"Love, Simon" - 2018 Film

http://threepanelmusicals.blogspot.com/2018/03/love-simon.html

---

Saw it last night and loved it. It wasn't that I thought it was anything new or revelatory in its story telling. Being a gay man, the story was completely familiar and predictable to me. What made me love it so was the familiarity and normalcy it was treated with. It was just like all the wonderful, yet formulaic coming-of-age movies I grew up watching (Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, etc) except that it was about me this time.

There were a few things that surprised me about the audience as well. It was a full house which surprised me for a gay themed movie. And I don't think there were more than 10% gay people there (though obviously that's an assumption) It seemed like mostly straight couples of all ages, families with teens and groups of teen girls. You know, your normal average movie audience. And no one giggled when the two boys kissed or sn*ed at the word fag. And everyone applauded at the end. I heard one mom exclaim, "Oh, that was cute!'

I think it was like a balm on my heart to see that us radical gays with our radical agenda have managed to do what we set out to, we normalized gay. And now a young gay person can finally see themselves on the screen in the way that I never could when I was young. And that will go a long way in helping that, potentially struggling, young person see that they are not an oddity, an outsider to the mainstream.

---

Haven't seen the film yet...and at first I was a little...roll my eyes at it. At the lateness of it, it's 2018 for crying out loud.

It seemed safe and easy. But then I realized, maybe in my very liberal, very Massachusetts town, I've forgotten how hard this still is in many communities. Then I saw the clip of his coming out to his dad (!), and as I considered representation, I let go of my oh so cynical side.

Looking forward to catching this next weekend.

---

I'm glad a mainstream movie like this is being released to success, but the fact that a gay actor isn't playing the lead sticks in my craw.

---

At least two other actors in the film are out as well.

I appreciate the perspective that the already-out student brought to the film. I'd have liked to have heard more from him but the plot didn't have room for it. He wasn't in the novel but made a smart addition to the screenplay.

---

Had high hopes for this film, but seriously considered walking out after the first half hour-- it was as if the voice of WILL AND GRACE was coming out of the mouth of every man, woman and child onscreen. Insufferably sitcom-y to a fault. Why was the one out guy at school so flamingly styled by wardrobe and hair? Why was the vice principle so obnoxiously pervy? What world of real high school could these people possibly live in?



But then... but then... Something miraculous happened 1/3 of the way into the film. I started to really care deeply about the love story at its center. The schticky dialogue eased up and the genuine pain of coming out to one's parents rang true. The speech the Dad delivered by the garage brought out honest tears which stayed on my face all the way through the wish-fulfillment finale. Maybe in 2018 we really DO still need a movie like LOVE, SIMON.

If you want to catch another decent coming out film, try the Canadian movie Closet Monster.

---