While I was scrolling through the vast array of horrendous movies and TV shows on Netflix, I struck gold.

Alex Strangelove is one of the many movies that Netflix has produced and released in the summer of 2018 that has won the hearts of many viewers. Before I watched this movie, I assumed it would be another cheesy coming-of-age movie, but it is so much more.

Alex Strangelove shows the complex awakening of a high school student Alex Truelove, played by Daniel Doheny. Having loved Doheny’s acting in Adventures in a Public School, another awkward coming-of-age story, I was excited to see that Netflix released this film with him as the main character. His ability to play a very gawky high school senior class president is astonishing, and even more impressive, he could pull off playing the role of a sexually-confused high schooler.

The scenes between Doheny’s character and Antonio Mariziale’s character, Elliot, made my heart implode on itself. The tension they were able to bring to the screen was incredible. Not to mention the scenes in themselves were so well-written that they brought to the screen a relatable conversation. Every scene also has a song perfectly paired along making the movie a thousand times more enjoyable. The soundtrack of this movie is also very diverse, including artists from The B-52’s to Muna. For me personally, a soundtrack can make or break a movie, and in this instance it definitely made it.

When I watched this movie for the first time, I was confused by some of the more questionable scenes, but the fact it was a gay coming-of-age story was so appealing to me that I had to continue watching. However, a fair warning is that it includes somewhat, for lack of a better word, random scenes. This includes but is not limited to a mind altering psychedelic frog, gummy worm puke and some very uncomfortable arguments.

After you get past those less than ideal scenes, the conversation the movie brings up is important. It shows how high school can affect a teenager’s ability to be comfortable with who he/she is. I had never really seen a coming-of-age movie that included a complex concept like that of accepting yourself for identifying as a different sexual orientation than heterosexual. After this movie was produced, it allowed so many viewers to see a new wave of possibilities and courage to be who they are with some of the more positive outcomes.

Of course the movie ends all rainbows and sunshine because after all, it is a coming-of-age story, but I think the movie is true to its name and shows how strange love can be.