To All the Boys: PS I Still Love You
The sequel to Netflix's popular teen rom-com To All the Boys I've Loved Before wears its heart on its sleeve and, in star Lana Condor, has an endlessly watchable protagonist. Perfect for Valentine's Day streaming
Just in time for Valentine’s, the sequel to Netflix’s 2018 smash hit high school rom-com arrives with all the sugar, fluff, and heart expected from the 'holiday'. Laura Jean (Lana Condor) is still going out with Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centino), the boyfriend she got together with after their fake relationship in the previous film (Netflix helpfully provides a recap of the romance and drama). But a relationship built on such a whirlwind is plagued by doubts, especially when the recipient of one of Laura's letter reappears in her life. To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You checks the genre boxes with aplomb but also proves a smart, sympathetic celebration of young love’s growing pains.
Condor makes for an endlessly watchable protagonist whose heart – if not her head – is always in the right place, and the film soars when her emotions, doubts, and heartaches are given time to breathe. There is a clear awareness that high school woes, no matter how trivial at the time, are life and death in the moment, and the film indulges in the ridiculousness without denying the truth of the ups and downs. The family rapport carried over from the first film proves another highlight; Laura Jean’s life is never defined just by the boy she is connected to.
Internet boyfriend Centino, unfortunately, gets some of the clunkier scenes in the inevitable lovers’ squabbles. The film’s middle is mired in more stereotypical school drama, but To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is still a welcome addition to the streaming rom-com canon. It pairs excellently with a box of chocolates and a st(r)eaming cup of tea.
Streaming now on Netflix