Love, Simon

From the outside, high school looks like a breeze for Simon Spier, a senior who has it all: a loving family, good looks, and awesome friends, whom he picks up in his Subaru Outback every morning before classes begin. As they order their traditional iced coffees and set foot on their spacious high school campus, an idyllic scene unfolds. The overprotective Vice Principal strides through the halls, interacting in a friendly, somewhat annoying way with the students, often confiscating their cell phones while he’s at it. Cell phones, he reminds them, are not permitted to be used in the halls. This doesn’t seem to faze Simon, who always remains cool-headed, with his three best pals by his side.

As picture-perfect as Simon’s life seems to be, there is one small problem: he has a humongous secret. Not even his best friend of thirteen years, nor his ever-nurturing parents, knows the dilemma that weighs so heavily on his heart. Simon is Gay, and says he has known this ever since he was thirteen years old. He’s not ready to “come out” to anyone yet, and doesn’t know when he ever will be. His world is too perfect, too wonderful to allow for such an announcement. Then, when another kid from school anonymously posts on a social media Web site about his own homosexual orientation, Simon decides to reach out to him (also anonymously), and the two form a bond unlike any other. Still, this isn’t enough to compel Simon to reveal his secret to anyone in his “real life.” But when a misfit kid with bad motives stumbles upon his e-mails, all bets may be off…

Positives

Simon’s parents, portrayed by Josh Duhamel and Jennifer Garner, are very loving and nurturing toward him and his little sister. The family is shown eating many meals together, watching television together, and taking a genuine interest in each other’s lives. Simon’s little sister is an aspiring chef, so each family member takes turns trying her culinary creations, and continually encourages her—even when her cooking is less than spectacular. Simon admits that he likes his little sister, although he jokingly says he would never say that to her face. Simon’s dad also enlists him to help on special projects for him, such as an anniversary present for his mother that involves using the computer. It’s refreshing to see such a positive family dynamic, and parents who are still happily married and invested in the lives of their children.

The friendship between Simon and his three best buddies—Leah (played by Katherine Langford, from “13 Reasons Why”), Abby, and Nick—is also fun and entertaining to watch. They seem to have a wonderful camaraderie and to really be there for each other in the good and bad times. When dishonesty occurs among the friends, this is portrayed as wrong and hurtful to each person. The theme of forgiveness and reconciliation among friends is also explored.

Making fun of other kids and bullying are not tolerated at the school, and any students who participate in such activities are reprimanded and punished.

Negative Takeaways

Simon’s attraction to members of his same sex is portrayed as acceptable and something to be even celebrated. Simon questions why “coming out” has to be such a big deal, and why parents and others in society don’t react in the same way when someone announces that they are heterosexual. The premise of the entire film goes against Scripture. God designed sex to be between a man and a woman, and in the confines of the marriage covenant. The Apostle Paul speaks about God’s wrath against humanity as they “suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18, NIV). He elaborates,

“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” —Romans 1:26-28 NIV

Simon never considers what God might have to say about his lifestyle of choice or his actions. He thinks about how coming out will affect his friends and family’s view of him, but God’s design for mankind or even the mere existence of God is never mentioned or alluded to at all in the film. There is one scene where Simon dresses up for Halloween and is mistaken as a “fancy Jesus.” There is also a reference to another character’s religious family members who disapprove of his orientation, and go to great lengths to hide the truth from others.

In real life, it is a shame that people like Simon do not realize that there is a God who created them and designed them for a purpose, who has good plans for their life and does not want to see them harmed by going outside the boundaries of that design. At one point, Simon’s mother tells him, “You deserve everything you want.” This line really stuck out to me, because, as Christians, we know that what we want does not always line up with God’s will. Our wants can be tainted by the sin nature that we battle. But we know that God’s desires for us are always pure and lovely. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) says,

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future’.”

God’s will for us also involves our sexual purity:

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality…” —1 Thessalonians 4:3 NIV

Personally, I cannot recommend this film, due to the overt pro-homosexual agenda it espouses—and sex before marriage. If one were to allow their teenager to see it, it would most definitely be advisable to have a frank discussion afterwards about what the Bible says about why homosexuality is wrong. Despite what may be trendy or cool with this generation, God has good reasons for setting the boundaries He does around sexual relationships, and we need to teach our youth the truth in this area. By no means does this mean that a homosexual individual should be bullied, shunned, or mistreated in any way. However, it should also be made clear that the behavior is not something God approves of or celebrates, due to it violating His loving design.

As we see more and more portrayals of characters in television and movies who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, “Gender-Fluid,” and so on, it is very important that we as parents know how to combat the lies of the enemy. Author Albertalli currently has another book out called “Leah on the Offbeat,” in which Simon’s friend Leah wrestles with her Bisexual orientation. One wonders if this book will eventually be made into a motion picture as well. With so many false teachings out there, parents need to possess biblical definitions of manhood and womanhood, and teach our children that sexual relationships that are right and honoring will be between a man and a woman and in the context of marriage only.

What is SEXUAL IMMORALITY? Answer

SEXUAL LUST—Why does God strongly warn us about it? Answer

PURITY—Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

TEMPTATIONS—How can I deal with temptations? Answer

How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer

CONSEQUENCES—What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Christian answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more. Valuable resources for Christian couples, singles and pastors.

• Violence: None
• Profane language: Moderate—“G*d-d*mn” (9), “Oh my G*d” (10+), Oh G*d (5), “swear to G*d,” “Go to h*ll,” “h*ll” (4)
• Vulgar/Crude language: Heavy—“Please just get the f*** away from me,” “Shut the F up,” “Romantic as F,” “dry h*mping,” “balls,” “p*nis,” “d*ck,” “b*tt sex,” “screw,” “hook up,” “gang-b*nged,” “m*sturb*ting,” “v*gin*,” “loser virgins,” “b**bs,” s-words (9), “a**hole” (2), “a**” (5), “cr*p” (2)
• Nudity: Moderate—boy wearing just towel, shirtless male pin-ups,
• Sex: Heavy—male-male kisses, various crude heterosexual and homosexual comments, discussions, situations and activity—but no sexual acts depicted on-screen

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

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