“Love, Simon” premiered on February 27 at the Mardi Gras Film Festival and was released in the United States on March 16, 2018. The film made $4.6 million on its first day and has continued going strong ever since. This romantic comedy-drama film is based on the young adult novel, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” by Becky Albertalli.”

“Love, Simon” is directed by Greg Berlanti, who previously directed two other romantic-comedy films. The movie features Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Logan Miller, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jennifer Garner, and Josh Duhamel.    

The film follows 17-year-old Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) whose life is just like yours, except he has one big secret: he’s gay. When someone threatens to out Simon, he struggles to keep his secret and is forced to come to terms with his new identity. All the while, Simon is communicating anonymously with another closeted gay kid at his school, who goes by “Blue.”

On a scale of five stars, “Love, Simon” receives a four out of five. The one star reduction comes from the many cliches throughout the film. The movie shows Simon fall in love, get his heart broken, and eventually get his happy ending. One of the only parts of “Love, Simon” that is not part of a cliche high school romance is the guessing game Simon goes through trying to figure out Blue’s identity.

One highlight of “Love, Simon” is its relatable characters. Simon starts off the movie by saying, “For the most part, my life is totally normal. I have a family I actually like. And there’s my friends; we do everything friends do: we drink way too much iced coffee while gorging on carbs.” These characters are quite relatable for high school and college students. I think almost every teenager and young adult can relate to Simon in this way.

There are many other moments throughout the movie that teenagers and young adults can relate to. “Love, Simon” is especially relatable for young members of the LGBTQIA+ community. It has been praised for being “accessible and inclusive.” Other critics have called it “heartwarming and light;” some have gone as far to say it will be a classic for our generation.

Another highlight of “Love, Simon” is its soundtrack. The indie soundtrack predominantly features songs by The Bleachers, but includes some from Amy Shark, Troye Sivan, and other artists. Some of the most popular songs on the soundtrack are “Wild Hearts,” “Alfie’s Song,” and “Love Lies.” The music is an important part of the movie. It helps viewers understand what Simon is going through and feeling at the moment.

Overall, “Love, Simon” is an amazing movie for people who enjoy watching cute high school romances.