Movie Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

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Photo Credit: IMDb.com

We all go through crushes. Since according to zodiac signs I am a Cancer, when I develop a crush, it can become quite an emotional experience for me. If only I had thought about writing a letter to all the boys who had unknowingly stolen my heart! “Liking” someone can be an overwhelming experience for some: constant butterflies in the stomach, nervous to be around the person they admire, and also being afraid to say how they feel due to fear of possible rejection. For others, having feelings for someone does not have this effect; it is just an extra amount of liking for them versus their “regular” friends. Lara Jean Covey (portrayed by Lana Condor), however, falls into the first category of people who have crushes.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, originally a book written by author Jenny Han, was directed by female director Susan Johnson and premiered on August 17, 2018, on Netflix. The movie follows the life of a teenage Asian-American girl, named Lara Jean. Lara Jean wrote five letters to five different boys who she had developed a large crush on. Somehow, the letters get out and are sent to the five guys. Peter Kavinsky, the boy with the beautiful smile and starry eyes (portrayed by Noah Centino), addresses Lara Jean about his letter, which later, much, much later, turns into a happy ending for the both of them.

Throughout the film, Lara Jean is able to talk to the other four boys about the letters and all of them are understanding, well, except Josh, but that’s another story. Peter and Lara Jean decide to “date” to make his ex-girlfriend, Gen, jealous. Slowly but surely, and quite obviously, Lara Jean begins to develop real feelings for Peter, and little does she know that he feels the same way. She continues to tell herself and him that it is all fake due to not wanting to get hurt by him. After the big ski trip, Lara Jean and Peter make themselves official, but it only lasts about ten minutes because, of course, Gen ruins things when they get off the bus. SPOILER ALERT: In the end, Lara Jean and Peter end up together, and the audience and fans now must wait until it is confirmed that there will be a sequel to the movie to see how everything really ends.

This movie did a great job of casting the perfect actors for the roles that they had. Lana Condor fits the role of Lara Jean in every single way imaginable. She is sweet, kind, genuine, but also very strong and knows how to stand up for herself. Noah Centino, whose big debut was on the Freeform show The Fosters, had everyone’s heart throbbing throughout the movie. His talent shone throughout the movie, proving to fans that he knew all the right ways to play with the camera and his emotions. This movie felt very relatable for me, and I am sure others feel the same way. Twitter and Instagram went crazy once the movie was released on Netflix, and all actors immediately rose to fame (if they hadn’t already) due to the roles they had in the film. If this movie has taught me anything, it is to not be afraid to tell someone how you feel in-person, even if you don’t end up with a happy ending like Peter and Lara Jean had.

 

Edit on 9/17/18: The second sentence of the article was changed for clarity.

Juliana Block is a sophomore from San Francisco, California, and is a Communications and Media Studies major. She runs the social media part of the Q and is a writer as well. She participates in dance on campus and is an avid hammocker (when the weather is not too hot of course). One of her biggest loves is photography, so be sure to keep an eye out for her taking pictures! This is her second semester writing for the Q.

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