A couple of years ago, the book “Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda,” came out, and I ate it up. It was a clever, witty, happily-ever-after story if a bit trite. The movie “Love Simon,” keeps a lot of these qualities, but a little less. It was entertaining and lighthearted, but if you’re looking for a deep, enlightening story and a compelling masterpiece of cinematography, look elsewhere. “Love Simon,” wasn’t amazing, but it didn’t need to be.

“Love Simon,” is centered on the story of Simon Spier, a closeted high school senior who is struggling to figure out his personal life, when a classmate threatens to reveal his sexuality to their school if he doesn’t act as a wingman to this blackmailer. His love life is also thrown for a loop when he begins an online relationship with a blogger going by the name of “Blue.”

If one thing is for sure, the whole premise of the movie is important for the industry as a whole. Having a major motion film focusing on a gay teen’s love story shows significant social paradigm shift.

Often times movies nowadays have gay characters but don’t give much time to develop their characters outside of establishing them as the gay best friend or gay family member. So having a film where the audience is watching the coming-of-age story of a gay teen is within itself impressive.

Many of the actors’ performances were kept very authentic. And since the story does emphasize that Simon is generally very average and unextraordinary person in a very charming and endearing way, he’s a character that the audience can relate to, even if they can’t relate to his experience with his sexuality.

One scene involving Jennifer Garner, who plays Simon’s mother, was particularly moving, as she cranked up the water-works of any moviegoers who have ever been looking for acceptance. Thus the overall message was one that was easy to connect with.

Another notable admirable quality of the movie is the fact that it was so lighthearted. The dialogue was quick-witted, cunning and full of word-play that make you jealous of all the comebacks they inexplicably always have for every situation.

The lightheartedness gave the movie an especially refreshing tone, especially in contrast to many other movies in the industry where LGBT characters’ generally have plotlines ending in tragedy or death to the point where the term “bury your gays” tends to be included in most discussions of the topic.

And that’s about where its title as a groundbreaking film ends.

Its cinematography was by no means special. The camera seems to always focus on enough for you to see everything you needed to follow, showing where people were going and what they were seeing, but nothing more.

The music is easy on the ears and includes many popular and current artists, not adding much to the story, but remaining appropriate for the moods of the scenes.

Ultimately, I believe my main problem with the film is that it was really good at keeping things light-hearted to the point where it couldn’t address the heavier or complex themes well.

Maybe it’s unfair to be looking for depth in a rom-com; however, at the same time, in a movie that is getting so much attention, it’s important that it uses its limelight to truly bring whatever change it can, but I don’t believe this movie has the power to persuade. It makes a lot of topical references, in an attempt to appeal to younger, more liberal audience. Though in appealing to this market, it really can only be an impactful movie to those who already agree with its message.

Additionally, the characters were lovable, but they did lack a lot of depth. This opinion of mine might stem from the fact that I did read and enjoy the book and thus know who all the characters are. But I still believe that in the movie many of the characters aren’t distinct in personalities or traits.

A big problem is that you wouldn’t know Simon’s relationship with many of them if it’s not explicitly said. But don’t worry it will be so you can follow it, but it shouldn’t have to be.

This becomes a more glaring issue in relation to Simon’s main love interest Blue. Because as Simon looks for him amongst those around him, you get the impression that his crush is rather shallow, as you don’t really know what he sees in Blue if he can see it in any person who he thinks for a split second might be gay.

As Simon’s love life is explored, it’s all funny and light, but you don’t understand what he loves or why he loves them. And so if you want to gain empathy for the LGBT community from people who might not feel so inclined to give it, it will be a struggle if you don’t portray its love as being more than very superficial.

This issue is also apparent in the instances where homophobia is brought up. The displays of hostility towards the LGBT characters in the movie is always done in a way that is both public and loud, but also easily shut down, with sassy comments from the victim, a bystander or a teacher.

But in reality for many queer teens what is really painful tends to be simple microaggressions, comments by friends or family, or being excluded from the typical high school experience, and these things aren’t going to go away with clever jokes and brushing it off as the movie portrays. This kind of situation is brought up briefly by a side character named Ethan, who shares his experience coming out to his family having his mother still pretend he’s straight in front of extended family and how it affects him. But this is given about two minutes of screen time, and since his role in the movie ultimately amounts to comic relief, his message is easily lost.

So many larger issues are simplified in ways that aren’t conducive to creating a larger movement.

But for now, the movie is a good stepping stone for Hollywood to start talking about these issues in a more relatable way that even children will be able to see and view LGBT characters as more of a norm than an anomaly. And regardless of its issues, it was a very enjoyable movie overall, that I would recommend seeing.