Love, Simon

It's been awhile since a romantic comedy felt refreshing and important. Love, Simon manages to hit all the familiar notes, but doesn't feel stale or a retread. You'll find yourself invested in the characters, the side characters, the mystery and the drama. Teen comedies these days are either vulgar or about terminally ill teens who find love. If you've seen one, then you've seen them all. While at first Love, Simon feels like it will follow suit the final result feels like so much more.

Our main character, Simon, is your typical kid. He has friends, he's semi-popular and comes from a good family. The only problem is he feels alone because he's gay. A popular site where people post their dirty little secrets pops up and Simon sees that someone comes out as gay, but stays hidden behind an internet handle. He immediately feels connected to this anonymous person and tries to find out who he is.

The film has a warmth to it and strays away from the typical Hollywood gay character stereotype we always see in Rom-Coms. Instead we get a look inside the life of a kid who wants to feel like he belongs. The film is well acted and written, the believability in their relationships on the screen help elevate the film above the usual fare. I hope that this film is remembered years from now, it clearly stands apart from what other teenage romantic comedies are putting out these days.

See Love, Simon and skip stuff like The Kissing Booth.