Today, Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) have finally returned to Netflix, in the new To All the Boys: Always and Forever. This is the third and last movie to the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series. Directed by Michael Fimognari, this film follows Lara Jean and Peter through their senior year. And fans will see the couple plan their future together.
It’s the senior year, and Lara Jean is enjoying her spring vacation in Korea with her family. Peter is back home in Portland, practicing lacrosse after getting his scholarship to Stanford University. Lara Jean plans to attend Stanford with Peter, and is just waiting to hear her admission status. She day dreams of the bright future she pictures Peter and her to have, after going to college together. “I think the waiting might actually kill me,” she thinks to herself, watching the pending application.
Soon after her return home, Lara Jean’s wait is over. She finds out that she was not accepted into Stanford. Heartbroken, Lara Jean reimagines her future, with Peter fading out of it. To make matters worse, when Peter asks about her acceptance, she accidentally responds with a text, that misleads him into believing she got in. Lara Jean is able to keep the act up for a little while. But realizes she must face the reality of the situation, and tell Peter the truth.
While on their school trip to New York City, Lara Jean and Peter sneak out for a late night date. At a bakeshop, she finally tells him that she will not be able to go to college with him next year. Peter handles the situation well, and tries to comfort his girlfriend. The two make a new plan, for Lara Jean to attend Berkeley and transfer to his school after the first year, which the both agree on.
As they continue through the school trip in the city, the couple is forced to split up for a day to go on separate group tours. Lara Jean visits New York University. Her and Chris are invited to a party by a senior from the school, and Lara Jean decides to take her up on the invite. She enjoys the night with her friends, but realizes something important, she is in love with New York City.
Returning home from the city, Lara Jean receives a letter of acceptance from NYU. Peter congratulates her on her acceptance letter. However, things become complicated when Lara Jean expresses her interest in actually attending NYU. And she reveals the likelihood that she won’t want to transfer from there.
The rest of To All the Boys: Always and Forever follows Lara Jean, as she struggles to find the right thing to do. Her heart is ripped two. She doesn’t know if she should follow her new dream of living in the city, or follow the boy of her dreams!
This film is a little different than the ones before it in the series. This time, they really focused on Lara Jean. While her relationship is still a huge part of the story, the audience gets a chance to really connect with Lara Jean’s family and friends. They get a lot of screen time in To All the Boys: Always and Forever. Viewers also get to see Lara Jean as an individual, not just as the girl trying to find love. She expresses her own ideas that conflict with Peter’s and their relationship, but this shows her individuality.
“In the third movie you see a lot of personal growth from Lara Jean,” Condor stated when speaking of the movie in an early interview. “Our movies are romantic comedies, so they are a lot about the guys, but I do believe that the third movie is truly about Lara Jean.”
And right she was. Condor’s character Lara Jean, truly does mature a lot in this film. She is forced to face some really tough, real-world decisions. And the movie shows the audience exactly what is going through Lara Jean’s head. It allows them to feel like they’re experiencing everything with Lara Jean.
The final movie ends in a positive light. All the characters get their time on the screen and all problems are resolved. Fans get to see Lara Jean grow up and navigate her way through her love life and into college.
