To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a story that teenagers everywhere can relate to. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name, written by Jenny Han, the film was released by Netflix on August 17, 2018, and stars Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse), Noah Centineo (The Fosters), Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars), Israel Broussard (Happy Death Day), Anna Cathcart (Descendants 2) and more.
Lara Jean Covey (Condor) is a sixteen year old girl, who prefers to live in romance novels and is about to start her junior year of high school. Her older sister, Margo (Parrish), just left to attend college in Scotland, leaving Lara Jean and their younger sister Kitty (Cathcart) for the first time since the death of their mother. Before leaving though, Margo breaks up with her longtime boyfriend, Josh Sanderson (Broussard) who is Laura Jean’s best friend/crush/neighbor. She would never betray her sister by trying to make a move romantically, instead preferring to write love letters and never sending them. Laura Jean’s method backfires when Kitty finds Laura Jean’s special box and sends out all five letters.
Things all start to fall apart when Peter Kavinsky (Centineo), a popular lacrosse player, is the first to approach about his love letter, which causes everything in Laura Jean’s life to spiral out of control. They create a fake dating contract in order to attract the attention of certain others and begin a whole dating charade, but you’ll have to watch the movie to see what happens next!
What really stands out about the movie, is the realness of it all. Characters in the film go through trials and tribulations very reminiscent of what might happen in the real world, from first boyfriends—okay, fake boyfriends—to cyberbullying. It encompasses familial values, like the bonds of sisterhood and how a family changes when one is lost or leaves. Things are not always so serious, though. Kitty wears a helmet whenever she gets in the car with Laura Jean, a new driver. Laura Jean also has the tendency to let her imagination run wild and talk with her crushes who aren’t actually there.
Prepare to ride a rollercoaster of emotions and be sure to have popcorn at the ready as you watch the story unfold. It’s likely to remind you of all the crushes you’ve ever had or currently have.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a teen romance movie that you can get behind and represents the new generation. It’s available now, streaming only on Netflix.
