Don’t Judge a Book by Its Movie: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

I’m so sorry that I haven’t posted this already but I’ve had kind of a whirlwind weekend (seriously it was epic, but I digress). But I can’t wait another minute to talk about the Netflix movie To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before!

If you are a regular reader of mine, you know that I’ve been a little bit excited about this one. I dearly, dearly love the series by Jenny Han, upon which the book is based. So… did it live up to my expectations???

Ummm…. yeah. Lemme break it down for you:

The Casting:

First, let’s talk about the Coveys. I loved John Corbett as Dr. Covey. But I have loved that man since I was a child watching (and not really understanding) Northern Exposure. Don’t even get me started on Sex and the City. I’m a huge fan. Let’s leave it at that (#TEAMAIDENFOREVER).

I could have done without Janel Parrish as Margot, but it’s not her fault that I can’t see past her Pretty Little Liars character and besides, she’s not in it much anyway.

No, the most important Covey besides Lara Jean herself is Kitty, the precocious youngest Song sister. And Anna Cathcart nailed it!

Peter Kavinsky. Peter is the most popular guy in school and also Lara Jean’s “fake” boyfriend. Possibly a tough role to cast. He needs to be handsome, charming, funny and a little sexy without being overly so. Noah Centineo, or as I like to call him, Mark Ruffalo’s mini me is all of those things.

I totally would’ve crushed on him in high school! Shit, as a middle aged woman I’m kinda crushing on him! And no, I’m not totally OK with that, but I will learn to live with it. I just keep reminding myself that in real life he is 22 years old (I Googled him) and that, while that is a little creepy as he’s almost half my age, it’s better than lusting after a 16-year-old kid. I know not much better. Sometimes you can’t help it though. I call it the Zac Efron effect. My point is, I can totally buy Centineo as my beloved Peter K.

Sigh…..

But the most important, most crucial piece of casting is that of our heroine, Lara Jean. She is a smart, spunky, shy and just beautiful Korean American high schooler who loves romance novels, baking and writing letters to boys she’s had crushes on. Without a likeable actress, the movie would never work.

But Lana Condor? Guys, there could not be a more perfect Lara Jean Song Covey on this planet. Not even if someone had a time machine and could go back in time to when Jenny Han herself was in high school and cast her in the part!

She is perfection and, just like the novel’s Lara Jean, I want to have sleepovers with her, talk books and make cookies for our crush, Peter! I love her.

The Story:

OK, OK, OK…. I’ve seen some people online who didn’t just love this movie. They are entitled to their opinion. They’re wrong though. Some people don’t deal well with change and it is often necessary to alter the plot of a book when adapting it for the screen because of time or pacing or whatever. Am I upset that Movie Peter didn’t take Movie LJ antiquing and buy her a necklace from his mom’s store?

Sure. I’d have liked to see those things…. But this Peter still wrote Lara Jean adorable notes and introduced her to his friends and made Kitty fall for him, just like Book Peter did. Movie Peter and Lara Jean gave me all the same feels that Book Peter and Lara Jean did. And that is what is important to me!

In a Nutshell:

If you’re a fan of rom-coms, teenage angst ala classics like Sixteen Candles, Can’t Hardly Wait and The Breakfast Club, this is the film for you! And the bestie agreed. To All the Boys I Loved Before is a winner for Netflix.

Now, everyone please go follow Peter and LJ to go watch it. I need that sequel that is teased at the end! I need two hours with John Ambrose McLaren!

A million stars all covered in Korean yogurt drink and dusted with chocolate chip cookies!

Fun side note: The bestie and I didn’t have time to make cookies, but we did stop at The Cheesecake Factory and get entirely too many pieces of cheesecake to sample during our viewing party. I think Lara Jean would approve.