To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

I’m switching things up a bit this week by covering the Netflix original and instant fan favorite, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. High schooler Lara Jean (played by Lana Condor) has never been in a relationship, but has written a total of five letters addressed to the various crushes/love interests she has had throughout her life with no intention of sending them. One day, Lara Jean’s younger sister decides that it’s time that Lara Jean gets a boyfriend, and decides to send out the letters without letting Lara Jean know. The first person to confront Lara Jean about her letters is Peter Kavinsky (played by the beloved Noah Centineo) who was previously dating Lara Jean’s ex-middle-school-best-friend, Gen (played by Emilija Baranac). Eventually, Peter and Lara Jean begin a supposedly artificial relationship originally intended to make Gen jealous, but the relationship becomes legitimate. In classic rom-com fashion, the couple encounters a few bumps, but ultimately rejoin, more in love than before. Certain scenes in the film play out like a horror story for a teenager. What I mean by this is that the thought of possible consequences of a moment seem like “the end of the world” to the characters. This is emphasized by the stereotypical nature of the characters and story, which might be too cheesy and overplayed, but once you look past that, it’s actually pretty entertaining.

One of the aspects of the film that comes off as concerning to me are the actions of the male characters. It seems like from the beginning of his interactions with Lara Jean that Peter Kavinsky is possibly interested in pursuing a real romantic relationship with her, but claims that he is solely attempting to make Gen jealous. Before deciding to be with Lara Jean by the end, Peter’s actions throughout the film play into both motivations of wanting to be with Lara Jean but also wanting to be with Gen as he tries to get over her. He is slightly manipulative as he asks Lara Jean to wear her hair in a certain way or to set her phone background to a specific picture in order to make their fake relationship more believable. Even Josh (played by Israel Broussard), Lara Jean’s older sister’s ex-boyfriend who received a letter from Lara Jean and who is not necessarily an important character, reprimands Lara Jean for being with Peter and even attempts to “protect” her by confronting Peter at one point. These actions perpetuate possibly unhealthy motivations and come off as manipulative and unnecessary.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’s quirky and stylized nature makes for an engaging and entertaining viewing experience. I know I cover “viewing experience” in almost every Spoiler Alert entry, but this week’s movie is unique in that it is found exclusively on Netflix, so viewers will only ever experience it on a device that is much smaller and held closer to their face. This may seem obvious, but it is important to highlight as it speaks to the cinematography and color palette of the film. Production studios and directors are well aware that the majority of media is being consumed through laptop and phone screens and they have adjusted their cinematography accordingly. You’ll notice an increase in the amount of medium to close-up shots as well as the striking use of color. Keep an eye out for the shift in how TV shows and movies are being shot today, and you’ll note some interesting qualities.