If there’s just ONE reason that Love, Simon is a groundbreaking, phenomenally important film, it’s this: LGBT people are coming out because of it.

The film – which stars Nick Robinson as Simon Spier, a closeted gay teen in his final year of high school – is your classic coming-of-age romance, except that Simon is gay.

Like (also iconic, but very different) mid-00s teen film A Cinderella Story, Simon forms a relationship with another gay guy at his high school over the internet, without either of them knowing who the other one is.

A lot of the film centres around the fact that, despite having the most supportive networks in the world, coming out is still a huge deal. Simon has supportive parents, great friends, and isn’t feel ashamed of who he is – he just wants to come out on his own terms, when he’s ready.

And clearly, the message is resonating, because young queer people are coming out because of this film.

“I came out during Love, Simon,” wrote one person on Twitter. “My friends were there, my parents were there, a full theatre was there. People were laughing and singing and crying and clapping throughout the whole movie. I’ve never seen a movie bring people together this close. I made friends there. Teens need this.”

The film also stars 13 Reasons Why‘s Katherine Langford as Simon’s best friend, and Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel as his unfathomably attractive parents.

Go see it if you want to watch a really nice, funny movie but also are prepared to sob uncontrollably quite a bit.

Love, Simon comes out in Australia on March 29 (pun totally intended).

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