Jeri Jacquin
Coming to 4K UHD, Bluray/DVD and Digital from director Greg
Berlanti and Fox Home Entertainment is the journey he takes to LOVE, SIMON.
Simon (Nick Robinson) is a young man counting down the days
until graduation and off to college. Supported by his Dad Jack (Josh Duhamel),
Mom Emily (Jennifer Garner) and sister-chef Nora (Talitha Bateman), he actually
likes his life.
Adding to that are his lifelong friends Leah (Katherine
Langford), Nick (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) and newer lifelong friend Abby (Alexandra
Shipp), things are all good. Except one little-big thing – Simon hasn’t shared
with anyone that he is gay except for one person, an online friend he calls
Blue.
Blue has become an important part of Simon’s life because
they seem to have the ability to share anything about themselves with no
judgment or fear. Martin (Logan Miller) makes a move to upset the balance of
Simon’s life. Discovering emails between he and Blue, Martin screenshots them
to his phone and makes a deal with Simon.
Martin likes Abby and wants Simon to do the footwork to get
them together in exchange for his silence. Immediately panicked for his friend
Blue, Simon agrees. Putting the pieces into play makes him miserable knowing
these are his friends’ lives.
Then moment of teenage outburst from Martin brings the house
of fragile cards falling down. Simon is left to either hide from it all or just
clear the path of least resistance to the life they are all meant to have – one
that includes being who you really are.
He’s done keeping his story straight!
Robinson as Simon is as charming and sweet as he wants to
be. Feeling the best he can under his secretive circumstances, this young actor
gives a performance that is heartfelt, believable and endearing. That’s
important when telling this story as the pitfalls in the life of a teenager are
already demanding in this sometimes technological terror of a world we have
created. Robinson’s performance unravels that with depth and I for one appreciate
that.
Langford as Leah is also dealing with the perils of the
heart and high school. She has known Simon practically forever (as they say)
and wants only what is best for him, even if he screws up now and then. Shipp
as Abby is the outgoing new girl of their group and the first to know Simon’s
secret.
Miller as Martin is the guy who doesn’t really understand
how friendships work but clearly knows how blackmail does! This character is
the one who wants to just be part of something special but goes about it the
wrong way. Lendeborg Jr. as Nick is dealing with trying to hook up a love life
of his own and gets in the cross hairs of Simon’s inability to get away from
Martin’s scheme.
Garner as Emily is the fun Mom who sees her son has
something going on. Trying to do the ‘give him space’ thing, it all finally
makes sense to her which doesn’t stop her from being just as supportive.
Duhamel as Jack is the Dad who struggles with ‘not seeing it’ and failing as a
father for it and embraces his son as he always has.
Shout out to Rothwell as Ms. Albright as the high school
drama teacher! I swear I had the same drama teacher in Junior High so thank you
for reminding me that Ms. Spencer was the best and the side comments are
hilariously familiar.
Other cast includes: Tony Hale as Mr. Worth, Natasha
Rothwell as Ms. Albright, Miles Heizer as Cal
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings
award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital
HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own
home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have
please visit www.fox.com.
The Bluray and DVD Special Features include Deleted Scenes, The Adaptation, The Squad,
#FirstLoveStoryContestWinner, Dear Georgia ,
Dear Atlanta
LOVE, SIMON is a story definitely from the heart and if you
don’t feel every second of it then you need a chisel to get it out of its stone
casing! This is a film about teenagers doing what teenagers do – struggle to
know who they are and how to fit in. What makes this story relatable is that we
have all been there in some form if you take a second to remember.
Of course it is harder to have secrets in high school with
social media poking into every aspect of someone’s life. There isn’t a platform
where one wrong word won’t make it around the planet faster than finding out
it’s been posted. It is also a technological world where bullying has found
another platform. Simon takes the higher ground in a way that is breath taking.
This film should be shown in junior and senior high schools
as a teaching tool! Yes this is a story of a young man’s journey finding
acceptance for his secret, but it’s also clearly a story of realizing that each
of these kids has something they are afraid for anyone to know.
LOVE, SIMON is brilliantly written, the cast is stellar and
the ending is how it should be – honest, upfront and a trip to Starbucks for a
day on the road.
In the end – everyone deserves a great love story!
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