P.S I Still Love You
Before we begin, I want to make it very clear and known that I am 10010% #TeamJohnAmbroseMcClaren.Okay? Ok. Lets begin shall we?
In 2018, Netflix took the world by storm with a new romantic comedy based off of the New York Times best selling YA novel "To All the Boys I've Loved Before". Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky were the only topic of conversation, at least for me. Being a hopeless romantic myself, I identified heavily with Lara Jean and someone who feels an overwhelming capacity of emotions. (sappy but true).
We follow Lara Jean (Lana Condor) as she journey's through her first relationship with Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo). Just as she is starting to understand the ins and outs of what it takes being a girlfriend, a blast from her past, John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher), suddenly becomes an important aspect of her life. How will Lara Jean balance her emotions of two boys who undoubtedly have strings attached to her heart? (dramatic enough?)
The film picks up with Lara Jean swooning and dancing to an 80's movie soundtrack and that was enough to have me hooked. Who doesn't want to be in an 80's romance??? If you haven't danced in your room pretending you're in a music video, then you're lying and I'm calling you out.
My rating for this movie? 8/10
The vivid color scheme, playful cinematography, themes of lost friendships, and fear of rejection and of course a battle to the death of two lovers (that doesn't happen but imagine the heartache) makes this film all the more adorable. I read the trilogy this past month and fell head over heels, heels over head and back again, with the books. There are many differences between the film adaptation and the book but that is not highlight of this review. Although the book is 10x better, I'm not here to compare them against each other.... unless....
Since I already knew the plot and ending of the story beforehand, that wasn't my main focus. As stated before, some things were different but nothing too drastic. With that being said the biggest aspects that MADE this movie were its color scheme and the use of camera angles.
Each scene was so bright and lively I couldn't help but notice! The main colors used were yellow, red/pink and various shades of blue (often depicting sadness or rejection). Lara Jean is often in a vibrant yellow, contrasting either Peter or John. Then in the background, you have blocks of both colors representing the character, which I analyzed as conveying the bonds between the two on screen, making the characters stand out even more, looking almost like pop art. And I loved it! The use of shadows and highlights also helped in pulling the audience into the mood and feel the same emotions portrayed on the screen.
Another thing I loved you might ask? The use of symmetry, sweeping camera angles, and shapes to place characters into view. There are NUMEROUS scenes where the director uses unconventional and creative shots to so character interaction. My favorite use of these shapes, low lighting, high highlights and camera angles was the piano scene.
Can we please talk about the PIANO SCENE for a second?? For two minutes and 45 seconds, John Ambrose took my heart and never let go. OK. Him talking to her without even looking at the keys and telling her - what he told her (no spoilers) but AHHHHHH it just - ok - back to the review.
Is it the best sequel of all time? No, but it's basically what you would expect from a typical Netflix rom-com. Fun, enjoyable, makes you laugh, and your heart will dance leaving you satisfied.
As we close, you have to tell me.... #TeamJohnAmbrose or #TeamPeterK, did you enjoy the movie, and what do you hope to see in the final installment "Always and Forever Lara Jean"??? Thank you so much for reading and see you next time when you're chilling with Ash!
****Let me know what you'd like to see a review of! Would you like a comparison between the book and the film adaptaion. Let me know and I'll work my magic!****