I first discovered this series when I was still a freshman in high school, and the third book still hadn’t come out back in 2015. I remember buying “Always and Forever Lara Jean” as soon as it came out and reading it all in one sitting despite having a big test the next day. That is to say, the “To All The Boys” books and movies hold a special place in my heart, so the final movie release is a momentous occasion for me. In honor of this special moment, I’m going to review each movie and give some tips to have the perfect TATBILB movie marathon this weekend!
- “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”
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Usually when a book gets adapted into a movie they change everything and I end up hating the portrayal. That was not the case with this movie! The author of the series, Jenny Han, had a big hand in the adaptation and it shows because the movie has the same feeling as the book. While there are some major differences and I wish they included some more of my favorite scenes, the characters and story are true to the source material. Lana Condor and Noah Centineo bring Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky to life perfectly and have great chemistry. The stylistic choices in the setting, outfits, and soundtrack are also top tier and I always rewatch the movie around this time of year because it makes me happy. People who haven’t read the books enjoy this one just as much as people who have, which is always a great sign!
- “P.S. I Still Love You”
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The second book is my favorite in the entire series, so this movie had a lot to live up to. I think casting Jordan Fisher as John Ambrose was a genius idea, and I absolutely adore how he portrayed the character. The sound track also topped the first movie with songs like “Purple Hat” by Sofi Tukker, “About Love” by Marina, and “Moral Of The Story” by Ashe to name a few of my favorites. They also continued putting Lara Jean in the cutest outfits which I appreciate. I will say however that I did not enjoy the second movie as much as the first. It felt less accurate to the original source material and the color editing was a little off in my opinion. I also think people who haven’t read the book don’t get the full reason why Lara Jean chooses Peter in the end, which is just a testament to how amazing Jordan Fisher played his role.
- “Always and Forever Lara Jean”
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This was my least favorite of the books so I went in hoping to be pleasantly surprised by the movie and it definitely didn’t disappoint! I think I actually ended up enjoying it more than the second one. It once again stayed accurate to the source material but was still different enough that I was engaged the whole time. I loved that they included scenes from South Korea, and they made so many fun stylistic choices that differentiated this movie from the first two. It was also so amazing seeing the New York scenes even though I’m still a little bitter I didn’t get into NYU… but that isn’t the movie’s fault so I can’t even be mad. I think this was the perfect ending for the series and it kind of makes me sad that it’s all over.
Now that you’ve heard what I think of each movie, it’s your turn to have a movie marathon! I recommend putting on your favorite Lara Jean-inspired outfit (you absolutely cannot forget a cute hair accessory!!!), baking a yummy treat (check out some of Jenny Han’s TATBILB-inspired recipes), and gathering a small group of friends (don’t forget to be COVID safe) so you can gush about the cuteness together! Here is a list of fun “To All The Boys” activities Netflix put together to celebrate the release!
I’m going to spend the whole weekend listening to the movie soundtracks and rewatching the movies, and I hope you do too!