Love, Simon

The revolution will not be televised but small steps are being made for inclusivity and progression on our screens. In the last few years projects as broad stylistically as Wonder Woman, Moonlight, Dear White People and Black Panther have smashed stereotypes whilst also breaking records.

Love, Simon is a film that won’t necessarily break records, won’t necessarily be an awards favourite and isn’t about a superhero. It’s a sweet, funny, immensely likeable coming-of-age high school comedy drama following in the lineage of all sorts of other high school coming-of-age comedy dramas.

There’s a key difference of course; the titular Simon, our lovelorn protagonist played fantastically by Nick Robinson, is gay and is coming to terms with quite how to tell the world that fact.

He’s quick to point out in our opening montage that he lives a privileged American life; the type we’re used to seeing in this type of film. A stable family, wide friendship group and social life are pars for the course for Simon, this is not a film asking for sympathy, it’s not a film asking for transgression or even screaming revolution.

This is its best feature and it's allied to a sharp-as-nails script and a pacey plot which doesn’t lull or deviate into extracurricular plot lines.

The cast are uniformly fantastic with Katherine Langford’s understated portrayal of best friend Leah particularly praiseworthy after her equally brilliant turn in another recent transgressive landmark: Thirteen Reasons Why.

A funny, sweet and moving coming of age film to file alongside the very best in the genre. Not a film asking for cultural significance despite its right to and a movie to celebrate.

4 stars ****