All The Boys I Have Loved Before - The Return of the Rom Com

The quality of the movies that Netflix produces is questionable, especially when it comes to the likes of the romantic comedy genre. And then suddenly, here comes along All The Boys I Have Loved Before, which harks back to the bygone era of teenage romance that we dream about in the likes of The Breakfast Club and Say Anything. 

Based on the novel by Jenny Han, All The Boys I Have Loved Before, tells the story of Lara Jean, a shy 17 year old who writes letters to the boys who she has crushes on. Lo and behold, Lara's letters somehow find their way to their recipients and her life spirals into a unprecedented series of mishaps and happy accidents. 

One of my favourite things about the film is it's protagonist, Lara Jean. Rom coms and coming of age films concerning women always seem to circle around young girls struggling with their identity. In an age of self harm and eating disorders, this isn't healthy to blindly assume that every teenage girl is an insecure sheep like Cady from Mean Girls. Lara Jean has issues, but her identity is not one of them. She knows exactly who she is and throughout the film refuses to change for anyone. As she produced a large pile of books on the ski trip I decided this character was a girl from my own heart. Lana Condor's depiction of the book-smart but street-stupid teenager is flawless as well, and saves some of the film's dodgy scripting and flat cinematography. 

While the quality of the film's production isn't spot on, the narrative certainly is. My favourite thing about John Hughes-era films is that the character's always reveal a path that has lead to their actions within the film's plot. All of 'The Breakfast Club' have adopted their tropes due to nurture, not by chance, and Cameron in Ferris Beuller develops depression as a result of a pre-occupied father. Too often in twenty-first century storytelling the school bullies never have a chance to explain why, and the nerds are denied a face behind their glasses. All The Boys I Have Loved Before leaves no stone un-turned, giving everyone from the hero, the villain, the geek to the gay guy a framework behind their role in this easy watch of a film. 

And, like any good John Hughes film, the cameos are priceless (and free from the underlying racism of Sixteen Candles). Anna Cathcart is hilariously weird as Lara's little sister, coming out with quirks that you can just hear your own siblings saying over the dinner table. John Corbett plays their father, again coming out with the one liners that remind you of your own parents, but with the awkward comedy of the school counsellor in Ten Things I hate About You. This kind of humour sometimes feels out of place on the millennial screen, seeming more fitting when accompanied by garish fashion and slightly grainy resolution. But, like Lara Jean, there's nothing wrong with embracing a bit of sentimentality for the eighties, it may be long gone but it doesn't have to be forgotten. 

Now, if you're not into a soppy ending. This film definitely isn't for you. And I am also not going to suggest it is anywhere near the likes of Say Anything, or The Breakfast Club. But isn't it nice to see someone try to hark back to the good old days, telling a fresh, new love story while embracing just the right amount of predictability that we seek in a classic romantic comedy. 

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