"To All The Boys I've Loved Before" review

Review: 3/4"To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before" premiered on Netflix on Aug.17, 2018.  Audiences should not expect a traditional rom-com experience. The movie is about Lara Jean Covey, a shy high school student with two sisters. One of Covey’s sisters mails private letters to three of Covey’s crushes that Covey never actually intended to send. One of the recipients of her letters is Peter Kavinsky, a popular high school classmate of Covey, who pretends to be her boyfriend to help her avoid confronting another recipient, the ex-boyfriend of Covey’s older sister, Josh Sanderson. Though the movie has a light and slightly cheesy plot, it resonates with many of today’s teenagers. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a wonderful representation of the awkwardness of both friendships and romantic relationships in high school as well as the bonds of sisterhood.  Throughout the film, Lara Jean navigates difficult aspects of dating in high school such as parties and judgemental classmates. Such obstacles and resulting insecurities make the film relatable and relevant to teenagers today. One uncomfortable incident occurs when a video of Covey and Kavinsky making out is shared throughout the school on social media. Those sharing the video falsely represent the video as showing the couple having sexual relations. Students in today’s online world frequently face cyberbullying when compromising media is shared within a large group of people. Teens often struggle when they do not confide in trusted friends or adults. Luckily, in the film, Kavinsky is there to support Covey in the midst of the controversy which outlines the genuine quality of a relationship viewers will be inclined to support. When choosing a rom-com to watch, teenagers do not often take into account familial bonds. However, the movie displays the importance of siblings having each other’s backs. The bond Covey and her two sisters share carries them through the confusion of dating as well as coping with life after loss. Whether viewers have siblings or not, the film will remind them of both the relationships they have with their siblings and their best friends."To All The Boys I've Loved Before" is unlikely to win an Oscar in the coming year. However, it was very relatable due to Covey and Kavinsky’s relationship as well as the trials and tribulations of high school. It’s lovable, the type of film one might curl up on the couch with on a Saturday night, and is a great romantic comedy every teenager and young adult will appreciate.