAN’S TAKE ON LOVE, SIMON

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

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? This year’s Osr wner for bt movie, The Shape of Water, portrayed a sympathetic olr gay iend (played by Richard Jenks) who is gentle, effemate, and of urse, sad — an archetype that has domated Amerin cema sce Sal Meo’s Plato Rebel Whout a Cse. In this file photo, a member of the gay muny wearg a swastika and a sign statg ‘Fascism is alive and well and breedg Toronto’ walks past a police officer as he leav a police missn hearg, Toronto, Ont., Feb.

But as cril theorist David Halper remds , si the morn associatn of homosexualy wh femy we n see “the force wh which earlier pre-homosexual sexual tegori ntue to exert their thory.

Ethan was a great addn bee you also get that amazg scene where ’s two gay guys stg next to each other who uld not be more different and ’s a remr that Simon is jt one particular story of g out, and this movie is jt one particular movie about . Aptaker: In the moment where Tony Hale (who plays the vice prcipal) discipl the two jerks, he jumps straight to assumg Simon and Ethan mt be boyiends bee they’re the only two out gay guys at this school.

IS NICK ROBSON GAY? 'LOVE, SIMON' ACTOR SETS THE RERD STRAIGHT!

)Ben Rothste/20th Century FoxAnd there is somethg to be said for isolatg Simon’s sexualy as his sole pot of difference, to highlight the trials of g out when beg gay is somethg one n believably hi. Even Simon’s ternalized homophobia, as evinced by his attu toward Ethan, will be relatable to anyone who’s supprsed some part of their inty they were tght to believe is ls than. When Simon imag how much more fortable he’ll feel beg gay llege, a fantasy sequence set to Whney Hoton’s “I Wanna Dance Wh Somebody” fds his dorm room walls plastered wh gay ins om Whney to Audrey Hepburn, and a swarm of classmat cked pri flag lors dancg their way onto the quad wh Simon reluctantly tow.

It's difficult to talk about Keiynan Lonsdale's pivotal scene Love, Simon whout spoilg the movie's most lightful surprise, but 's helpful to know that performg also changed Lonsdale's the film, Lonsdale — bt known as Wally Wt, aka Kid Flash, on CW's The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow — plays Bram, one of three possible love terts for Simon Spier (Nick Robson), a closeted gay teenager who stumbl to an anonymo onle flirtatn wh another closeted gay teen he knows only as Blue. 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.

'LOVE, SIMON' ACTOR OUT AS GAY

Cherished as the sparse apartments and simple photography of so many beloved Strand and TLA releas are, gay stuff looks good on a bigger film’s performanc only add to the movie’s affable sparkle. 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.

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 POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISIT 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 POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISLOVE, 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

After all, there have been dozens of medcre stud films about straight teen romanc over the s; says somethg about the directn of the film dtry to fally see one centered on a young gay man. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Love, Simon is centered on Simon’s last year high school, as he and his photogenic pals (all played by terrific up-and-g actors their 20s) navigate var romantic wo. Much of Love, Simon’s overarchg plot is dited to unravelg this mystery, as Simon pours his heart out onle to someone whose real name he don’t even ’s the bt part of the film—the dramatizatn of a search for muny and the isolatn that many gay teenagers n experience even if they live relatively supportive environments.

As Simon himself acknowledg voice-over, his parents and iends are warm-hearted liberals who will accept him for who he is, even if they ocsnally tell dly tastels gay jok that make him wce.

I’m happy to see a major-stud teen film wrtle wh homosexualy and life the closet as more than a il subplot, even though I wish there had been a more engagg character to build that progrs around. Bram realiz that Victor is feelg overwhelmed by the experience, wh him emg "too gay" and cis to take him to a basketball league, where they play, Bram then reveals that is a gay league, he wanted Victor to see that there is no one way to be gay. He knows pecially his parents would be all right wh his homosexual orientatn, spe Jack's often polilly rrect jok, and that most of the stunts accept Ethan, their one and only openly gay classmate, but Simon has failed to e out for var reasons, mostly havg to do wh the change that would occur what he has known as his life.

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

Simon is upset but also isn't ready for everyone to know he's gay, so he reluctantly go along wh lunch, Simon's iend Bram (Keiynan Lonsdale) v everyone to his hoe for a Halloween party. Leah also adms to Simon that she was love wh him and would have been fe wh him beg gay, but she is still mad about the returng to school, the other stunts all gawk at Simon after what happened. Simon talks to Ethan, who says that although he is open and nfint about his homosexualy, isn't at all easy for him, and his mother still pretends for the rt of his fay that he is straight.

Afterwards, Simon is gog home when he is approached by Mart, who is very apologetic, but Simon tells him to fuck talks to his mom, who has no problem wh him beg gay and says he should be ee to be himself.

There are plenty of gay and queer romantic edi and LGBTQ+ movi that are romantic, light-hearted, pellg, and edic, like Love, Simon, Bros, and Happit SeasonLove, Simon gaed a lot of attentn and buzz durg s 2018 release, maly bee was one of the first mastream gay romantic edi. Helmed to be one of this generatn's homage to John Hugh (well-curated soundtrack, romantic edy a high school settg), we're not exaggeratg when we say this is the movie we need when my generatn was growg the day, I remember there was only one gay character on mastream media: Jack McPhee om Dawson's Creek, a football player origally brought to play a love triangle wh Dawson and Joey. For a show that was all about gossip and sndals, surprisgly enough relegated Matt the background as the token gay character, way before the term was even forward to today and we have Love, Simon, a g-of-age movie about Simon Spier, who is gay but is unable to e out for fear of beg bullied and ridiculed and ends up exchangg anonymo msag wh the other gay person his school hidg unr the name Blue.

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THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA” BY BECKY ALBERTALLI. BOTH THE BOOK AND THE FILM FOLLOW THE LIFE OF SIMON (NICK ROBSON), YOUR AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL STUNT, AS HE NAVIGAT G OUT AS GAY AND FALLG LOVE WH HIS MYSTER EMAIL PEN-PAL, BLUE. THEN, THE TWO VERSNS DIVERGE. WHEREAS, “SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA,” SIMON LEARNS TO ACCEPT HIMSELF WH HIS NEWLY REALIZED SEXUALY, “LOVE, SIMON,” SIMON LEARNS TO ACCEPT HIMSELF SPE HIS SEXUALY. THIS KEY DIFFERENCE MSAGE MAK THE MOVIE, EAGERLY ANTICIPATED BY DIENC AS AN THENTIC G OUT STORY, EMPHASIZE THE PERSONAL SELF-ACCEPTANCE THAT IS NECSARY FOR A STORY OF THIS KD.IN THE MOVIE, SIMON HAS REACTNS RANGG OM DISFORT TO OUTRIGHT HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA. DURG A HALLOWEEN PARTY, SIMON RIDICUL THE “FRDIAN SLIP” STUME OF HIS IEND, MART (LOGAN MILLER), SAYG HE LOOKS LIKE “A DRAG QUEEN ROLLED AROUND MAG POETRY.” SIMON N’T EVEN HANDLE DANCG LOR-BLOCK OUTFS TO WHNEY HOTON’S “I WANNA DANCE WH SOMEBODY” BEE, AS HE SAYS, HE’S “MAYBE NOT THAT GAY.” SIMON’S AVERSN TO FLAMBOYANCE IS A REFLECTN OF A GREATER TERNAL SIRE TO EMBRACE HIS ALL-HOODIE WARDROBE AND BE MORE STRAIGHT-ACTG, AND THIS SIRE NEVER CHANG NOR IS OPENLY ADDRSED. WHEN SIMON’S IEND, LEAH (KATHERE LANGFORD), TELLS HIM THAT SHE’S “KILLG OFF HETERO SIMON HER MD,” HE IMMEDIATELY OBJECTS. EVER AFTER G OUT, SIMON IS STILL AAID THAT PEOPLE’S OPNS ABOUT HIM WILL CHANGE. HE BE OBSSED WH ACTG STRAIGHT AND REJECTS HOMOPHOBIC STEREOTYP. HOWEVER, THE LENGTHS SIMON GO TO ORR TO FE HIMSELF BY WHAT HE IS NOT (“I’M GAY, BUT I’M NOT…”) SUGGTS THAT BEG GAY IS AN IMPOSED INTY RATHER THAN SOMETHG THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF HIM. TH, SIMON’S EFFORTS TO APPEAL TO THE IA OF “NORMALY” SOCIETY MAKE THE SOURCE MATERIAL’S ORIGAL MSAGE OBSOLETE.IN “LOVE, SIMON,” ACCEPTANCE OF SIMON’S HOMOSEXUALY OM EXTERNAL FACTORS, RATHER THAN OM SIMON HIMSELF. IN SOME SCEN, THIS ALLYSHIP AND SUPPORT IS PERFECTLY BALANCED. SIMON’S MOTHER (JENNIFER GARNER) GIV A TEAR-JERKG SPEECH ABOUT SIMON FALLY HAVG THE CHANCE TO FULLY BREATHE AND AFFIRMS THAT SIMON IS STILL SIMON, JT AS HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN. THE PURY OF GARNER’S PERFORMANCE HER ROLE AND GREAT SCRIPT THIS SCENE MAKE THE SPEECH STAND OUT AS SOMETHG EP, PERSONAL, AND THENTIC. THE FILM VEERS OM THE PERSONAL JOURNEY THAT IS SO CENTRAL TO SIMON’S STORY THE BOOK.THERE ARE TIM THE MOVIE WHEN ALLYSHIP IS OVERBEARG AND TAK THE SPOTLIGHT AWAY OM THE MA CHARACTER A SELF-NGRATULATORY MANNER. THE NTRASTG WAYS THE FILM AND MOVIE RPECTIVELY PICT THE FERRIS WHEEL SCENE EXEMPLIFY THIS DIFFERENCE. IN THE BOOK, THE FERRIS WHEEL IS THE SE FOR SIMON AND BLUE’S PRIVATE RENZVO. HERE, THEY ARE ABLE TO MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME PRIVATE, WHOUT SOCIAL PRSUR. IN THE MOVIE, THIS PRIVACY EVAPORAT. AFTER PUBLICLY LLG ON BLUE TO MEET AND REVEAL HIMSELF ON THE FERRIS WHEEL, SIMON RIS THE WHEEL AROUND AND AROUND WHILE THE ENTIRE STUNT BODY WATCH HIM ANTICIPATN FOR BLUE’S REVEAL AND BURST TO APPLSE WHEN HE AND SIMON MEET AND KISS. WHILE A GREAT DISPLAY OF ALLYSHIP, DISTRACTS OM THE CHARACTER VELOPMENT OF BLUE AND SIMON, RCG THEIR G OUT TO A SELF-NGRATULATORY PUBLICY STATEMENT ABOUT THE OPENNS OF THE MUNY RATHER THAN AN EMOTNAL CLIMAX OF SIMON AND BLUE’S G OUT AND SELF-ACCEPTANCE.EXCEMENT FOR “LOVE, SIMON” WAS HIGH THE BGLTQ MUNY. RIDG HIGH ON THE SUCCS OF MORE DIVERSE FILMS, “LOVE, SIMON” MARKETED SELF AS PART OF THIS MOVEMENT. ITS DISTCT FEEL-GOOD, YOUNG ADULT FEEL DIFFERS SHARPLY OM THE DISPROPORTNATE NUMBER OF MOVI THAT FOC ON STGGLE, PA, LOSS, AND ATH THE BGLTQ NNON. ITS GENERAL ROMANTIC EDY-QUE LIGHTHEARTEDNS IS PERHAPS SYMBOLIC OF THE CHANGG TIM MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD WHERE BEG BGLTQ HAS PERHAPS BEE SOMEWHAT EASIER THAN THE PAST BEE OF A MORE TOLERANT SOCIETY. THERE IS A NEW GENERATN WHO BELIEV, AS SIMON THE MOVIE SAYS, “EVERYONE SERV A GOOD LOVE STORY.” BUT WHILE THE MOVIE POTS OUT THE NEED, DO NOT ACT AS A REMEDY. UNLIKE “SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA,” WHICH IS AN THENTIC TALE OF A YOUNG BOY’S PERSONAL TRANSFORMATN G OUT AS A GAY MAN, “LOVE, SIMON” FOC TOO MUCH ON BEG ACCEPTED BY SOCIETY RATHER THAN ON {FONT-SIZE:16.5PX;LE-HEIGHT:26PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;MARG:1EM TO;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}WANT TO KEEP UP WH BREAKG NEWS? 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My pot is, I thk this movie is important, and when they bee old enough, I want them to see Love, Simon, not as a "gay" movie", but jt another romantic edy that happens to have a ma character who is gay and is tryg to fd himself.

GAY THERAPIST DISCS “LOVE, SIMON” OM A GAY MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

And they're only there to be the "homophobic anchors" and pull off one really obnox scene where the kd and unrstandg Drama teacher (of urse was the Drama teacher) roasts them ont of the whole school. A gay g-out movie that is lgh-out-loud funny wh a charm factor that go all the way up to eleven, a star-makg performance om s young lead and a great song sre; y, n only be "Love, Simon", the feelgood movie of the current season and a light for all but the most vilent of on a YA novel tells the tale of Simon, (a terrific Nick Robson), a typil sweet-natured high-school jock whose secret is he's gay and who falls love wh another boy, who signs himself 'Blue', onle. Love, Simon is Hollywood's first attempt at a wi release gay film, and gog to the film I was expectg somethg along the l of a gay rom, stead I got a watered down and unrealistic portrayal of g out and the gay experience general, which left me wonrg how many LGBT people were behd the mera, and ankly ont of .

Simon Spear (Nick Robson), our protagonist has an admtedly perfect life, and jt happens to be gay, which he has kept a secret his whole life, and no one, cludg his dotg liberal fay or open-md iends he's known sce childhood have spected anythg at all. Right there I felt I was beg asked to spend my disbelief jt a ltle b too far, I would gus that a fay like Simon's, pecially his mother who is seen makg a sign that says down wh the heteropatriarchy would have at least had a talk wh her kids once or twice about homosexualy and how she wouldn't love her children any ls if they happened to be gay. My next issue wh Love, Simon is exemplified by the high school meet Ethan (Clark Moore) the only out gay at Simon's school who is black, gay and feme, and plays a relatively signifint role the film overall.

A GAY MAN’S TAKE ON LOVE, SIMON

Seemgly, Simon's entire school, cludg iend group have turned agast him after his outg for var reasons and he manag to change their mds by postg a msage on a popular school gossip se, which is ed by every stunt the school, or so they would like you to believe, and the fale scene on the ferri wheel mt have taken place a pletely alternate universe bee there's no way a big school like Simon's would re so much about two gay people meetg up public. The movie giv one gay kiss at the end, which is probably ten ls than the average rom or teen edy, but bee 's a gay movie they n probably only get away wh one and still keep PG-13.

Also, the scene where Simon is fantasizg about beg gay and llege is borrle homophobic and is there basilly to show the dience that Simon is gay, but not that gay, a msage that is sultg to the gay rights movement and everyone who fought to make movi like this possible.

He's also sperately tryg to disver the inty of an anonymo gay classmate that he's fallen for, and al wh another classmate who's tryg to blackmail him (by threateng to expose his homosexualy). Simon has to al wh all of this, as well as his creasgly plex feelgs about who he is and his relatnships wh others film seems to be an sightful story about what 's like to be a closeted gay teenager, while also remag funny and amg throughout. Not bee I'm gay (bee I'm not), but bee I n relate to beg someone who feels extremely different, and aaid to show who they really are, bee they know society won't accept them for .

Also at flt is the lead actor, who don't e across as gay at all and n't seem to fd the 17 year old gay character anymore than any Disney actor his mid 20s should be expected to. average, pla, borg, medcre whe male Simon has only 3 charateristics that stop him om gettg the "most borg character ever" award: He's gay, a ward, and is surround by the extremely supportive and lovg iends and fay.