Several Winged Pen members loved Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. A couple of us saw the movie adaptation last weekend. We’ve been fangirling behind the scenes and thought it would be fun to chat about the book/movie here and to invite our readers to join the conversation. We’ve never tried a post like this, but we thought we’d give it a try.
- This is not a review, just a chat about HOW MUCH WE LOVED THIS BOOK AND THIS MOVIE! It’s fine to critique an aspect you didn’t love. But if you really didn’t like the book or movie at all, this is not the blog post for you.
- There will be spoilers. Sorry! If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie you might want to check back later!
- Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments. We might respond in the comments or pull comments up into the post. Whatever might make the conversation fun.
Here goes!
Rebecca A.: Okay, truth here. I loved the book, but the movie wasn’t at the top of my list to see in the theaters. I usually look for more explosions in movies I see on the big screen. But my daughter and her friend made plans to go and needed a ride, and I was immediately, “Cool, but you know I’m staying right.” I did agree to sit on the other side of the theater to avoid embarrassing the 13/14 year olds. I was so glad I stayed!
Halli: I hate to admit this, but I haven’t read the book yet. I bought it, but my son practically snatched it from my hands as I walked through the door. I did see the movie though and LOVED, IT! As a parent, kidlit writer, and martial arts instructor with mostly kid/teen students, I am interested in contemporary books and movies that depict their lives and issues. This movie does a great job on several fronts. Simon’s life is what a lot of kids want their lives to be. He has a great family, great neighborhood, great friends, etc. In fact he lays that all out in the very beginning. But he’s still struggling with insecurity and a life-changing issue. This movie showed that despite having a life that looks great like on the outside, no one’s life is perfect. That is a hard concept for some kids to understand these days.
Rebecca: I agree! The world has changed a lot since I was a teen (Ugh! That makes me feel old!) The great thing about Love, Simon, is that it brings you right into Simon’s head. His fear about how his life might change if he tells friends and family he’s gay, his emotions as he finds a connection/falls for someone via email–I loved him checking his phone while still dripping from a shower–his anger at the world because straight people don’t have to “come out” and say they’re into the opposite sex, it’s a difficult experience only LGBTQ folks have to wrestle with. Even lacking explosions, this movie feels BIG because it is so emotionally real.
Halli: Yes! It is so real! And so big! My favorite line was “Why is straight the default?” I long for the day when there is no “coming out” because everyone is accepted for who they are and there is no fear of bullying. Another favorite part for me was when Ethan – an openly gay classmate in the movie but not in the book – tells Simon his mom can’t accept that he’s gay and every Sunday at family dinner, she tries so hard to deny it. So we’re not just seeing a lack of acceptance from peers, but from family as well.
Rebecca: My daughter LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Ethan as a character because he so owns who he is, even in the face of family disapproval, peer disapproval and bullying. The scene where Ethan and Simon are sitting outside the vice-principal’s office while he deals with the bullies is so touching! Simon has been in the closet for so long and only acknowedged his sexual identity publicly after being outed by classmate Martin. Sitting with Ethan makes Simon confront his guilt about having hidden an important part of himself and not supported Ethan at the same time he’s grappling with the new experience of being bullied because he’s gay. Then to layer on more emotion, when the vice-principal invites the boys into his office to receive apologies from the bullies, he acts like a huge block-head himself, assuming that since the two boys are openly gay, they must be dating! Becky Albertalli and the screenplay writers did such a great job at showing that even those of us with good intentions can harbor prejudice and make things harder for LGBT teens.
Halli: That is an excellent point, Rebecca. Right there on the big screen in front of everyone is the reality that even though some people SAY they are fine with everyone’s choice, a part of them may still feel uncomfortable or be ignorant about what being LGBTQ really means. I had a conversation recently with an older gentleman who said something to the effect of: kids may THINK they’re gay, but they’re still young to know. Gasp! I wanted to ask when he knew he was straight. I didn’t, but my guess would have been around the pre-teen time. As a human race, we are in the middle of great change, and I believe books and movies like these will help promote positive changes. In terms of books vs. movies, of course I prefer books, but I recognize not everyone does. And for that reason, I’m thrilled these books have are being made into movies.
**spoiler alert**
Rebecca: My favorite scene is at the end of the movie when Simon is waiting on the ferris wheel to see if Blue will come out and meet him for the first time IRL. This scene was handled differently in the movie than the book, and it really worked for the big screen because you have the bright lights and sparkle of the fair, you have Simon, who has emotionally gone through so much over the course of the movie, and you have a huge crowd rooting for him. How devistating will it be if Blue doesn’t show?! And Martin the blackmailer, redeems himself (somewhat) by giving Simon a handful of tickets so he can continue to wait and hope Blue shows…how can anyone watching that scene not have every muscle in their body tensed into knots?
**humongous spoiler alert**
Halli: The theater erupted in cheers and applause when Blue showed up (okay, not a complete spoiler because we never said who Blue was). I’m sure the cheering came from everyone – kids and adults, gay and straight. And hopefully from those who learned something.
Rebecca: I know I was cheering!
Now it’s your turn! Tell us what you loved about Simon and the Homo Sapiens Agenda and/or Love, Simon in the comments below! What was your favorite scene? Have you pre-ordered Leah On the Off Beat Yet?
I loved loved loved SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA. I haven’t seen the movie yet for the same reason why Rebecca normally wouldn’t have seen it and my two little ones make it rather difficult to get out to the theatres. I could not put the book down, though. My favourite part was Simon’s voice–funny, full of snark, with just the right amount of cynicism that had me completely engaged. In all honesty, I couldn’t wait to see what happened and finished 2/3 of it in one sitting.
Oh, darn! Kids not the right age! Well, movies are cheaper to watch on video and then you can watch AGAIN with your kids when they’re the right age! LOVE, SIMON will be a classic by then!
I haven’t read the book in a year and now I feel like I need to go back and read it again because, like you, I loved the snark!
Thanks for fangirling with us!
Rebecca
I’m happy to be reading all the positive impacts on young folk that the film is having I think that is very important as long as coming out is what they’re ready to do and if necessary they get support from the various LGBTi youth support groups that exist for that purpose.
There is a set of significant departures from the book version that I personally fret about as it isn’t clear why (aside from commercial reasons) those changes were made. I won’t go into all of them, they’re very obvious to readers of the book version.
Two though are important, Blue is revealed to the audience very quickly and that deprived the audience walking with Simon as he guessed & often mistook ‘clues’ that empathy in the book made the very subtle, gentle reveal all the more powerful imo. I know tears ran down my cheeks at that point (p266).
Simon as a post coming out treat was taken by Nick & Abby to a gay restaurant/pub where he met Peter and had a really empowering conversation a few illicit drinks (shots) and met a table full of positive gay friends of Peter who in turn stoked Simon’s self esteem. It was only the telling of the blackmail that alerted everyone to Simon’s being at school still & that brought up his age. Now Peter totally earned his stripes by gently letting Simon back down to earth and took him back to Abby & Nick. This same event caused the temporary fallout of Leah from the group because she was excluded from the experience. (Not the much nastier ‘piece of meat’ scenario depicted in the film affecting the perception of Simon’s decency). My concern with this exclusion of a positive #LGBTi #Community setting is always why that would be done at all.
I’m hopeful that folk clearly enjoying the film will ultimately get the book and judge the difference for themselves.
I’m not sure I’ll go back to see the film again (perhaps once more) but I’ll happily immerse myself in the glorious book again without hesitation. Thanks for doing this tread I saw an earlier tweet of a lassie looking for just such an outlet. I’ll pass her a link. 👍👏
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, David!
I’d forgotten about that scene with Peter at the bar. I read the book a year ago or more. You’re right, that was a really nice scene and would have been a good add to the movie. I almost always love books better than movies and I think it’s because of things like this. Movies are more visual, of course, but they can’t got as deep, and that scene was a loss.
On the early reveal of Blue’s identity, I saw that differently than you. Of course, *spoiler alert* Simon hangs out with Bram at the party – I especially loved the kareoke! But my take was that after Simon catches Bram kissing a girl in the bedroom, that he concludes that he can’t be Blue, and goes on to wonder if it might be Lyle (from IHOP) and then Cal (from the play). And when it turns out it isn’t either of them, he really doesn’t know. I don’t mean to argue, but I think you are exactly right that wondering with Simon about who Blue is is central to the story.
Thanks for passing on the post to other folks who might be interested!
Rebecca
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, David. I am so anxious to read the book, I may steal it while my son is at school 🙂
There is always a change when a book is made into a movie for time, money, or other reasons. I do hope the movie was enjoyable to many and helped those looking to relate.
As always, I do prefer books and as you said, I hope the movie directs people to the book.