You heard that right, ladies… the sequel to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is finally up on Netflix and I am here to give you an honest review of this romcom. As a sort of disclaimer, I have not read the books, so I am reviewing as strictly a viewer. My roommate, who has read the books and is a huge fan of the series, found herself a little disappointed but still ecstatic to see some of her favorite characters come to life on screen.
Let me start out by saying, overall, it was a good movie. It was cute, genuinely. Plus, it came out just in time for Valentine’s Day which was a great marketing idea. I’m not a huge movie fan, so for me to go out of my way to sit down and watch a movie on its release date is a good sign. I loved the original film and had high hopes for the sequel. I’m also a sucker for romcoms when I do watch movies, so I may be a tad bit biased. The moments in the beginning and end of the film were comical and adorable in nature. They were often light-hearted and it seemed the only real conflict was Laura Jean’s lack of knowledge in being a “good girlfriend”. This whole concept of feeling lost in being a “good girlfriend” I have my own opinions on, but aside from my dislike of her viewpoint, it was an okay storyline.
The beginning of the film felt dragged out with little developments and some minor foreshadowing. Perhaps this was to lay down a proper foundation for the rest of the events that were to unfold. Regardless, it felt drawn-out to an unnecessary degree. After the first 45 minutes of uneventfulness, the rest of the film seemed to slip away from me. The plot was rushing along and crucial pieces of the puzzle were given seconds of screen time when they needed much more than that. It was weird because you knew what was going on, but at the same time, you didn’t.
In the end, Laura Jean and Peter still end up together despite a breakup and some questionable behavior with the opposite sex on both of their parts. The fights they had and the “heartbreak” they felt all seemed juvenile to me. I wasn’t a fan of the way it as carried out, nor the concepts of these moments either. I mean, everyone knew she was going to end up kissing John Ambrose by the way she talked about him at the very beginning of the movie. Everyone also knew that she and Peter would end up together in the end, because the guy and girl always end up together at the end of romcoms, that’s just how it goes.
Overall, I think it’s a cute film to satisfy your romcom cravings. It wouldn’t be my first recommendation, but if you’ve exhausted all your other options and need something to watch this weekend, it’s not bad. I wish the movie was broken down a bit neater and that the proper time was provided to the more crucial plot points as opposed to the drag in the beginning. It passed the sequel test though! It’s not as great as the first movie, but not nearly as bad as Grown Ups 2 so that’s saying something! These are, however, merely my opinions so it’s up to you to decide if it has passed the sequel test.