I’ve mentioned before on a previous post that the Greg Berlanti-directed Love, Simon is somewhat of a revolutionary film in that it is the first major teen-targeted film with a gay romance being released by a major distributor. But even more so, when it comes to LGBT-themed films with a wide release, the last example, at least to my knowledge, would likely be 1997’s In & Out. Thankfully, this film did not disappoint, as Love, Simon offers a heartfelt and charming flick, mainly thanks to both a strong cast and a clever screenplay, minus some rough hiccups and character changes in the third act.

Focusing on a young gay teenager connecting with a secret closeted pen pal, Simon‘s charm levels are simply through the roof, and a lot of it comes down to its cast. Nick Robinson as the titular Simon brings so much likability into the role, as the straight man to the crazy characters, while also a sympathetic protagonist with relatable issues. Even to non-gay viewers, Simon’s insecurities and fears about coming out are identifiable and understandable. The fear of everything changing, the fear of losing your comfortable world, and the fear of not feeling ready to admit your identity to the world, and Robinson successfully balances the act through an entertaining and heartfelt performance.

The supporting cast surrounding Simon also succeeds from an acting standpoint. Simon’s parents, played by Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel, offer warmth and likability to the film, as both have standout emotional sequences with their son. Tony Hale as the absent-minded principal is a lot of fun, newcomer Natasha Rothwell as the high-strung drama teacher is simply hilarious, Alexandra Shipp and Jorge Lendenborg, Jr. as Simon’s friends are delightful and many of the other students within Simon’s school have a lot of personality to them, resulting in an entertaining ensemble. The only real disappointments acting-wise is Logan Miller, but I’ll get to him in a bit, and 13 Reasons Why‘s Katherine Langford as another of Simon’s friends, who doesn’t really have the same emotional pull as Nick Robinson, or the smart wit of the other supporting players.

What allows these actors to flourish and succeed in their type roles comes down to the clever script from This is Us writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger. The film utilizes many clever one-liners, as well as a slew of cutaways and visual jokes, which help add to the fun, almost John Hughes-esque atmosphere within many of the film’s sequences. But Aptaker and Berger are still able to tug on the heartstrings and give a lot of strong pathos and meaning towards Simon’s coming out process, resulting in a screenplay that combines heart and humor as successful as the NBC series. It’s also helped by Greg Berlanti’s direction, giving the film a sort of snappiness and a solid visual style above the usual television productions the man is most famous for.

But in spite of how well-done the screenplay is, it still falls into some cliche and annoying territory, especially in the third act. The antagonist character Martin, played by Logan Miller, is an irritating presence, and his actions throughout the film are either eye-rolling or irritating, and his third act turn is downright horrible and sadistic. It also doesn’t help that Simon’s friends act completely out of character once the third act arrives, resulting in a predictable break up and make up sequence, and, without giving any information away, promotes the idea that Simon’s best friends really aren’t great friends to begin with. It’s unfortunate too, as while Martin’s character change is arguably unavoidable, that third act break up could easily be rectified and changed, and still be an emotional gutpunch.

But in spite of some rough footing in the finale, Love, Simon still works, thanks to its funny writing, and emotional performances. It’s a true crowdpleaser, being a film that is hard not to smile and enjoy, and it will certainly help make LGBT kids around the world feel a little bit more comfortable in their identities. If only I had a film like this two years ago, when I began to realize that I like both women and men.