“Simple Simon” Review

If you enjoyed the likes of Juno, Napoleon Dynamite, Superbad, and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, you will really enjoy this film. It is striking how many characteristics this Swedish film shares with American films that talk about young adult life. “Simple Simon,” is Director Andreas Öhman’s first feature film. The film is also Sweden’s submission for this year’s Academy Awards.

“Simple Simon” follows the lives of Simon (Bill Skarsgård), who is in his early 20s and suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome making him socially challenged, and Sam (Martin Wallström), Simon’s brother whose personal life and relationship is crumbling down for his decision to take care of Simon. When Sam’s girlfriend breaks up with him, Simon sets on a quest to find his brother a new girlfriend who will accept him for who he is and accept Simon as well. The task becomes increasingly challenging due to Simon’s Asperger’s and creates the most humorous, most memorable scenes in the film.

I liked the fact that this film does not contain over the top comedy nor use foul language, crude and sexual humor to make comedy as many American comedies do, but that it is simple and clean, and just as funny, if not even more, as Hollywood comedies. The awkward situations in which Simon is constantly found in are situations in which a lot of us find ourselves in daily even without having Asperger’s Syndrome. There are some special effects in “Simple Simon” however, they are not over the top.

A constant motif is the circle. As Simon states, a circle is perfect and has no impurities. A circle is constant and does not change, and lives in harmony. When Simon wants to feel at ease, he does so by surrounding himself with circles or by simply locking himself inside his circular “space ship.” There are a lot of references to the cosmos and being an astronaut. The plot itself is very sweet, straightforward and does not paint these characters as cartoonish. Everything you see these characters do when interacting with each other falls within what is possible in reality.

All of the actors in the film do a phenomenal job and I could not imagine Simon without Bill Skarsgård. He really drives the movie. “Simple Simon” is a great comedy that has earned its place in the Academy Awards, and that everyone must simply see.

WATCH THE TRAILER:

Simple Simon