To All The Boys I've Loved Before has quite the following on social media and I decided to see if it lived up to the hype. Being a Netflix original movie, I knew it was going to be well produced, but would it compare to the book?
After reading the first book, I have to admit, I wasn't blown away. I like a corny teen romance as much as the next guy, but this one was not hitting all the marks like they usually do. After watching the movie, I still wasn't blown away. I heard this movie was so great so I thought that maybe this was the rare occurrence when the movie is better than the book. The book and movie weren't too different, but there definitely were unique in the ways they were presented.
*Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead.*
1. Josh buying his plane ticket to Scotland.
Book: Josh is hopelessly in love with Margot, but just wishes she wouldn't leave for college.
Movie: Josh is still hopelessly in love with Margot and buys a plane ticket to visit her in Scotland. Come on, Josh. It's desperate.
2. Fainting when she sees the first letter.
Book: Peter storms up to Lara Jean and gets upset that she thought he had an STD.
Movie: Faints dramatically on the track after he tries to politely reject her.
3. Peter's car.
Book: Peter Kavinsky is too cool for school he drives an Audi. He's supposed to be what all the girls want and who the guys want to be right?
Movie: Drives a jeep. Jeeps are nice but it's no Audi. Still gives him some "cool guy" points.
4. Gen was never a huge threat till the end of the book.
Book: The whole book we just heard rumors of Gen being a terrible person, but only in the last few chapters did she start scheming.
Movie: Tries to sabotage Lara Jean and Peter's "relationship" by consistently being the worst person in the world.
5. No friendship with Lucas.
Book: Lucas returned her letter and confessed to being gay but they only mentioned him one other time.
Movie: He was on Lara Jean's side about everything and was her only other friend beside Chris.
6. Peter never slept in Gen's room or gave her Lara's hair tie.
GiphyBook: Gen tried manipulating everything but never took Lara Jean's favorite hair tie from Peter. (If you didn't read the book that the last sentence is going to be really cringy for you).
Movie: The reason they broke up was that he still went back to Gen's room and Gen has her hair tie. Silly Peter.
7. Father-daughter bonding moment in the diner.
GiphyBook: You knew all the Song sisters took too much responsibility for each other and they all had to grow up pretty quick after their mom died. Margot was basically in charge of everyone's lives, but the father never mentioned feeling guilty about letting the girls grow up too fast.
Movie: Dad takes Lara Jean to the diner to help cheer her up and he talks about memories with her mom. Actually, one scene that I really wished was in the book.
8. No car accident.
GiphyBook: Lara Jean and Peter meet because of the car crash she gets in. That's how Peter is introduced besides being the popular jock that everyone loved.
Movie: First time they talk is when he gets his letter. Where is the sweet scene that shows Peter is a good guy beneath his cool guy persona?
9. No cliffhanger.
Book: Lara Jean and Peter are broken up but Lara Jean wants to make an effort to fix things so she starts another letter. That's it. We don't know if those crazy kids work things out.
Movie: They end up together. I know, it's a corny teen movie, of course, they have to have a happy ending.
