LOVE, SIMON

Cert Running time

With a welcome lesson of universal respect and an innocent tone, this warm and funny high-school comedy is a hugely enjoyable inclusive hug of love.

Nick Robinson delivers a star-making turn as the gay and closeted Simon, who is blackmailed by a fellow student. To prevent himself being outed, Simon is forced to interfere with his friends’ romances – with predictably dire consequences.

The attractive young cast brings a breezy confidence to the smart script, which goes to pains to emphasise how ordinary Simon is. Though in the US, “ordinary” involves huge houses and acne-free teens driving to school.

With all the teens struggling to establish their identities and transition to adulthood, the film is a non-judgmental take on some familiar territory. So we still have homecoming parties, public declarations of affection, drinking games and vomit. But there’s no drug use and unsurprisingly, no unintended pregnancies.