Since its beginning in 2014, the book trilogy “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” has taken the world by storm, setting new standards for teen relationships and romance as a whole. 

In 2018, the first book was adapted into a Netflix movie that racked up over 80 million views. On Feb 12, Netflix once again cashed in on the romance movie craze by releasing the second piece of the cinematic trio, “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You”. 

Directed by Michael Fimognari, “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” is a moderately cheesy yet heartfelt movie that is sure to be adored by romantic movie lovers everywhere. For director Fimognari, this film is a step away from his usual endeavors. Though he was part of the first installment of the series, Fimognari has mostly worked on horror and drama movies, like “Doctor Sleep”, “Ouija: Origin of Evil” and “Before I Fall”. However, he does an excellent job of making the film a continuation of the first part while also including new creative ideas.

“To All the Boys: P.S I Still Love You” follows the life of loveable and quirky Lara Jean Song Covey, portrayed by Lana Condor, as she navigates through her first love. At the beginning of the movie, the viewer gets a glimpse at Lara Jean’s new relationship with her boyfriend, the charming and confident Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo).

Though everything seems to be going smoothly at first, Lara Jean’s world is turned on its head when she receives a letter in the mail. She is shocked to find that one of her former crushes, John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher), has written her back after receiving her love letter in the first movie. 

The plot continues to twist and turn as Lara Jean begins to doubt her relationship with Peter, convinced that he is not over his ex-girlfriend, Gen (Emilija Baranac). She also frets about whether or not she is enough for Peter. Plagued with these worries, Lara Jean finds comfort in how relaxed she can be around John Ambrose, who volunteers at the same nursing home as her. She starts to wonder if it is possible to have feelings for more than one person at a time.

Though Lara Jean and Peter’s bond starts to weaken, the relationships of those around them begin to bud. Sparks fly between their best friends, Trevor (Ross Butler) and Chris (Madeleine Arthur) as well as between Lara Jean’s father (John Corbett) and their neighbor, Mrs. Rothschild (Sarayu Rao). Lara Jean also begins to grow a new friendship with an elderly woman at the nursing home, Stormy (Holland Taylor). These additional storylines add depth and details into the movie, giving the viewer more to think about and enjoy. 

Some of the romantic aspects of the film, while necessary to the fantastical theme of the story, are downright unrealistic for a first relationship. The events in the film and when they occur are too perfect to be true. For example, Peter has an uncanny ability to enter a scene at just the right or wrong time, resolving or creating drama. As for the predictability of the film, the plot twists seem fitting during the first viewing, but after that, they become tired and overused. It isn’t too difficult to correctly guess what is going to happen next. 

“To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” is a heartwarming tale that generates an emotional connection from the viewer. In the same way that Lara Jean feels torn, the viewer may be conflicted about who they want her to end up with. She is faced with the incredibly challenging task of first determining what her heart wants, then taking hold of it. The conflict is mostly resolved just before the end of the movie, though it still feels incomplete. This makes the audience want more and is a perfect way to pull them into the final installment of the trilogy. 

While romance movies aren’t for everyone, it’s hard to find fault in the film “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You”. It makes the viewer feel a variety of emotions, from elation in the good times to despair and frustration in the bad to yearning for more at the conclusion. Luckily, since there is still one part of the trilogy remaining, there is a good chance that Lara Jean and Peter will be returning to the screens soon.