How Netflix’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before stole our hearts

Netflix’s film adaptation of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before was a smashing hit. With so many rom-coms already out, what made it stand apart from others?

Book-to-movie adaptations aren’t the easiest genre. No matter what you do, there’s always going to be critics. Whether it’s the original fans of the book or news fans, someone always has something to say. When Netflix released To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, the entire idea was flipped on its head.

Originally, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before was supposed to be a theatrical release. In March of 2018, Netflix acquired the distribution rights for the film and that’s how it ended up on Netflix. While it might not have seemed like a big deal then, Netflix acquiring the film was a huge part in why it was so successful.

The obvious reason the film became incredibly popular was because of its accessibility. Anyone with a Netflix account could stream it whenever they wanted. Considering how many people have cut the cord, this was a huge step for the film. It created an even larger market for fans of the books and an entirely new set of fans.

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With the boring stuff out of the way, let’s talk about the movie and why it ruled the better part of 2018. As someone who read the books, it followed the books pretty closely. There were a few changes, but they helped the film. As a reader, it’s always exciting to see the characters come to life and that’s exactly what To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before did.

In keeping with the characters, the casting/acting was spot-on. Everyone fell head-over-heels for Peter Kavinsky played by Noah Centino. His good looks coupled with his undeniable charm was irresistible to viewers. As much as everyone focused on Noah, the real star was Lana Condor as Lara Jean Song Covey. She truly embodied Lara Jean’s personality, style, and vibe.

Lara Jean was an incredibly realistic and sweet character. She was never stereotyped or made to be someone she wasn’t. While most teen films focus on characters changing themselves, Lara Jean never did. The cast was rounded out with Kitty played by Anna Cathcart and Margot played by Janel Parrish.

Speaking of Kitty and Margo, the relationship between sisters was adorable. Even when they argued, they still loved and supported each other. The friendship between Lara and Chris played an equally as important role, too. The Song-Covey family was unique but they were still close and Lara Jean relied a lot on her family. That’s a major difference from most teen movies as kids are trying to get away from their parents.

What captured everyone’s hearts most of all was the relationship between Peter K and Lara Jean. It was the quintessential teen relationship: complete with love notes, selfies and even, a scandal. Even with their ups and downs, the two remained strong and eventually, got together for real. It was sugary sweet and fans couldn’t get enough of them.

2018 wouldn’t be the same without To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. It was a smash-hit and created a chain reaction in Netflix. Since its release, Netflix has already acquired rights to the sequel and produced a second book-to-film adaptation. It’s only a matter of time before Netflix rolls out a new series of YA books turned movies.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before changed the game for Netflix and its popularity will only grow with the upcoming sequel. Hopefully, it proves to be as good and as successful as its predecessor. As for Netflix, they have a chance to become the new home for good film-to-movie adaptations and it’s time they take advantage.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is currently streaming on Netflix.

Do you watch To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before in 2018? If not, do you plan on checking it out in 2019?