Photograph: Bettina StraussNetflix Refreshingly astute Noah Centineo, Lana Condor, Anna Cathcart and John Corbett in To All The Boys: PS I Still Love You.Photograph: Bettina StraussNetflix Ann Lee annlee Tue 11 Feb 2020 11.56 GMT Last modified on Tue 11 Feb 2020 11.57 GMT T o All the Boys I Loved Before was much more than just a sweet-natured romcom about a teenage girl whose secret stash of love letters to her old crushes were accidentally mailed out.
It also heralded a positive step for representation with an Asian American protagonist in a John Hughes-style US high school film. Lara Jean Song Covey (Lana Condor) returns in this first of two sequels, which were shot back-to-back after the unexpected success of the Netflix original in 2018. The first film ended with her getting together with handsome jock and former fake boyfriend Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo). Now shes blissfully living out her very own fairytale, except its not quite as blissful as she imagined. She has to deal with the anxiety-inducing reality of dating one of the most popular boys in school, a jealous ex-girlfriend, and most importantly the arrival of an old childhood crush (and recipient of one of those letters). ![]() No mean feat when youre up against Peter, who was swiftly anointed the internets boyfriend after fans fell hard for Centineos adorably toothy grin and chocolate brown curls. Lara Jean is reunited with John Ambrose after they both start volunteering at the Belleview retirement home. This means Lara Jean and Peters budding relationship is no longer the main focus; thats a shame since Centineo and Condors easy chemistry was a huge part of the original films appeal. Even though John Ambrose, conveyed winsomely by Fisher, is a more than worthy opponent, Centineos soulful charisma is missed when hes not on screen. It makes sense, though, that Lara Jean, an avid romance novel reader, is still wrapped up in her imagination and tying herself in knots with her own thoughts. To All The Boys I Loved Before How To Be SomeonesIts no surprise either that she allows herself to be swept up in the fantasy of another crush when the reality of having a real-life boyfriend and trying to work out how to be someones girlfriend starts to weigh heavily on her. In that way, the film is refreshingly astute about how relationships can be a quagmire of self-doubt and provide highly combustible kindling for someones insecurities. To All the Boys: PS I Still Love You doesnt quite match its predecessor for heart fizzing romance the first film dealt sensitively with loss and grief but its just as entertaining and charming anchored by a supremely likable central performance from Condor. Once again, her Korean heritage is treated as just one thread in the tapestry of her life and theres a cute subplot involving her widowed father (John Corbett) falling for their neighbour. While the ending feels a little rushed as it skips ahead to tie things up neatly, its a fun and engaging portrayal of how happily-ever-after takes work. To All the Boys: PS I Still Love You is released on Netflix on 12 February. Topics Romance films Film adaptations Children and teenagers Netflix reviews targetblank data-ignoreglobal-link-styling Reuse this content comments ( 0 ) Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion. To All The Boys I Loved Before Archive Facebook YouTubeBooks Music TV radio Art design Film Games Classical Stage News Opinion Sport Culture Lifestyle Contact us Complaints corrections SecureDrop Work for us Privacy policy Cookie policy Terms conditions Help All topics All writers Digital newspaper archive Facebook YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Newsletters Advertise with us Search UK jobs Back to top 2021 Guardian News Media Limited or its affiliated companies.
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