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To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

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To All the Boys:
P.S. I Still Love You
Official release poster
Directed byMichael Fimognari
Screenplay by
Based onP.S. I Still Love You
by Jenny Han
Produced byMatt Kaplan
Starring
CinematographyMichael Fimognari
Edited byJoe Klotz
Music byJoe Wong
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • February 12, 2020 (2020-02-12)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$18 million

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is a 2020 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Michael Fimognari and written by Sofia Alvarez and J. Mills Goodloe. The film stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Trezzo Mahoro, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Kelcey Mawema, Jordan Fisher, Ross Butler, Julie Tao, Sarayu Blue, John Corbett, and Holland Taylor. The film is based on Jenny Han's 2015 novel P.S. I Still Love You.

The film is a sequel to To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018), and the second installment in the To All the Boys film series. It marks Fimognari's directorial debut, after serving as cinematographer on the first film; he also returns as cinematographer. The film was released on February 12, 2020 exclusively on Netflix, with a third film titled To All the Boys: Always and Forever, also directed by Fimognari, released on February 12, 2021.[1] It received generally positive reviews.

Plot

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Lara Jean Covey's high school sets up a volunteer program. While her boyfriend Peter Kavinsky volunteers with his friends, Lara Jean goes to Belleview Retirement Home instead, following in her older sister Margot's footsteps.

Now an official couple, Lara Jean Covey and her boyfriend Peter Kavinsky go on their first date together, where they release a paper lantern into the sky with their initials written on it.

Lara Jean, her younger sister Kitty, and her father later embark on a Korean vacation, in honor of Lara Jean and Kitty;s deceased mother. When they return home, Lara Jean is surprised to find that one of her former crushes and letter recipients John Ambrose McClaren has written her a response letter. Lara Jean finds the letter heartfelt, and informs Peter that she intends to write John Ambrose back.

For their high school's volunteer program, Peter attempts to convince Lara Jean to choose the same program as him and his lacrosse team, but Lara Jean opts to volunteer at the Belleview Retirement Home instead, following in the footsteps of her older sister Margot. On her first day there, she meets Stormy, an eccentric old lady who Margot often mentioned, and also discovers that John Ambrose volunteers at Belleview. They talk about a love letter she had written to him many years ago, and he lets her read the letter as long as she gives it back to him afterward. Lara Jean is unable to stop thinking about their conversation and, in addition, is constantly insecure about her relationship with Peter because she cannot stop comparing herself with her former best friend, and Peter's ex-girlfriend, Gen.

On Valentine's Day, Lara Jean witnesses her classmates being serenaded by special a capella groups and is told that Peter had sent a group to serenade Gen every period, back when they were still dating. This increases her insecurity, though she forgets about this when she meets Peter later that day. He gives her a silver heart necklace and reads a poem, which she believes is original but turns out to be two verses of an Edgar Allan Poe poem. He later apologizes and tells her he wishes he could write something like that for her, though he means everything in the poem.

While volunteering at Belleview, Lara Jean and John Ambrose grow closer and plan to throw a Star Ball party there after discovering some old decorations. He appears to be developing feelings for her, who has not informed him about her relationship with Peter. Lara Jean and John Ambrose hold a gathering at a treehouse where they hung out in middle school to dig up a time capsule they buried years ago with their friends, including Peter, Gen, Chris, and Peter's best friend Trevor. During their unpacking, Gen claims that she didn't put anything in the time capsule. Sensing Lara Jean and John Ambrose's attraction, a jealous Peter reveals his relationship with Lara Jean. He later confronts Lara Jean about hiding their relationship from John Ambrose, but they reconcile soon after.

The next day, Lara Jean apologizes to John Ambrose for not telling him about Peter, and then dresses up for Peter's game. As she is waiting for him to come out to meet her, Chris shows her a photo of Peter and Gen. She confronts Peter and realizes that he never stopped talking to Gen and that, on the ski trip, Peter was planning to get back together with Gen. As Peter is in a rush to get to the game, he tells Lara Jean they will have to talk about it later, but she is too hurt and breaks up with him.

Lara Jean goes to the treehouse and meets Gen, who reveals that Peter was only comforting her as her parents are separating, and that she went to Peter because he had gone through the same experience. She also says that Peter is crazy about Lara Jean, and that she shouldn't doubt him. Gen then reveals that she had, in fact, put a friendship bracelet identical to Lara Jean's in the capsule, and was too embarrassed to show it. Lara Jean realizes that it was her and not Peter who always had Gen on her mind, and makes up with her.

On the night of the retirees' ball, Stormy gives Lara Jean a dress and a makeover. She and John Ambrose dance before going outside in the snow. When they kiss, Lara Jean realizes that she truly loves Peter and does not hold feelings for John. She apologizes to him and rushes outside, surprised to find Peter waiting for her. He is there because he remembers she does not like driving in the snow, a fact that she told him on their first date.

Peter says Lara Jean can break his heart if she wants, but instead she says that she loves him, and he tells her he loves her back. They kiss and make up, and in an ending voiceover Lara Jean says that she had wanted a fairy-tale relationship with Peter, but is now satisfied with what she has.

Cast and characters

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  • Lana Condor as Lara Jean Covey, a high school student and Peter’s girlfriend
  • Noah Centineo as Peter Kavinsky, Lara Jean's boyfriend and a popular lacrosse player
  • Jordan Fisher as John Ambrose McClaren, Lara Jean's crush in sixth grade
  • Anna Cathcart as Katherine "Kitty" Covey, Lara Jean's playful little sister who got her and Peter together
  • Janel Parrish as Margot Covey, Lara Jean's mature and responsible older sister who goes to college in Scotland
  • Ross Butler as Trevor, Peter and Lara Jean's very close friend and Chris’ boyfriend
  • Madeleine Arthur as Christine, Gen's cousin and Lara Jean's best friend who goes by "Chris"
  • Emilija Baranac as Genevieve, also known as Gen, a pretty and popular girl who is Peter's ex and Lara Jean's best-friend-turned-rival
  • Trezzo Mahoro as Lucas, Lara Jean's gay and amiable friend as well as one of her former loves
  • Holland Taylor as Stormy: An eccentric elderly woman with impeccable style, who lives in the nursing home at which Lara Jean volunteers.
  • Sarayu Blue as Trina Rothschild, the Coveys' friendly neighbor who develops a budding romance with Lara Jean's dad
  • John Corbett as Dr. Dan Covey, Lara Jean's kind and somewhat protective father
  • Kelcey Mawema as Emily, Gen's friend
  • Julie Tao as Haven, the Covey girls' cousin

Maddie Ziegler appears in a cameo.[2]

Production

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Development

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In August 2018, Jenny Han "There's so many things in the second book that I would love to see in a sequel. The whole reason why I wrote a second book was for the character of John Ambrose McClaren, who is a fan favorite, and he's a favorite of mine too. I would love to see that explored, and also there's a character called Stormy that I love to write. I would love to see that.[3]

In November 2018, it was reported that Netflix and Paramount Pictures' Awesomeness Films were in discussions to produce a sequel,[4] and Netflix announced the development of a sequel featuring Condor and Centineo in December 2018.[5] In March 2019, it was reported that Michael Fimognari, cinematographer on the first film, would make his feature film directorial debut with the sequel, taking over from the original film's director Susan Johnson, who would stay on to executive produce.[6] It was also announced that Parrish, Cathcart, and Corbett would return to costar.[6] It was also announced that J. Mills Goodloe was hired to write the sequel.[7]

The sequel has also cast Jordan Fisher as John Ambrose McClaren, a past love of Lara Jean's,[8] and Ross Butler as Trevor Pike, one of Peter's best friends.[9] Madeleine Arthur would reprise her role as Chris, while Holland Taylor and Sarayu Blue have joined the cast as Stormy McClaren and Trina Rothschild respectively.[10]

Filming

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Principal photography began in Vancouver, British Columbia and the surrounding areas on March 27, 2019.[11] As with the first film, scenes at Lara Jean's high school were filmed at Point Grey Secondary School.[12] Principal photography wrapped on May 10, 2019.[13]

Music

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Main article: To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (Music from the Netflix Film)

The song "Moral of the Story" by Ashe experienced viral international success after appearing in the film.[14][15] The film's soundtrack was released digitally on February 7, 2020 by Capitol Records, with a CD release on April 17 and a vinyl release on May 22.[16]

Release

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The first trailer for To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You was released on December 19, 2019,[17] revealing that the film would be released exclusively on Netflix on February 12, 2020.[18]

Reception

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On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 76% based on 72 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You may feel like little more than an amiable postscript to its predecessor, but fans of the original should still find this a swoonworthy sequel."[19] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 54 out of 100, based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[20]

Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com gave the film 2 1/2 stars out of 4, and wrote that "its enjoyment will depend largely on whether you want Peter to be the main boy that Lara loves, or not."[21] He added, "It's hard to get past the hope that Lara Jean will someday soon get something better—a better boyfriend, and a better movie."

Sequel

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Main article: To All the Boys: Always and Forever

A third film, based on the third novel in the trilogy, began filming on July 15, 2019, two months after production on the second film wrapped.[22]

References

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  1. ^ See What's Next [@seewhatsnext] (August 15, 2019). "#ToAllTheBoys: P.S. I Still Love You premieres February 12!" (Tweet). Retrieved August 18, 2019 – via Twitter. "And a third film —To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Lara Jean — is already in production!!!"
  2. ^ "Maddie Ziegler's Cameo in 'To All the Boys' Is Just the Start of Her Film Career". February 13, 2020. Archived from the original on December 6, 2020.
  3. ^ Nguyen, Hanh (August 20, 2018). "'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' Cast and Crew Discuss That Surprise Ending and a Possible Sequel". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  4. ^ McNary, Dave (November 27, 2018). "'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' Sequel in the Works". Variety. Archived from the original on November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  5. ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 19, 2018). "'To All The Boys I've Loved Before 2': Lana Condor & Noah Centineo Are Returning, Netflix Says". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Galuppo, Mia (March 22, 2019). "'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' Sequel Taps New Director as Supporting Cast Returns (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  7. ^ Hipes, Patrick (May 23, 2019). "'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' Producer Snags New YA Novel '10 Blind Dates'; J. Mills Goodloe To Pen Movie". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  8. ^ McHenry, Jackson (March 28, 2019). "Jordan Fisher Is the John Ambrose You Haven't Met in To All the Boys I've Loved Before Sequel". Vulture.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  9. ^ Harris, Hunter (April 1, 2019). "Ross Butler Joins To All the Boys 2, Casting That Can Only Be Interpreted As a Personal Attack". Vulture.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  10. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (April 4, 2019). "Holland Taylor, Madeleine Arthur & Sarayu Blue Join 'All The Boys I've Loved Before' Sequel". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  11. ^ Schremph, Kelly (March 27, 2019). "Noah Centineo & Lana Condor Officially Started Filming The 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' Sequel". Bustle. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  12. ^ "'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' sequel seen filming in Point Grey". CTV News. April 3, 2019. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  13. ^ "DGC BC Production List" (PDF). Directors Guild of Canada. May 24, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  14. ^ Meredith, Karenna (February 14, 2020). "P.S. I Still Love You: I Can't Get the Dramatic "Moral of the Story" Song Out of My Head". Popsugar. Retrieved March 6, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ Mamo, Heran (March 3, 2020). "Here Are the Lyrics to Ashe's 'Moral of the Story'". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  16. ^ "TO ALL THE BOYS: P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK OUT TODAY" (Press release). Toronto: Universal Music Canada. February 7, 2020. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  17. ^ Melas, Chloe (December 19, 2019). "The 'To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You' trailer is here". CNN. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  18. ^ Hipes, Patrick; N'Duka, Amanda (August 15, 2019). "'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' Sequel Gets Netflix Release Date, With Third Movie Confirmed". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  19. ^ "To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  20. ^ "To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020)". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  21. ^ Allen, Nick. "To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You movie review (2020) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  22. ^ Lam, Teresa (July 17, 2019). "Lana Condor & Noah Centineo Have Begun Filming 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before 3'". HypeBae. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
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