The well-anticipated and widely popular sequel to To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, was released in late February 2020 on Netflix. The film rejoins Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo). Viewers see love blossom between the beloved LJ and PK, but when Lara Jean receives a letter back from John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher), she experiences a series of troubling feelings. It’s a teen romance and coming of age movie based on the hit trilogy by Jenny Han.
As the plot goes for this movie, it’s a fairly straightforward teen romance. Boy and girl fall for each other, then start having problems, break up, enter: character development (?(somewhat questionable, in this case)), then fall back in love again at the end of the movie. I’d rate it a 3 (out of 5); I don’t think it was nearly as good as To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.
Body Positivity: 2
The film stars generally petite women and fit, athletic males, AKA, stereotypical casting. Considering Netflix’s resources, I do believe they could have been more diverse in their actor’s appearances. That being said, no body shaming appears in the movie.
Disability Representation: 0
No outward disabilities, mental illnesses, or diseases were displayed in the movie. The only thing relatively close that I could find is at the nursing home in which Lara Jean and John Ambrose volunteer, possibly featuring some older folks in wheelchairs or walkers… I don’t count that as a fantastic representation.
Non-Stereotypical Gender Representation: 1
Most, if not all, characters in the movie are stereotypically masculine or feminine. The girls count on the guys to make romantic gestures, and the boys fulfill that role. Many of the male leads are football jocks with their female counterparts being their cheerleaders. If that’s not stereotypical, then I’m not sure what is.
Racial Diversity: 4
Probably the strongest category for P.S. I Still Love You. The lead actress, Lana Condor, was born in Vietnam and plays an Asian-American character in the film. Along with her younger sister, Kitty (Anna Cathcart), Lara Jean celebrates with her family, dressed in traditional Korean hanboks. The fact that the main character is Asian-American isn’t played down, but it doesn’t seem unnatural or forced. Jordan Fisher, playing the main character and love interest John Ambrose, comes from a multi-ethnic background. Ross Butler, who plays Trevor, a friend of Lara Jean and Peter’s was born in Singapore; and Trezzo Mahoro, playing Lara Jean’s best school friend, is African-American. P.S. I Still Love You features a fairly diverse ethnic background for it’s extras as well.
LGBTQ+ Representation: 1
This movie focuses on a heterosexual couple and the problems they face, as well as a heterosexual female lead. Lara Jean’s friends are also straight, other than one gay character who appears in a couple of scattered scenes throughout. Other than that, I couldn’t find other openly gay characters.
From our scale, this film receives approximately a two out of five in terms of inclusivity. Though very popular, To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is not very inclusive in many of our categories. Always pay attention!