REVIEW: To All the Boys 3: Always and Forever

The on-screen couple that raised the #relationshipgoals bar has once again graced viewers with the final instalment of the To All the Boys trilogy, Always and Forever. This movie is perfect for a quiet night in and a sweet wrap of the ‘To All the Boys’ trilogy.

Based on the novels by Jenny Han, the Korean American film series took off on a colossal success after its first instalment back in 2018. To All the Boys I've Loved Before, saw the two of them orchestrate a plan to be in an inauspicious relationship, for Peter to spite an ex-girlfriend and for Lara Jean to avoid confrontation over leaked lover letters.

The couple reappears in the sequel TATB- P.S I love you- an overhyped movie that did not meet the expectations since its first film. In this segment, Lara Jean is thrust into the new world of high-school romance while navigating her way through insecurities and the inexperience of being in a relationship, especially with one of the 'popular' kids. Rekindling lost friendships and reliving the emotions when coming face to face with childhood crushes takes Covey on a path to self-discovery, heartbreak, confrontation, and closure.

TATB: Always and Forever stars the protagonist couple in their charming element, only this time, there's a little less jealousy and a lot more tension. The movie revives the romance and winds up their senior year with a much more confident Lara Jean and a resilient Peter Kavinsky, entering into a long-term committed relationship as they cross the threshold into the world of college.

As a person who has binge-watched the movies quite a few times (possibly too many times), expectations of the movie were quite unclear since the disappointment from its prequel. The upsetting factor stemmed from the trailer, which gave away almost every suspenseful event that could’ve essentially remained a mystery until the movie's release on Valentine’s Day. Despite revealing a good amount of content, the movie's unanswered question of whether or not Lara Jean and Peter end up together somehow manages to keep your attention hooked onto the film.

The movie kicks off with the three sisters Lara Jean, Margot (Janel Parrish) and Kitty (Anna Cathcart), along with their single dad Dr Covey (John Corbett) and soon to be fiancé, Trina Rothschild (Sarayu Rao), spending their spring break in Seoul to explore and get in touch with their deceased mothers' culture. From then on, the movie takes us through the final year of high school showing us moments from significant milestones such as prom, college admissions and graduation.

As the last instalment of the popular Netflix trilogy, the movie gracefully tightens up loose ends with Kavinsky patching his relationship with his father and Lara coming to terms with the notion that things don't always turn out the way she plans and that, as Dr Covey says, a 'relationship cannot be saved by not growing'.

Of course, no rom-com is ever complete without a little tension and some intimate sparks, which Condor and Centineo have brilliantly expressed in this film. From struggling to confess the rejection from Stanford to finding their song and reliving their 'meet cute', one thing's for sure, their on-screen chemistry has remained an enviously expected factor that dominates all three movies and has pleasingly sizzled up in the last film.

Visual appeal is another element of the movie that has remained as the film’s aesthetic. Pastel themed clothing and soft background shades with animated sketched scenes give the movie a soft touch that goes seemingly well with the overall storyline.

However enlightening and Valentine-appropriate the movie turns out to be, what sets the story apart from any other high school romance is its diverse casting and Korean cultural background. Bringing in a fresh side to an exhausted theme of graduation and conflicting decisions, the director Michael Fimognari does a fantastic job in bringing out Hans' theme of Asian culture and diversity in a school/ college atmosphere.

The movie takes you on a tour of New York (which kind of felt as though they are advertising New York University) and Korea, and through the journey of two high-school sweethearts, each with their own unique individuality, mapping their relationship while paving through life-altering decisions, promises of commitment and beginning anew.

Their on-screen journey comes to an end with signing the symbolic contract, except in this case, the two promise to remain committed to each other despite the 3000mile distance. The movie concludes with a montage of memories from their previous films, highlighting Lara and Peter’s relationship whilst encouraging a hopeful audience to hold onto good memories, Always and Forever.

Edited by Jemma Snowdon