Title: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Main Actors: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Emilijah Baranac, Janel Parrish, Israel Broussard
Release Date: August 17, 2018
Available: Any Time on Netflix
With so many movies and TV shows to choose from, thanks to streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, it isn’t always easy to find the good content in a sea of bad, so upon the release of the Netflix original, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, my attention was definitely caught on the diverse cast and relatable concept. After watching the movie fully on numerous occasions and binging it with my friends, it’s easy to claim that Susan Johnson’s directed Netflix Original is the summer film all teenagers were waiting for.
Susan Johnson, an aspirational Arizonan with big goals started back in 2000 after receiving her Master’s Degree. Upon collecting awards for her 2004 hit (Mean Creek), Netflix partnered alongside her to release one of the most enjoyed rom-coms of 2018. With tons of experience under her belt and a passion to tell stories, she pushed boundaries subtly by telling the teenage experience of young Lara Jean and her awkward and heartwarming love-life. By including an inclusive and diverse cast and wonderful production skills, she’s created a binge-worthy movie to spend your Saturday night on.
Although some may argue the movie follows unrealistic ideals for teenagers, the personalities shown and the awkward-but educational-moments that Lara Jean (played by Lana Condor) experiences, I’d counter that by saying it is a more accurate film than most before it. Lara Jean, the main protagonist, promotes the idea of growing, changing, learning how to love, and navigating the ropes of high school. She teaches the idea that sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone to welcome a world of opportunity and relationships, a message many teenage movies forget to focus on. While a wonderfully romantic movie filled with good humor, it also holds meaning to it, something I know I, and many other teenagers want more of. The cliché and overpopularized romance shows and productions have long since been outdated, and 2018 was welcoming something way more.
Lara Jean gets stuck in an unfavorable situation when all of her love letters she wrote gets mailed to every boy she’s ever had feelings for. She navigates this chaotic event all the while, handling the loss of her mother and possibly learning a bit more about love. Lara Jean isn’t your static cliche character, she has dimension and she carries that throughout the movie. Where many movies before have failed through the use of teenage-tropes and cheesy/impractical romances, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before contrasts all expectations of a high school love story, making it easily one of the best highschool movies that teenagers everywhere can relate to.
Carter Corps News 