‘To All The Boys: Always and Forever’ (2021) Review

To All The Boys: Always and Forever Synopsis: Senior year of high school takes center stage as Lara Jean returns from a family trip to Korea and considers her college plans – with and without Peter.

As senior year begins, Peter and Lara Jean already have their post-high school plans figured out. Peter has already been accepted to Stanford on a lacrosse scholarship, and the couple is eagerly awaiting the acceptance of Lara Jean’s application. But since things rarely go according to plan in life, Lara Jean and Peter find that their futures may not be on the same path after all.

After a really disappointing second installment that was P.S. I Still Love You, I have to admit that I was very wary about Always and Forever. Especially as I was not a fan of the book either. P.S. I Still Love You was missing so much of the charm that made me absolutely adore the first film, and perhaps my dislike of Lara Jean in the last book also clouded my desire to watch this.

However, I’m really happy – and relieved – to say that Always and Forever exceeded my expectations and was a real joy to watch. While it sticks well to the source material, it also makes a few tweaks here and there that I feel really improved the story.

Unlike a lot of teenage rom-coms, Always and Forever portrays the real struggle of a high school relationship after the diplomas are handed out and the future is waiting, especially when that future is different for both parties. Peter is attending Stanford, and Lara Jean is making her plans revolve around the desire to stay with Peter.

But after a visit to NYU, she realizes her heart is calling her elsewhere, and while it’s difficult, Lara Jean begins to realize that she can’t plan her entire future around one boy. I have to credit the movie for not making Peter a complete jerk about it. Their arguments and feelings are both valid, but the movie doesn’t take the easy way out by making Peter an unsupportive assh*le just so Lara Jean feels validated in leaving.

Of course, we get a bit more insight into Peter’s state of mind and his abandonment issues. The movie introduces Henry Thomas as Peter’s absentee father with a brand new family. Considering this is supposedly the last film in the series, it feels a little too late to delve into Peter’s personal life suddenly. Sure, they needed to give him a reason to feel hurt and rejected by Lara Jean’s desire to move across the country. Still, it feels thin and contrived here, which is a shame because it would have given Peter a lot more depth as a character if they had shown us his family life in either of the other two movies.

Part of what makes this trilogy so lovely to watch is the chemistry between Lana Condor and Noah Centineo. They’ve always been the best part of these films, which is likely why their separation in P.S. I Still Love You made it seem so empty. While the trilogy is about Lara Jean’s journey to adulthood, her romance with Peter pushes her growth. Condor and Centineo give the couple such an authentic feel that you can’t help but root for them, even when you know the real world wouldn’t treat them as kindly as in this movie.

Always and Forever is a vibrant movie, full of color and bubblegum aesthetic. While I found the ending a bit too cutesy and unrealistic – “We’re not like other couples.” – I will admit that it was still a satisfying ending to Lara Jean and Peter’s story. There is the acknowledgment that things could work out, but if they don’t then maybe that’s okay. Given the series’s popularity, there is always the chance that there could be a fourth installment of To All The Boys someday, but for now, Lara Jean’s journey feels finished, and unlike the book, I’m pleased with how it ended.

Watched: 02/16/2021
Notable Song: Beginning Middle End – Leah Nobel