Love, Simon MOVIE TALK

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Love, Simon is based off Becky Albertalli's book Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and while everyone went crazy for that book and loved it so much... I liked it but thought it was pretty 'meh'. And, so while everyone loves this movie and thinks it's great.... I liked it but thought it was 'meh'.
I understand that the story has great significance to our society and the representation is brilliant but I think it just lacks with the general storyline. The plot is basic and cliché (blackmail over online secret identities... yawn) and the characters aren't fleshed out enough- they're not complex and are very close to be cardboard cutout characters. (Please don't hate me).
I'd say it was pretty faithful to the book but there were one or two major difference that didn't sit well with me. But, generally, it was pretty spot on.
Nevertheless, it was an easy going and entertaining movie that I liked. Am I crazy over it? No, but it was still a nice movie to watch.
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Book Talk

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I liked the casting for all the characters which is unusual. I was sceptical going in of Nick Robinson because he's become 'YA guy' in my head because of all the YA movies he's been in. However, I think Simon was his best role yet and he played him really well.
I'm really happy they stuck with the whole Martin-blackmailing-Simon-to-help-him-flirt-with-Abby thing. I think it worked really well and Martin was portrayed perfectly- he was exactly the annoying and stuck-up guy in the book.

We had Simon begin an online relationship with Blue which was really sweet to watch and I really liked how they kept changing Blue's appearance according to who Simon thought it was at that time. Obviously, having read the book, I knew it was Bram but even I doubted myself a few times, wondering if the writers had changed it, because they threw you off multiple times which was nice. And I also loved the moment at the end when Martin shows up and says he's Blue just so Simon doesn't get embarrassed and stood up. There was a momentary gasp in the cinema and laughs after realising he was kidding- it was a great scene.

Simon's friends were cool but there were just as one-dimensional as the books really. They tried to delve into some backgrounds- mainly focusing on Abby's home situation with her parents- but it kind of fell flat and didn't make much of an impact to her character or the plot. I did like how Simon told Abby he was gay first- just like the book. For some reason, I thought they might've changed this scene in the movie but it was exactly the same- him telling her in the car, confiding in her because he didn't know her as well as the others. I appreciated this.
What I did not appreciate was Leah. I think the actress is great and whatnot but... in the book, she loves Nick! But, for the movie's sake, they just had to completely re-write her character and turn her into the cliché girl who has feelings for her gay best friend. I hated that they changed it so much- it didn't do her character justice.

There was another strange trope that I'm very uncertain of in YA fiction and I honestly can't understand it. Why does every YA movie set in a school have an eccentric and quirky teacher? It reminds me of the teachers in the DUFF but the principal in this film was so weird!! It's just a random and strange trope that seems to be cropping up for some bizarre reason. Although, I did love when he started wearing a gay pride flag after Simon was outed- such a nice small detail of support.
We have the big climactic scene where Simon is outed and his friends turn against him for manipulating their relationships and this is the part where apparently most people cry. But, because I'm an emotionally stunted robot, I didn't even bat an eyelid. It just didn't have much of an emotional impact on me...
I did love a very specific shot, though, and this is where you all sigh and roll your eyes at my over-analysing and media brain. At the very beginning when Simon and his friends are driving to school, they pick up coffees and there's a nice birds-eye shot of their four drinks. When Simon is later dissed and abandoned by his friends, he goes into school on his own and we see the same birds-eye shot but with a single cup, all lonely and sad. And then, by the end, we have a similar scene, now with Bram joining in as well, and the same birds-eye shot is used, this time with five cups.... I just loved the subtle symbolism of it all.

We have a classic happy ending with Bram and Simon ending up together and, damn, they make a super cute couple. However, I am a little bitter about how Leah had to give up the front seat of the car and sit in the back just because Bram tags along now. Just because Simon and Bram are dating doesn't mean Leah should be pushed aside and put in the backseat!! That's the number one sign that Simon's the type of guy who will ditch his friends for a romantic love interest. Not cool.

Overall it was an entertaining movie but just lacked any depth and emotional impact for me personally. Just like the book.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment your thoughts. Stay amazing!
Chloe