We’ve seen it before. A teen in high school lives in the burbs, has a core group of like-minded friends, goes to football games, attends musical practice and passes notes. Somewhere in that muddled mess of hormones, the teenager in high school finds love.

     This storyline floats to the surface time and time again. Some of our most beloved movies revel in this similar plot: “Grease,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Clueless,” “Sixteen Candles” and yes, even “High School Musical.”

     Yet, “Love, Simon” retells this idea of high school love in a different manner: a story that is long overdue.

     This Greg Berlanti-directed flick follows the story of Simon Spier (Nick Robinson, “Jurassic World”), a high school boy hiding his sexuality from his friends, family and the entire school.

     One of Simon’s classmates uncovers his hidden gayness and then blackmails him, forcing Simon to help him go out with one of Simon’s girlfriends.

     All the while, the audience learns that Simon is corresponding with another closeted teenage boy who goes by the pen name “Blue.”

     Simon meets his unknown pen pal from a gossip website that the high school students use to dish all of their salacious rumors. The webpage in its majority is filled with unsigned student confessions.  

     This is where things get juicy. Simon begins to fall in love with this mystery emailer.
The duration of the film consists of Simon maneuvering his way through school, friends and family. All the while, he attempts to uncover the identity of his electronic-mail lover and prevent his sexuality from being exposed.

     Simon’s best friend, Leah, is portrayed by Katherine Langford. Langford was most recently applauded for her performance in the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.”
Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel play Simon’s lovable parents.

      This cinematic experience is unlike any other in the way that the audience experiences twenty-first century love. The characters are seen Facetiming, iMessaging, emailing, and listening to tunes through their aux cord rather than holding up boomboxes outside someone’s window.
Falling in love in a 2018 world is different, but no less engaging.

     The movie portrays how young adults today are experiencing romance, not only with its depiction of modern culture, but with its openness to gay love.

     The film was produced by the same producers of “The Fault in Our Stars,” a movie that also pulled at viewer’s collective heartstrings. Knowing that the same crew produced this movie, it’s easy to see why this story is just as heartwarming.

     Ultimately, “Love, Simon” is the movie we have all been waiting for. With this book-based film, you will laugh, cry and fall in love with its suberb cast of coming-of-age characters.

     “Everyone deserves a great love story,” the tagline goes. Now, we’ve got a great movie to go with it.
 

“Love, Simon” is based on Becky Albertalli’s novel “Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda.”