Review of To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) by Jewel B — 01 Dec 2018

To All The Boys I've Loved Before doesn't do much original in way of story, but makes up for it for what else goes into the construction of a damn fine rom-com.

It's a truth universally acknowledged that Netflix movies are the most hit and miss productions ever (Look out for a future Cinema with CJ feature about that) so it's always nice to get a taste of something refreshing.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before is just so charming and bright it manages to step ahead of most recent high school movie fare. Is it the simplicity of actually having diversity of a lead for once with some more Asian-American representation? Is it an adapted screenplay of a YA book written by a female, adapted by a female, and then directed by a female? Is it the inventive and wonderfully visual storytelling that does so well in showing and not telling? To All The Boys I've Loved Before is a lot of things, and that makes it good. Really good.

It's not great, unfortunately, and while it both references and clearly channels the influence of the great John Hughes, this film doesn't reach that highly. But goddamn was I invested in the characters and the drama. It still had that genuine high school feel to it. You buy into the conflicts and the situations and the chemistry. It's written how people talk and more importantly it's written how people feel. Teenagers are stupid. And they are here! So when they learn, and when they change, you just can't help but smile. It's currently rocking Netflix, and it's currently rocking my evening.