Netflix changed the game for rom-coms in 2018. It really did. When Lana Condor and Noah Centineo showed up as Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky, the internet basically had a collective meltdown. Then 2020 rolled around, and we got To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You. It wasn't just a sequel; it was a vibe shift that left the fandom split right down the middle.
Sequels are hard. Honestly, they’re usually a letdown. But this movie tried to do something a little more complicated than just "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back." It brought in John Ambrose McClaren. Jordan Fisher stepped into that role with a piano and a smile that made everyone question their loyalty to Team Peter.
People wanted more of the high-stakes fake-dating drama from the first film. Instead, they got a messy, realistic look at what happens when the honeymoon phase crashes into real-life insecurities. That’s why To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is still being debated in fan circles years later. It’s a movie about the anxiety of choice.
The John Ambrose Effect: More Than Just a Love Triangle
Let’s talk about Jordan Fisher. Seriously. Replacing Jordan Burtchett (who had a tiny cameo in the first movie’s mid-credits scene) was a massive move by the production team. Fisher didn't just play a character; he created a whole alternative reality for Lara Jean. If Peter is the "cool guy" who pushes her out of her comfort zone, John Ambrose is the guy who shares her soul. They both like old books. They both have that quiet, observant energy.
The sequel hinges on the return of one of those infamous five letters. When John Ambrose writes back, the foundation of Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship starts to crack. It’s relatable. Who hasn't wondered about "the one that got away" right when things get difficult in a current relationship?
Director Michael Fimognari, who took over from Susan Johnson, used a lot of color theory here. You’ll notice the movie feels more polished, maybe even a bit more "fairytale" than the first. The scenes at the Belleview retirement home, where Lara Jean and John Ambrose volunteer, are draped in these soft, nostalgic tones. It’s supposed to feel like a different world from the high school hallways where Peter Kavinsky reigns supreme.
Why the Fanbase Still Argues Over Peter vs. John
Lara Jean is a romantic. She lives in her head. Because of that, she projects a lot of expectations onto Peter. In To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, we see her realizing that Peter has a past. He has memories with Gen that Lara Jean isn't a part of. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a first-time girlfriend.
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Critics of the film often say Peter felt "dimmed down" to make John Ambrose look better. There’s some truth there. Peter is a bit more distracted, a bit more human, and frankly, a bit more of a typical teenage boy. He’s not the perfect "Woah, woah, woah" guy from the hot tub scene every second of the day.
On the other hand, John Ambrose is framed as the "perfect" choice on paper. He’s sensitive. He’s polite. He plays the piano. But the movie makes a very specific point: "perfect on paper" isn't the same as "the person you actually want." When they finally kiss in the snow outside the Star Ball, Lara Jean feels... nothing. Or at least, not what she feels for Peter. It’s a brutal moment for Team John Ambrose fans, but it’s a very honest depiction of how chemistry works. You can't force it, even for someone who checks all your boxes.
The Style Shift and Visual Storytelling
If you watch the two movies back-to-back, the visual difference is jarring. The first movie felt indie, almost grounded. The sequel feels like a high-budget pop song. The outfits are more vibrant—think lots of bright yellows, teals, and that signature Lara Jean red.
- The Star Ball sequence is basically a visual masterpiece of teen cinema.
- The use of "Moral of the Story" by Ashe became a massive viral hit because it perfectly captured the melancholy of the film.
- The cinematography leans heavily into symmetry, reflecting Lara Jean’s desire for order in her chaotic emotional life.
Some fans felt this made the movie feel less "real." It’s a fair critique. When everything looks like a Pinterest board, the emotional stakes can sometimes feel a bit muffled. But it also fits the "To All the Boys" brand—this is a world seen through the eyes of a girl who loves romance novels. Of course it’s going to look a little bit like a dream.
Breaking Down the "Second Movie Curse"
The middle child of a trilogy always has the hardest job. It has to bridge the gap between the excitement of the beginning and the finality of the end. To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You struggled because it had to dismantle the perfection of the first movie's ending.
The first film ended on such a high note. We wanted to believe Lara Jean and Peter would just be happy forever. This movie says "Wait, actually, being in a relationship is kind of terrifying."
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It deals with:
- The fear of not being "enough" for a popular partner.
- The ghost of a partner's ex (Gen).
- The confusion of having feelings for two people at once.
It’s less of a rom-com and more of a coming-of-age drama disguised as a rom-com. That’s probably why it didn’t hit the same way for everyone. If you went in wanting more of the "fake dating" trope, you were out of luck. That story was over. This was the "real dating" story, and real dating is usually way more stressful.
The Role of the Covey Sisters and Dr. K
While the romance takes center stage, the heart of these movies is the Covey family. Kitty (Anna Cathcart) is, as always, the MVP. She’s the one who provides the reality checks that Lara Jean desperately needs.
We also see a lot more of Dr. Covey (John Corbett) and his blossoming relationship with Trina (Sarayu Blue). This subplot is actually really important. It shows Lara Jean that her dad is moving on, which adds to her internal chaos. If her dad can find love again after her mom, then the "one true love" idea she’s obsessed with might be more complicated than she thought. It’s a subtle bit of character growth that often gets overlooked.
Let's Talk About That Ending
The final scene on the treehouse roof is a call back to the beginning. Lara Jean realizes that she doesn't want a "perfect" love; she wants a real one. She chooses Peter not because he’s the best guy in the world, but because he’s the guy she actually loves.
It’s a bit of a polarizing conclusion. Many people still think she should have given John Ambrose a real chance. Others argue that Peter’s behavior throughout the movie—like the whole hot tub video drama from the first film and his continued friendship with Gen—should have been a dealbreaker.
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But high school relationships aren't about making the most logical, long-term choice. They’re about big feelings and learning how to navigate them. In that sense, the movie is a total success. It captures that specific type of "end of the world" feeling you get when you’re seventeen and your boyfriend likes his ex’s Instagram post.
Moving Forward: Lessons from the Sequel
If you’re revisiting the series, keep an eye on the smaller details. Notice how Lara Jean’s bedroom changes. Look at the way the camera lingers on her when she’s alone versus when she’s with Peter. There’s a lot of craft here that goes beyond just a "teen movie."
To get the most out of the experience:
- Watch for the Hanbok scene: The celebration of Korean New Year is a beautiful touch that grounds the characters in their heritage, something the books by Jenny Han emphasized heavily.
- Listen to the soundtrack: It’s curated perfectly. From Marina to Lola Marsh, the music does a lot of the heavy lifting for the emotional beats.
- Compare the book to the movie: The second book, P.S. I Still Love You, actually has a lot more tension between Lara Jean and Gen. The movie softens Gen a bit, making her more of a sympathetic figure by the end.
Ultimately, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You serves as a necessary, if slightly painful, transition. It forces Lara Jean to grow up. It forces the audience to see that "Happily Ever After" is just the start of a lot of hard work.
If you want to dive deeper into the franchise, the best next step is to watch the third film, Always and Forever, with a specific focus on how Lara Jean’s independence grows. You’ll see that the insecurities she faced in the second movie are what eventually allow her to make the big life decisions she faces as she heads to college. Pay close attention to her relationship with her sisters in the final installments—it remains the most stable anchor in her life.