TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE 

By Diane Kerr 

When was the last time you saw a film that thrusts you back to teenage years to unpack, what would happen if all your crushes found out how you felt? Netflix have a released a delightful teen rom-com based on one of Jenny Han’s novels. The film stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Israel Broussard, Emilija Baranac and John Corbett The film follows Lara Jean a bi-racial American Asian, who feels invisible. 

The opening scenes reveal that she is a part of a close family brought up by her lone parent dad after the death of her mother. She is the usual self conscious teen, she has never had a boyfriend and her room, a long with her thoughts are a mess. In fact she prefers to be in the world of romantic novels where she can fantasise about the love of her life; who at the time of the story happens to be her sister’s boyfriend whom she was not able to tell she was crushing on, so now its too late. 

 Lara Jean writes letters to five crushes that she has harboured feelings for and keeps them in a secret box to deal with her emotions not to be sent out. However, yes you’ve guessed it. Nothing is sacred in movie world. They are found and sent out. Refreshingly, perhaps because of the fact that the film was optioned by Will Smith and James Lassiter's production company Overbrook Entertainment. It manages to achieve a well diverse cast that includes an Asian protagonist, and a black former crush who is now gay, without feeling the need to address all the cultural challenges. 

What I thought was nice was that for once these cultural choices weren’t the focus of the story that instead they were included within a story about teenage life and fears of rejection that has probably affected us all. This film exposes several unconscious impulses, such as wanting what we can’t have, jealousy and our fears of rejection. Lara Jean pairs up with one of her crushes in a plot to mutually gain the affections of their true loves by making them jealous. Although that might seem predictable what is seen is Lara Jean literally letting her hair down and finding a friendship with someone going through an equally vulnerable time as her. 

Fortunately this film does not waste time with too many conflicting story-lines, that complicate the delicateness of the overarching message. It does not focus on all their differences, it’s a story about friendship and personal growth. On the surface the story is conceived out of an embarrassing scenario but what unravels is stepping out and getting to know what and who makes you happy and maybe it’s a good idea to let those you care about know how you feel about them instead of harbouring secret feelings because you might just get the love that is perfect for you.