“Love is scary; it changes, it can go away. That’s part of the risk. I don’t want to be scared anymore.” Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Before, the movie adaptation of a best selling young adult novel by Jenny Han, was an immense, undeniable hit as soon as it aired, with nearly 80 million viewers worldwide. Part of its success can be contributed to being one of Netflix’s “summer love” films (featuring Love Don’t Cost a Thing, The Kissing Booth, Sierra Burgess is a Loser, etc.). Vox, a general interest news site, describes it as the kind of movie that is “as sweet and addictive as candy, that wants its audience to indulge in multiple repeat viewings.”

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before tells the story of Lara Jean Covey, a sixteen-year-old Asian American, whose secret love letters to five past crushes are mysteriously exposed and wreak havoc on her dull life. The boys in these letters start approaching her and unexpected events spiral from there. The fun-loving, but introverted, Lara Jean, falls in love with Peter while pretending to date him so he can win back Genevieve, his jealous, snobby ex-girlfriend. Meanwhile, Josh, Lara’s neighbor, is caught in the midst of confusion as to the ex of Lara’s sister and Lara’s current crush.

The director, Susan Johnson, accurately captures Lara Jean’s hopeless teen romance. Indiewire states “Johnson’s brand of filmmaking is a good fit for the material, and her ability to pull together quick-cut flashbacks and inventive ways to make chatty monologues work keeps the film ticking along just as it’s about to fizz out.” Condor and Centineo manage to bring out the light and personality out of their once cliché characters. They encapsulate the characters with their catchy phrases and effortless conversations.

The recurring theme of love captives the audience. As the five love letters are released into the “wild,” the audience is on the edge of their seats, waiting for the reaction of each past crush. However, here is where I run into a problem of accurate depiction. In the novel, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, the reader finds out how all five boys react while in the movie, the audience only gets to meet Peter, Josh, and Lucas. Nonetheless, friendship and love is a theme the audience gets witness as the relationships of all the characters blossom through their strange endeavors.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is well-deserving of being one of Netflix’s rewatched films. However, Lara Jean’s story isn’t over just yet as a sequel named PS I Still Love You, is coming out in 2020. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before has just the type of storyline that remains in the audience’s mind.

Bibliography

Erbland, Kate. ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ Review: Netflix Continues to Dominate Teen Rom-Coms With Sweet Jenny Han Adaptation. IndieWire, August 15, 2018.

indiewire.com/2018/08/to-all-the-boys-ive-loved-before-review-netflix-jenny-han-adaptation-1201993744/

Grady, Constance. Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before might be the best teen romance of the decade. Vox, August 24, 2018.

vox.com/culture/2018/8/19/17756330/to-all-the-boys-ive-loved-before-review-netflix

Hipes, Patrick. ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ Sequel Gets Netflix Release Date, With Third Movie Confirmed. Deadline, August 15, 2019

deadline.com/2019/08/to-all-the-boys-sequel-release-date-third-movie-set-netflix-1202669174/