And here we are, on Valentine’s Day with the ultimate of all ultimates when it comes to romantic movies (in these times, anyway) – Netflix’s ‘To All The Boys P.S. I Love You,’ which is a mouthfu-ltitled sequel to the smash hit ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.’ I loved the first movie, and have been eagerly awaiting this one, and of course, why not see it on Valentine’s Day? (Remember when we used to have old-fashioned old-school romantic movies on this day?)
So the verdict? This one is a less successful film than its predecessor – it meanders before settling into a predictable love triangle story line. But yes, it still works, thanks mainly to the cast. Lana Condor (Lara jean) and Noah Centineo (Peter Kavinsky) are so charming separately and together that it hardly matters. (Is it just me or does Centineo read older this time around) that you have no choice but to just go along with them for the ride. They make such a cute couple and you totally believe them, their pairing so effortless.
When the film offers distraction it kind of stalls a bit. I never believed John Wesley McClaren (Jordan Rivers) as a threat, though I loved Holland Taylor’s sassy turn as an older lady where Lara volunteers.
What matters most is how I connected with these characters. I don’t think there were any surprises here but still I was a weepy mess by the end of the film. For me, this brought Valentine’s Day messaging front and center, just the way I wanted it.
I grew up watching the John Hughes movies of the 80s, so it is nice to see that resurgence on Netflix. Noah Centineo seems to be the Molly Ringwald of this generation, and why not? He is an appealing enough actor, and he is certainly easy on the eyes, so of course, I am so there for his new movie ‘The Perfect Date,’ and look, I am not going to pretend and say that I am expecting major literary cinema here, but for me, the film serves its purpose – it’s light, it’s funny, and Noah is certainly nice to watch. (as a small bonus, there’s even a cute gay subplot)
Luha Thoughts 