Movies Like Love, Simon for heartfelt first-love stories
Tender first-love stories about private identities, online crushes, and the courage to be seen.
Tender first-love stories about private identities, online crushes, and the courage to be seen.
Best first watch
The Half of It (2020)
95% fit104 min · IMDb 6.9 · RT 97%
Like this page's core vibe, Alice Wu's film centers on a smart teen managing a private identity while falling through written messages before real life catches up. The first-love feeling is tender and awkward, and the pace stays light even as Ellie, Paul, and Aster push each other toward the courage to be seen. Its small-town setting keeps every choice personal.
Watch if
Watch if secret messages and first-love confusion are your sweet spot.
Skip if
Skip if you want bigger laughs and less quiet yearning.
For you if
- You want first-love stories with real stakes beyond who ends up together.
- You enjoy secret messages, private crushes, and identity questions woven into romance.
- You need a warm teen rom-com that treats self-acceptance with care.
Not for you if
- You want broad comedy built around nonstop jokes and chaos.
- You prefer adult romance with workplace tension over high school feelings.
- You need explicit sex, dark conflict, or heavy relationship drama.
How Love, Simon (2018) alternatives compare
Pick The Half of It if you want the closest match to hidden first-love feelings and message-based intimacy. Go with Crush for brighter jokes and a breezier teen romance. Happiest Season works when you want family pressure and a sharper secret. Single All the Way is best for cozy holiday comfort. Rye Lane suits nights when you want the quickest, most playful watch.
How secret is the romance?
Very hidden
How funny is it?
Gentle laughs
Family pressure level
Some pressure
How fast does it move?
Slow burn
How secret is the romance?
Some secrecy
How funny is it?
Big laughs
Family pressure level
Very little
How fast does it move?
Pretty quick
How secret is the romance?
Very hidden
How funny is it?
Holiday chaos
Family pressure level
Front and center
How fast does it move?
Steady build
How secret is the romance?
Mostly open
How funny is it?
Easy comfort
Family pressure level
A lot
How fast does it move?
Quick and easy
How secret is the romance?
Out in the open
How funny is it?
Playful banter
Family pressure level
Very little
How fast does it move?
Immediate spark
Not sure what to watch?
Date night
Its flirty one-day structure, sharp banter, and short runtime make it easy to enjoy together.
Quick watch
It moves fast, stays light, and delivers a clear first-love payoff without asking much emotional stamina.
Friend group
The holiday setting, family chaos, and awkward secrets give a room full of people plenty to react to.
Find your pick
Do you want a romance set around the holidays and family gatherings?
Moments you loved
Best movies like Love, Simon (2018)
1. The Half of It (2020)
104 min · IMDb 6.9 · RT 97%
Like this page's core vibe, Alice Wu's film centers on a smart teen managing a private identity while falling through written messages before real life catches up. The first-love feeling is tender and awkward, and the pace stays light even as Ellie, Paul, and Aster push each other toward the courage to be seen. Its small-town setting keeps every choice personal.
Watch if
Watch if secret messages and first-love confusion are your sweet spot.
Skip if
Skip if you want bigger laughs and less quiet yearning.
Where to watch
2. Crush (2022)
93 min · IMDb 6.3 · RT 83%
Crush trades online crushes and secret messages for hallway crushes and track-team chaos, but it hits the same tender first-love rush and the same nerves around being seen clearly. Sammi Cohen keeps the pace brighter and goofier, with Paige chasing the wrong girl before her private feelings settle on AJ. It is lighter on secrecy and heavier on playful chemistry.
Watch if
Watch if you want first-love sparks with more jokes and color.
Skip if
Skip if you want the private identity tension pushed harder.
Where to watch
3. Happiest Season (2020)
102 min · IMDb 6.6 · RT 82%
Happiest Season takes the private identity part into adulthood, swapping school stress for a holiday house full of family pressure. Clea DuVall keeps the romance accessible and funny, but Abby and Harper's secret creates a sharper ache around being seen and accepted. It still sits in light drama territory, just with more friction than a first-love story.
Watch if
Watch if family secrets and holiday awkwardness sound fun.
Skip if
Skip if closeted tension hits too close to home.
Where to watch
4. Single All the Way (2021)
99 min · IMDb 6.2 · RT 70%
Single All the Way drops the first-love nerves and online crush setup, then keeps the same warm interest in queer people trying to show their real selves around family. Michael Mayer leans into fake-dating chaos, best-friend chemistry, and holiday comfort, so the private identity stakes stay soft. Choose it when you want the courage to be seen without much angst.
Watch if
Watch if you want easy laughs and obvious best-friend chemistry.
Skip if
Skip if you want teen first-love jitters or online crushes.
Where to watch
5. Rye Lane (2023)
82 min · IMDb 7.2 · RT 98%
Rye Lane leaves behind the private identity setup, but it taps the same tender feeling of opening up and letting another person really see you. Raine Allen-Miller builds it around one fast, playful day, with Dom and Yas talking through fresh heartbreak instead of hiding first-love secrets. It is the breeziest pick here.
Watch if
Watch if you want a quick, bright romance with instant banter.
Skip if
Skip if private identities and online crushes are the main draw.
Where to watch
Beyond movies
TV shows and books that scratch the same itch
Heartstopper
This is a modern rom-com built around first love, texting, secrecy, and the slow courage to say what you feel. Like Love, Simon, it treats coming out and being seen with warmth, humor, and real nerves instead of awkward cruelty.
Netflix
Love, Victor
This series lives in the same world as Love, Simon, so it directly shares the mix of online connection, private questions, and sweet high school romance. It keeps the contemporary rom-com feel while digging into identity, family pressure, and the relief of finally telling the truth.
Disney+ and Hulu
Please Like Me
This one fits the modern rom-com hub through its dating stories, messy young adulthood, and sharp, gentle humor around queer identity. It is a little older and drier than Love, Simon, but it has the same interest in how private feelings become public, and how love gets easier once you stop hiding.
Available for purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV+ and Google Play
What If It's Us
by Becky Albertalli
Arthur and Ben bring the same sweet, modern queer rom-com energy as Love, Simon, with a New York meet-cute, missed connections, awkward first dates, and second chances. Its appeal comes from watching two boys deal with bad timing and big expectations while trying to show up honestly for each other.
Available at major bookstores
Common questions about movies like Love, Simon (2018)
What is the best movie like Love, Simon (2018)?
Based on our analysis, The Half of It (2020) is the closest match with a 95% fit score. See the full breakdown above for why it earned the top spot.
Which of these can I watch with a teen sibling or a mixed-age family night?
The Half of It and Crush are the easiest places to start. Both stay in a high school world, keep the mood light, and focus on first-love nerves more than heavy conflict. Happiest Season and Single All the Way work better when your group is comfortable with adult relationship stress and holiday-family mess.
Which one should I avoid if closeted tension or family rejection is hard for me?
Happiest Season is the toughest sit if that topic hits a nerve, because the whole visit runs on one partner staying hidden around family. The Half of It also has private-identity ache, but it is quieter and more reflective. Crush and Rye Lane are much easier hangs.
What should I pick if I want something warm and reassuring tonight?
Single All the Way is the coziest choice. It wraps queer romance in fake-dating silliness, family meddling, and obvious best-friend chemistry. If you want that same comfort with younger energy, Crush is a close second.
Which is easiest on a weeknight when I do not want a slow build?
Rye Lane is the easiest click when you want something quick and immediate. It is the shortest here, and Dom and Yas connect right away. Crush also moves fast, while The Half of It asks for a little more patience with its letter-writing slow burn.
Which one feels the most like a straight-up comedy, and which cuts deeper?
Single All the Way and Crush lean hardest into jokes, bright setups, and quick payoffs. Happiest Season cuts deeper because the romance keeps running into family pressure and the pain of staying hidden. The Half of It is the most wistful, while Rye Lane feels playful and loose.
Where should I start if I want the closest match to this page's first-love and private-identity vibe?
Start with The Half of It. It gets closest to the mix of private feelings, written connection, and the courage to be seen. After that, go to Crush for a lighter teen spin, or Happiest Season for an older version built around family secrecy.
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