Movie Recap: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. A Fantastic Journey Into the Heart and Mind of a Teenage Girl.

Release Date: Available on Netflix Friday, August 17, 2018
Directed By: Susan Johnson
Screenplay By: Sofia Alvarez
Produced By: Matt Kaplan, Dougie Cash, Jordan Levin
Cast: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Israel Broussard, Andrew Bachelor, Anna Cathcart, and John Corbett
Run Time: 1 hr 39 min

Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars ★★★★★

When I first saw the trailer for To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (“To All the Boys”), I was excited about the lead being of Asian descent. Based on “New York Times” Best Selling Author Jenny Han’s popular YA novel of the same name, the premise of the film also intrigued me. I was once slightly boy-crazy in my youth and had written secret love letters, although I never addressed them or put the boys’ real names on my notes. I had code names for them so no one except me would know who they were.

Watch the trailer here.

Movie Recap: <i>To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</i>. A Fantastic Journey Into the Heart and Mind of a Teenage Girl. 2

After watching To All the Boys, I wondered whether screenwriter Sofia Alvarez had somehow read my teenage diary. While I’m no longer a teenager (far, far from it), I resonated with the lead character, Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor). She reads way too many romantic novels (so did I) and fantasizes about being in relationships with boys. The entire tale is beautiful, starting with the Covey family. Three sisters – Margot (Janel Parrish), Lara Jean, and Kitty (Anna Cathcart) – are being raised by their widowed father, Dr. Covey (John Corbett). Being Asian-American, I felt To All the Boys does an excellent job of representing what it is like growing up in a predominately Caucasian area. And as a ‘hapa*’(which is how some people of Asian descent pronounce the word ‘half’) myself (being half Asian/Caucasian), I truly felt a connection with the three Covey girls. *Note: Hapa is a term used by many of those who are half Asian and half of another ethnicity (Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, etc. so half Asian/half Caucausian = hapa). See me after class if you still don’t get it.

Movie Recap: <i>To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</i>. A Fantastic Journey Into the Heart and Mind of a Teenage Girl. 3

After breaking up with her boyfriend Josh (Israel Broussard), who also happens to be Lara Jean’s former best friend and first crush, Margot heads off to college across the pond in Scotland. A very insecure and sort of shy Lara Jean prepares to enter the 11^th grade without her older sister to go to for advice. The youngest Covey daughter, Kitty, who seems to have more of a social calendar than Lara Jean, is going to the 6^th grade. Thinking she’s “invisible,” Lara Jean has always had crushes but never told the boys about how she really feels, letting her adoration go unrequited. When the letters Lara Jean has written over the years to those crushes, including Josh, are mysteriously mailed out without her knowledge, her life becomes more complicated than she ever imagined it could.

Movie Recap: <i>To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</i>. A Fantastic Journey Into the Heart and Mind of a Teenage Girl. 4

When Lara Jean sees Josh and Peter (Noah Centineo), another of her five crushes, carrying their respective letters, she is beyond mortified. Peter, having recently broken up with his longtime girlfriend Gen (Emilija Baranac), blackmails Lara Jean into pretending to date. He won’t tell anyone about the letters if she agrees to be his girlfriend to make Gen jealous. But sometimes, real feelings develop in “fake” relationships. Things begin to spiral because Lara Jean is lying to her friends and avoiding Margot. She’s always been close to her sisters, but now she’s refusing to Skype. She doesn’t want Margot to find out about the letter she wrote to Josh (which was penned way before he became Margot’s man) and her fake relationship with Peter, which is starting to become more real than she anticipated.

Movie Recap: <i>To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</i>. A Fantastic Journey Into the Heart and Mind of a Teenage Girl. 5

Throughout the film, we see how Lara Jean copes with frenemies from middle school to a “fake” but seemingly real boyfriend in a span of a few months leading up to Christmas and New Year. Lara Jean may not be the best driver, nor is she the most popular girl in school, but she has a quiet confidence that makes her endearing. I love her fashion sense. She’s not basic with her choices; she’s bold and has a unique sense of style. And the fact that she loves ‘80s classics like Sixteen Candles and wants Peter to put his hand in her back pocket to show affection totally gave me the feels. The late John Hughes would have totally approved. While out experiencing life and not always living in her head, Lara Jean finally realizes that fantasizing about relationships is nothing compared to the trials and tribulations of what happens in real life. From kissing (which isn’t included in her signed contract with Peter) in hot tubs* and an accidental “sex tape” (sort of), Lara Jean has to come face to face with herself before she can move forward. *Note: the scenes in the hot tub are PG-13 (for the parents out there reading).

Movie Recap: <i>To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</i>. A Fantastic Journey Into the Heart and Mind of a Teenage Girl. 6

Condor does a fantastic job as the slightly awkward and unsure Lara Jean. While she has confidence in her wardrobe choices, she questions herself when someone else makes a comment. I love it when she doesn’t let Peter’s skepticism of her movie choices sway her from making him watch the film she wants to see. And while she may think she’s not worthy of the idealized romances written in the pages of her books, Lara Jean isn’t “second best,” not by a long shot.

Centineo also gives a great performance as Noah, a popular Lacrosse player in school. While he initially wants to make Gen angry by dating someone else, he realizes he has much more in common with Lara Jean than he originally thought. Their relationship blossoms organically and is beautifully portrayed with the pacing of the film.

Movie Recap: <i>To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</i>. A Fantastic Journey Into the Heart and Mind of a Teenage Girl. 7

While there are some slow moments at the beginning of the film, mostly to establish the fantastical musings of Lara Jean’s mind, overall, the movie flows well and is entertaining. I do think the way Lara Jean swoons over Josh in the first few scenes is a bit much, but it sets the precedence for the remaining plot points. There are no special CGI effects, and while I would have loved to have seen more whimsical imaging to coincide with Lara Jean’s fantasies, I did enjoy the flashback to her childhood playing “spin the bottle.” Do you remember that game? If you’re looking for a sweet, funny, and slightly catty film that’s perfect for pre-teens and older, then check out To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. And I had an ‘aw’ moment at the end of the film.

For more on To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, go to https://www.netflix.com/title/80203147

Biography of the Author(Read Below)..
Latest Posts (view them )..

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.