When was the last time the sight of two men kissing on screen wasn’t greeted with either uncomfortable laughter from the audience or caterwauling rumbles of disapproval? The curtain-lowering same-sex kiss that closes Love, Simon, will leave viewers cheering. “I’m just like you,” are the first words closeted high schooler Simon (Nick Robinson) chooses to open the picture. If the film’s broader commercial strokes fall short, it’s the quieter moments between characters that allow director Greg Berlanti ample room to endue Love, Simon with its fervent charm. Still, why the filmmakers opted for a mystery framework puzzles me. The emotional payoff would have even more rewarding had the writers chosen to follow a more challenging path rather than turning it into a whodunit. As if to compensate, the decision to paint Simon as a bit of a bastard makes his character all the more human. And thank god that even in light of homophobic slurs cast, no scenes end with wagging fingers or retaliatory punches being exchanged. (2018) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.