Stars: 4/5

“To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” is my favorite movie. I loved the book and watched the movie an unhealthy twelve times. When I found out the sequel was coming out, I was ecstatic. However, it fell flat where it matters most. 

The movie starts with innocent Lara Jean Covey going on her real first date with her no longer fake boyfriend, Peter Kavinsky. They swear to never break each other’s heart and melt ours with their cuteness. While they’re adorable, they’re still in high school, and no high school love is flawless. 

With different social lives and interests outside of school, Lara Jean and Peter struggle to find the perfect balance. Add on Lara Jean’s unhealthy obsession with his ex-girlfriend, Gen, and trouble starts. Trouble that only gets worse by the arrival of an answered love letter and John Ambrose McClaren. 

As Lara Jean deals with the strains of her relationship, we watch love blossom around her as her dad and best friend both enter their own relationships. The sweetest relationship in the whole movie might just be her reunion with her former best friend and Peter’s ex. 

The issue with “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” is that I know I love Peter. He stole the heart of Lara Jean and every girl watching, but he just makes it impossible. You know he’s trying hard to please Lara Jean, but he just keeps missing the mark. 

Enter John Ambrose, and my heart is stolen all over again. He’s everything Peter isn’t, and Lara Jean knows it. We spend the entire movie groaning at Peter and swooning for John Ambrose. In the end, we realize that perfect isn’t always right. 

John Ambrose said the right words, but Peter, despite all his flaws, knew the real Lara Jean. Relationships aren’t about what we say. It’s about how we act. Sometimes the idiot who messes up is a better choice over a smooth talker. 

High school love is messy and complicated, and the movie does a wonderful job of portraying that. It’s about insecure jealousy and butting heads because you don’t know any better. It’s about being vulnerable and scared of trusting someone else. 

The movie’s storyline is paired with an amazing, indie-pop soundtrack and stunning visuals. The aesthetic of the movie is goals, just like everything else in Lara Jean’s life. 

It’s infuriating to watch Lara act the way she does, but then we remember we were once her. Even if we didn’t have our own Peter Kavinsky to drive us home in the snow.