When you think of LGBTQ+ movies, you may think of overdramatic, foreign films that you find on Netflix, but the movie "Love, Simon" is so much more than that. It is a love story that many LGBTQ+ youths can finally relate to and not have to use subtitles to watch.
"Love, Simon" tells the story of seemingly average 17-year-old Simon Spier played by Nick Robinson and his journey of coming out as gay. He starts off with sharing with the audience that he lives a pretty normal life, he has a family he loves, and friends who he is just enjoying senior year with. As seemingly great his life is, Simon is struggling with a big secret: he is gay and no one knows.
The movie follows Spier as he discovers there is another closeted student at his school on his school's student made gossip page. He reaches out to the unnamed individual except for the alias "Blue" and forms a bond over the fact that they are both gay and not out. Simon creates his own alias "Jaques," and the two discuss their processes, and he tries to figure out who "Blue" is.
Eventually, Simon ends up in a situation where a student he knows finds out about his emails and blackmails Spier unless he helps Martin win over Simon's friend Abby. To prevent anyone from finding out about him, he agrees to help Martin, but this ultimately leads to Martin outing Simon when things go wrong.
Meanwhile, Simon comes out to his family, and his parents give him a response most LGTBQ+ people would want to receive. They realized that Simon is indeed the same son they had before he came out and that him being gay does not change that at all. Simon's mom said it was like he was holding his breath all that time, and now he could finally breathe.
She says, "You get to exhale now, Simon. You get to be more you than you have been in... in a very long time. You deserve everything you want."
That, I feel, is something LGBTQ+ people can all relate to when coming out. It is like releasing one big breath that you have been miserably holding in for a long time.
When his identity is leaked, Simon avoids his friends, which makes him miserable when he sees them after returning from winter break and they are furious with him.
Simon continues on with life, and invites whoever "Blue" is to the carnival after the school musical to reveal his identity. Simon's friends decide to forgive him after seeing how he is treated at school, which is quite bad. They go to the carnival and when Simon is about to give up on whoever "Blue" is, the character reveals himself. I will save their identity, in case you want to go see the movie. They kiss and life is so much better for Simon, and I was glad it was a happy ending for him.
At the end of the movie, everyone in my theater erupted into applause and cheers when the couple kissed. It warmed my heart seeing so many people in the theater, and the fact that they were cheering for this gay couple. "Love, Simon" has paved a way for acceptance and is making a difference, by showing people that love really is love.
This movie really showed what it is like for teens struggling with this big process today, especially in high school. Yes, it all works out perfectly, in the end, that is expected in a movie, but the emotions and thoughts of Simon are real and raw. It is modern and shows what it can be like for someone who is really trying to figure out how to express who they truly are.
It should not have to be a world where we have to come out, and Simon makes a good point in questioning why only gay people have to go through the process, but in the end, we all deserve love and are still the same people at the end of the day.
So if you are struggling with coming out, I recommend this movie to you. It is a hard process, but at the end of the day, you need to be able to breathe. Do make sure you can come out in a safe environment, and remember that you are important and deserve a great love story, just like Simon, and everyone else.