REVIEW: To All The Boys ‘veI Loved Before Is Charming Coming Of Age Romantic Comedy

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a sweet, coming of age flick from director, Susan Johnson. This new Netflix original based on the novel of the same name by Jenny Han, follows Lara Jena (Lana Condor), a high school junior struggling with her feelings for her older sister’s boyfriend while also trying to make it through the year. Lara Jean has a habit of writing very intimate and private letters to previous crushes as a way to handle her crush. Somehow letters she wrote in secret are sent to their recipients, which leads to some very unusual repercussions for the teen.

The film leans hard into the stereotypical romantic coming of age plot. Boy and girl aren’t friends, boy and girl make plans for fake relationship, they fall for the other, they fight, they makeup, all while a “mean” girl is out to sabotage their lives. The trope of a “mean” girl antagonist, when there are plenty of other obstacles teens struggle with during their high school years, is bit tired in 2018. However, the flick has just enough fluff to make it enjoyable for modern-day audiences. Despite a bit of predictability, the scenes between the sisters and the climatic moment between Lara Jean and her “mean” girl are some of the brightest moments in the film.

All the young actors are a delight to watch. Lana Condor is great and has the right chops to play a leading lady. Noah Centineo is the male lead, Peter, and acts wonderfully alongside Lana. Janel Parrish plays Lara’s older sister, Margot, and is only in the film for a short time but it was nice to see her in a new role.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is as predictable as rain on a rainy day, but it’s a nice film to watch to overcome those drops.

Grade: B-