Thats the dilemma at the center ofSimple Simon.
The oddball Swedish romantic comedy featuresBill Skarsgardin a role thats far removed from his usual terror-inducing characters.
The result is a heartstring-tugging and genuinely funny story that never treats Asperger’s likea punchlineorgimmick.
Image by Nimesh Niyomal
Its a delight to see howSkarsgard demonstrates his versatilityhere, playing the role with pitch-perfect deadpan humor.
Theres also a touch of vulnerability that makes his character as lovable as he is intriguing.
Altogether,Simple Simonproves Skarsgard isnt just the king of horror.
Image Via Naive AB
And honestly, watching him fumble through romance before he becamethe menacing Pennywise?
Thats a twist no one saw coming.
The weird thing is that it somehow works out.
Even the romance in the film doesnt take the conventional route.
Rather than centering on Simons love life, the film explores love through his unique perspective.
So, this is not one of those cases where hes off to find The One for himself.
Rather, hes trying to fix a problem in the only way he knows how.
But inSimple Simon, he steps away fromthe macabreand leans into heartwarming humor somehow, its just as captivating.
With all this in mind, it’s already clear that Simon isnt your typicalrom-com leadfor several reasons.
So that’s why they hid Bill Skarsgard’s face in the trailers…
The beauty of his performance is how Skarsgard makes all the quirks flow naturally.
Everything from his perfectly timed pauses to his brutally honestone-linersturn even the most straightforward moments into comedy gold.
Its both hilarious and painfully direct.
Despite all his directness, there are cracks where slithers of vulnerability shine through.
Take his awkward try linking with his brother he builds him a hug machine for some comfort.
Not only is that something to chuckle about, but its also cutesy, considering the situation.
