To All The Boys: Always and Forever Movie Review - Big Life Decisions

In To All The Boys: Always and Forever, it’s senior year for couple Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo). Will their college plans mesh? Will both get accepted to Stanford? How much growing up will both have to do?

Peter and Lara plan their future together at StanfordCourtesy of Netflix

Will a Senior Trip to New York City and prom bring them closer together or drive them apart? Will Peter be able to make up with his dad who left the family? How will the sisters react when their dad (John Corbett) proposes to friendly neighbor Trina (Saraya Rao)? What is up with pals Chris (Madeleine Arthur), Trevor (Ross Butler) and semi-enemy Gen (Emilija Baranac)? Will Lara Jean and Peter ever go “all the way”?

The family enjoys a meal on their Korean vacationCourtesy of Netflix

Spring Break

Lara writes Peter from Seoul, Korea where she and the family are enjoying a vacation. The sisters are going to cool make-up bars, cafes, etc. Peter has done a campus visit to Stanford, where he and Lara hope both can attend, and loves it. She’s jealous of his trip.

The sisters have fun in Seoul KoreaCourtesy of Netflix

Lara and family go to Seoul Tower where many “locks of love” are placed on fences. Lara’s mom once put one there and they find it and pose in front of it. Kitty (Anna Cathcart) meets a very cute Korean boy. On Lara’s return home she sees that her application to Stanford is still “pending" and fantasizes about being there with Peter. She can’t wait!

Lara finds her mom's lock of loveCourtesy of Netflix

At Home

Back home again, Lara gives Peter crazy Korean gifts and they wish he could spend the night….wait till college! Peter turns down a text from his dad. He is still upset that dad left the family. Love is in the air as Lara’s dad proposes to neighbor Trina. The girls are okay with that.

Lara's dad and Trina will get marriedCourtesy of Netflix

At school everyone is thinking about upcoming prom and Lara admits she also applied to Berkeley and UCLA but it just has to be Stanford so she and Peter can go together. Trevor wants Chris to go to prom with him but she isn’t crazy about it.

Trevor asks Chris to promCourtesy of Netflix

Back home later, Lara finally gets a text from Stanford. She didn’t get in! She falls into a blue funk. Her life is ruined.

Lara hasn't told Peter she didn't get into StanfordCourtesy of Netflix

Tell Peter?

Lara doesn’t know how to tell Peter that their dream is shattered. They go out and he asks her to prom. He is sooo happy about Stanford that she can’t tell him. She tells Trina that she can’t. Trina advises her to concentrate on Senior Year. She has a great boyfriend. Enjoy it!

Lara and Trina discuss the wedding and moreCourtesy of Netflix

She gets into U.C. Berkeley. Hey, it’s only 1 hour away from Stanford! While preparing for Senior Trip to New York City, Lara admits to Chris that she and Peter have never “done it”. They are slow burners. Everyone gets to New York and Lara and Peter go out on the town. She still hasn’t told him about Stanford or Berkeley.

The seniors arrive in New York CityCourtesy of Netflix

On the Town

Lara finally tells Peter. He is bummed at first but excited about Berkeley. It’s only one hour away. They’ll spend weekends together and then, after her freshman year she can transfer to Stanford! She hadn’t realized. This makes everything sort of okay. The next day Lara and Peter are put into separate tour groups and send one another selfies all day.

Peter and Trevor on the town in NYCCourtesy of Netflix

Lara sees that NYU is in the middle of town. That is cool and Gen is going there. She’s doing a tour. They run into her and her friend invites Lara and Chris to an NYU party. Lara is thrilled to go. She’s getting into the artsy side of the city.

Chris and Lara run into Gen who is touring NYUCourtesy of Netflix

The Party and Home Again

Lara admits to Chris that she applied to NYU as well but never thought she’d really want to go there. She’s getting into the rooftop party and realizes she is falling in love with the city. She is even starting to have fun with Gen. Is everything changing?

Lara starts to really like the fun in New York CityCourtesy of Netflix

Back home again, Lara talks with older sis Margot (Janel Parrish). They see that mom is being replaced in dad’s house by Trina but know it’s not fair to be upset about it. Lara tells Margot about liking New York and Margot tells her to make sure that Berkeley is what she really wants. Lara plans a perfect silly date for her and Peter…bowling. Peter’s dad shows up but Peter again rebuffs him explaining to Lara that he chose another life, leaving Peter and his mom. He’ll never forgive him.

NYU?

Later at home Lara finds a brochure from NYU. Kitty didn’t give it to her because she’d already decided on Berkeley. Lara is furious. She didn’t know she’d also been admitted there. Dad is impressed. Lara sees that NYU is 3,000 miles away from Stanford. Can she make that choice instead? Gen reminds her that she loved New York. Dad tells Lara she has to be true to herself or she can’t grow. She finally tells Peter she wants to go to NYU and no, she may not transfer to Stanford after a year. They both have to do what is best for their futures. He seems to agree but does he really? Will this be goodbye? Can they do a long-distance relationship?

Peter and Lara at the promCourtesy of Netflix

Prom and Beyond?

Peter and Trevor are blown away by Chris and Lara’s glam prom looks. Who will be chosen prom King and Queen? Will Peter and Lara be able to stay together forever despite distance? Will tonight be the night they finally hook up? Will Chris and Trevor end up together? How will dad and Trina’s wedding go? Will Peter ever make up with his dad? Will hearts be broken?

Lara reads what Peter wrote in her yearbookCourtesy of Netflix

Wrapping Up

During the pandemic, it is both refreshing and sad to see teens going to prom and graduation when so many kids didn’t get to. But whatever the physical limitations there will always be young love stories, growing up and obstacles to our relationships. Lara and Peter have to make some really adult choices in this installment of the “To All the Boys…” movies and we can identify with most of them.

Chris comforts Lara Courtesy of Netflix

The huge decisions that come with growing up can destroy us or make us stronger. This film shows us how one teen couple deal with them and that makes for an involving, sometimes serious but still entertaining movie. Lara learns a lot about herself and how love works. Peter learns that relationships won’t always be perfect so that he can forgive his dad for leaving the family. The sisters learn to let their dad move on and have a life with a new love, etc.

Lara is comforted by her sistersCourtesy of Netflix

The film is a nice wrap up to the Lara/Peter story…one question? Can Peter and Lara ever eat something besides sweets! Sooo unhealthy.  Yep, Lara bakes all the time. We get that but, really? It’s cupcake shops to bakeries all over the world. It’s a wonder they both aren’t larger folks with bad teeth. But I digress….

We award To All The Boys: Always and Forever four stars. There are a few scenes in the film that are slow and seem pointless to move the story along but, overall, it’s a worthy, relatable end to the Lara/Peter saga.

To All The Boys: Always and Forever Movie Rating: 

Courtesy of Netflix

See To All The Boys: Always and Forever on Netflix starting February 12^th