To All the Boys I've Loved Before Movie: Likes and Dislikes

   Saturday night, we three bloggers got together and watched the new Netflix original film adaptation of Jenny Han's novel To All the Boys I've Loved Before-- a book which all three of us read and enjoyed. Obviously any time a beloved book is made into a movie, there's some skepticism surrounding whether or not it's going to be good or not, particularly in regards to loyalty to the book. After watching TAtBILB, I can honestly say that while not 100% perfect, it was close enough to the book for me to enjoy, and brought its own style that I really appreciated. In fact, I would even say that after a summer of not that many great movie watches, this was the film I didn't know I needed!! I really liked it y'all! So, with that in mind, I wanted to tell you everything I loved about it, and the things I didn't like as much. Oh, before I get to it, SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!

What I Liked About To All the Boys I've Loved Before: (I'm about to get real nerdy up in here with like, sub lists within the list so buckle up my friends)

1. Perfect Cast
    a. Great Asian representation
       Not only are three of the main characters (and their deceased mother) Asian, but I also noticed a great representation of Asian students at the school just in the background! Yahoo!
    b. Actors that really fit the roles from the book
        AGH THIS MOVIE IS SO WELL CAST. Lara Jean was EXACTLY like I pictured, Margot was pretty darn close as well
    c. CUTE BOYS FOR THE WIN LIKE OH MY GOODNESS WHATTTT THEY'RE ALL BEAUTIFUL
     AGHHKLKLFDKOUDLSDFLjSlfkjkJKDJFJSKJFLSJSKODFOJSFSLfJSDlk I could not handle their cuteness.

Josh was a SPOT ON cute neighbor boy, and Israel Broussard who plays him straight up looks like the adorable heartthrob from The Man in the Moon (Jason London). Exhibit A: (twins y'all, twins)

John Ambrose McClaren was yeesssss perfect, he had that exact old timey suitor look that I pictured when I read  the books-- and those DIMPLES LIKE WOAH.

Lucas was ADORABLE. I never really got a good picture in my head of what Lucas would look like, so I'm glad this movie put a great image in my head.

And Peter, sweet sweet Peter, was lovelier than I could ever have hoped for.



 
2. PETER KAVINSKY
     This could fall under perfect cast but Peter deserves his own separate bullet point. When reading the books, I was fully team Peter. I liked Josh and can definitely see his appeal-- I mean who among us has not dreamt of a dreamy next door neighbor with whom to fall in love with? And John Ambrose McClaren did his fair share to grow on me in the second book. But there is just something about Peter in all his imperfections and jock-boy-ness. To me he always seemed like the most realistic choice because of said imperfections. Plus, his characteristics as described in the book make him hard not to fall in love with, even if it's against your better judgement. SO being team Peter meant I had extra high standards for his character in the movie. And boy was I not disappointed!!!
      Noah Centineo doesn't look quite exactly how I pictured Peter looking-- in my head head he had more of a 1950s greaser pretty boy vibe-- like this:

But dare I say Noah Centineo's portrayal of Peter Kavinsky was actually BETTER than how I was picturing Peter in my head???? Centineo just brought him to life in a way that I could never have imagined and didn't know was possible. He is the perfect Peter, and the concept of Peter that I made up in my head can go exist in another fictional universe (because I still love him too teehee).
     Also, can we TALK about the fact that Noah Centineo is basically Mark Ruffalo's doppleganger?? As soon as he came on screen I made this observation to SE and AB because the resemblance was uncanny to me-- his gawky gestures, his facial expressions and mannerisms-- and his voice literally sounds EXACTLY like Mark Ruffalo's. I of course had to see if the two were related somehow, so I googled it, and it turns out I am not the only one who sees the resemblance!! Here and here are two articles that mention the comparisons between the two of them. Oh, and here's a video in which Centineo himself mentions Ruffalo!


(Can you tell I am slightly obsessed with the Centineo/Ruffalo thing??? Cuz I am, I really am.)

3. Pretty loyal to the book!
     It's been a little while since I read the first book, but from what I remember of it, this movie pretty much nails all the important stuff. Sure there are some minor details that were changed for logistical movie sake, but overall, the heart of the movie is very much in line with the book. Fangirls everywhere rejoice at this.

4. Finally, a lighthearted RomCom!!!
     We don't need any more overly serious politically driven thought provoking stuff right now. That's like literally everything on TV right now. This movie is a blessed blessed break. And yeah, the RomCom in general is making  a slight comeback right now, but a lot of RomComs are way too "adult" if you know what I mean-- even the ones targeted towards teens. This one is not like that-- it's actually acceptable teen level issues, hallelujah!

5. The fangirls online are hilarious and lovely
     I have been reading every Buzzfeed article that comes out about To All the Boys I've Loved Before, most of which showcase the funniest and cutest social media posts people have been making about the movie and I love them all so much!! Here are some fun ones to read:

29 Tweets about "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" that are a Real Mood

25 Posts You'll Only Understand if You've Fallen in Love with Peter Kavinsky

22 Thirst Tweets about Peter Kavinsky That'll Make You Say "Woah woah woah"




6. Beautiful cinematography/staging
     Even amongst the glorious clutter that is Lara Jean's room, you can tell it's a GORGEOUSLY decorated space. I love it so much! All of the rooms in all of the houses are beautiful, and I love that they all have some clutter! The most annoying thing in movies is when characters live in houses that look they are straight out of an Ethan Allen catalog-- that is to say they look like nobody has ever actually set foot in them, like nobody actually lives there! The places in TAtBILB, while still all beautiful and nearly perfect, look like they have some love and some living in them and I appreciate that greatly.

     There is also some really great scenery and travel shots in this movie. SE, AB and I were trying to remember where the book takes place, and I guess it must take place in Oregon since that's what Lara Jean's license plate says, and that makes sense based on some of the beautiful wooded, mountainous air shots that are peppered throughout the film. I will say though that at times there were a couple of awkward camera shots. But maybe they were intentionally symbolic or something? IDK, and not a big deal.
     ALSO THE WARDROBE??? Like can I please raid LJ's closet??? That velvet top??? That white sweater?? All those skirts??? SO cute.


7. Soundtrack
     While not as up to par with all the recent John Green movies, this movie definitely still holds its own with that classic Lauv bop "I Like Me Better", and one of my favorite Tears for Fears songs, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"!!
     You can click here for a GREAT, in depth article about every song featured in the movie.


8. Product placement
     Okay, I think I have mentioned this before, but I have a weird love and appreciation for product placement. I think it is the future of advertising, and I think it is the smartest form of advertising because it brings products that we all actually use in the real world into the fictional worlds that we watch which makes them seem more realistic (if done properly, that is. If product placement is NOT done properly, well then it's just downright hilarious lolll). Anyway, this movie has one particular instance of product placement that I felt was well done and that was a little plug for Subway when Chris says she skipped lunch because she was having a craving for Subway. It was also kinda funny because she texts Lara Jean a Subway sub emoji which is pretty funny because as we all know, no such emoji exists...


What I Didn't Like:

1. Unrealistic Dad
     As much as I like John Corbett as an actor (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, anyone? Raising Helen? He's a classic RomCom leading man), I just felt like his portrayal of Dr. Covey was wayyyyy cheesy. Like yeah in the books Dr. Covey is a little cheesy-- you'd have to be with daughters like his. But he wasn't cheesy to the point of unrealistic. Dr. Covey in the movie says and does some things that no dad would ever say and do, just on principle of being a dad.

2. Not enough Josh!
     Okay, I am and always will be a complete Team Peter gal, but I also really enjoyed Josh and Lara Jean's dynamic in the book because, as I mentioned before, who among us did not fancy having a cute, friendly boy next door with whom to become best friends with and on whom to crush??? And in the book they get wayyyy more time together and more of a relationship on both levels, which is a super important part of the story. I just felt like in the movie he was a bit more of a plot device to move Peter and LJ's relationship forward, whereas in the book he's actually more of a stumbling block to their relationship because LJ still has feelings for him.

DUDEEEEE I just had a revelation: Israel Broussard should play Henry in a movie version of the book The Clearing!!! Based on this picture alone, he would be PERFECT. 

3. Not enough Korean stuff
     In the book, the girls being Korean, and Korean culture in general was a big deal to Lara Jean (in fact, in the book the girls even go by their mom's last name, Song). In the movie it's kind of just brushed over except for a few small references and instances. I just would have loved to have seen LJ's Korean culture fleshed out a bit more.

4. The hot tub thing
     Eh, it was just a little too saucy for me-- and I felt the same in the book. I mean I know nothing technically happened but I still find it hard to believe that a bookish, awkward girl like Lara Jean would do something even remotely that...sexy? Like teen romance in my book-- and particularly in this case with the given characters and their personalities-- should always be "awwww cute!" not "ooh sexy!" IDK. I mean I know a lot of people really loved that scene, but to be honest, I far preferred that part where they're in Peter's  kitchen just talking. To me that was ten million times more romantic and sweet-- and didn't result in public humiliation for the girl. 

5. The biggest book-to-movie difference
     The biggest book to movie difference that annoyed me was that she never went to the Model UN thing to spy on John Ambrose McClaren. I mean I can see why that wouldn't fit into the movie logistically because it would kind of bring in a whole tangential plot point and lose some of the movie's focus, but for fans of the book and especially LJ+JAM shippers (not that I necessarily am one because PETER4LYFE), that Model UN scene kind of launched that ship in the books and it's not even present in the movie.

6. Now EVERYONE is obsessed with it
     I know, I know, I'm a notorious snob. But I guess it just annoys me a little bit that people who never even read the books are now suddenly all hunky dory about it?? And how would you feel if suddenly a parade of girls were falling all over your boyfriend? Because that's how I feel about everyone's sudden obsession with Peter Kavinsky. Like yeah the twitter posts are hilarious and entertaining, but Peter is MY fictional boyfriend!!! You can't have him! Jk jk but not really. I guess I just like it when something I love is very niche. Like I said, I am a snob.

6. It ended so quickly!
  Where my movie 2 at huh?????? This movie certainly inspired me to want to read the 3rd book, and maybe reread the first two because I don't remember everything.

So there you have it. I just nerded out and spent like multiple hours crafting this post so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And if you haven't seen TAtBILB, you gottaa!!!! But read the book first PLEASE I beg of you. It'll be worth it, I promise.

VaughnDL