Lara Jean Covey is growing up, and the “To All the Boys” franchise is maturing alongside her. The third and final installment of the franchise has dropped, and what began as an aspirational romance about an unapologetically boy-crazy girl and the object of her affection has transformed into a coming-of-age story about a young woman determined to pursue her own dreams, anchored by a charming performance by Lana Condor.
We’re first reunited with Lara Jean (Condor) in Korea, where she and her family are on a vacation. While she can’t wait to return home and smother her boyfriend Peter (Noah Centineo) in kisses, it’s clear that she’s positively thriving overseas, connecting with her family and excitedly exploring Seoul.
When she returns home to Portland, she and Peter comfortably ease back into everyday life and senior year. The pair are planning to attend Stanford together, where Peter has a swimming scholarship. Lara Jean is devastated to learn that her own application to Stanford has been rejected. Far from being her dream school, Stanford is her default choice simply because of its proximity to Peter. Going to Stanford means they’ll be able to attend college together. Going to Stanford means they’ll be able to stay together. Complicating matters further is a life-changing school trip to New York City. Lara Jean’s magical night out on the town — sans Peter — leaves her questioning whether California is really where she wants to begin the next chapter of her life.
“Will I look back in 20 years and wonder if I’ve made the wrong choice?” the teen wonders. Peter is concerned that living thousands of miles apart will derail their relationship, but according to Lara Jean’s dad, she “can’t save this relationship by not growing.”
Though Lara Jean’s family and friends urge her to follow her own path, and not to orient her future entirely around Peter’s, they never belittle her relationship or what it means to her. They encourage her to grow, but not at the expense of demeaning her or suggesting that her high school romance is just that — a high school romance. Lara Jean wants a future with Peter, and “Always and Forever” does an admirable job of respecting Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship without letting it define her.
The film also benefits from a refreshingly realistic portrayal of an insecure highschooler with abandonment issues who learns that his beloved girlfriend may be attending college on the other side of the country. As idealized as Peter is, “Always and Forever” doesn’t shy away from his less-than-ideal reaction to Lara Jean’s news. Eventually, though, he comes to see things from her perspective, and by the time he makes a grand romantic gesture, it’s hard not to root for him.
Written by Katie Lovejoy, “To All The Boys: Always and Forever” is now streaming on Netflix. The franchise is based on Jenny Han’s book series of the same name.
