First of all, let's just say this is the cutest teen movie I've ever seen in my life.
All of the characters, while some of them may be a little trope-y, they're done in a way that makes them all authentic, honest and original. I love them all.
Everyone has a back story and is explained well enough that you know what their role is. Some movies don't do this well. Even though you basically know what's going to happen, because, at the end of the day it is still a teen movie, you're going to sob and maybe even scream.
But back to my queen, Lara Jean, and why she's the absolute best
She Has Amazing Style
Were y'all keeping up with the fact that she was putting complete and total looks together that entire time? From the socks to the scrunchies, to the shoes; she looked great every single day! I really can't even believe Gen tried to come for her? Rude.
Her Best Friend Is Also Cool
Chris AND Lara Jean together?! Stylish, fashionable, hilarious: iconic! 10/10, I love their friendship and how they're the only ones each other trusts. The way they take care of and look out for one another is great. Plus they both have such great personalities.
She Daydreams
I love how Lara Jean lives in her own head. She has all these ideas of what love is because she's read about it and imagined it, but she's never experienced it before. Reminds me of someone I know (me).
She Pushes People Away
Not necessarily a positive thing about her, but this makes Lara Jean a real person and less like every other perfect fairytale, teen romance movie to ever be made. She has a problem letting people in and her background and the dialogue in the movie actually explains why.
She's Not One Of The Popular Kids
Whenever they make a teen movie, there's always the popular kids and I love when the protagonist/main character isn't one of them. I wasn't one of them in high school, so making movies about the cool kids doesn't make them easy to root for.
She's a Person of Color
Do you know how great it is to see a POC as the lead in a teen movie? I watch a lot of these because I'm garbage and it's usually a blonde white girl who's like stereotypically attractive but not "popular," and it just makes the movie harder to relate to. I think having the lead be a person of color makes the movie a little more accessible to more people. Because people who look like Lara Jean can see themselves in her and it's important for young people of all types to be recognized in media so they can feel heard and understood. I just love that!
She Wins In The End
Even After Gen was terrible to her the whole movie and she lost Peter, Josh and her own freakin' sister, she eventually gets the boy and repairs her relationship with her best friend and her sister! Ahhh, We love a happy ending!
As I said before, this is truly one of the greatest movies I've seen in a very very very long time. All of the characters are so likable, even Lara Jean's dad. It's like "Mean Girls" but so much cuter and less dramatic.
As a fan of the genre of teen romance, I'm glad a movie like this exists, with a woman of color as the lead and a sad backstory, but a cute and witty family. It's truly all the things I ever wanted in a teen romance.
Thanks, "To All the Boys I've Loved Before."
