Parents' Guide to

To All the Boys: Always and Forever

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

College, relationships, sex, swearing in romcom threequel.

Movie NR 2021 109 minutes
To All the Boys: Always and Forever Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 12+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Mamaof4Him
Mamaof4Him Adult
March 2, 2021
age 16+

Shucks

This is the 3rd movie in a series. I was originally impressed with the series, showing teens that the best relationships have boundaries and limit the physical. Unfortunately this third one seems to focus on the fact that LJ and Peter haven't had sex yet and pretty much ends with them in bed. I wish they would have held fast to the boundaries or at least to the book. The language was so minimal it could have been taken out to make it more of a tween/teen film. Another downer: The dad's fiance moves in with the family prior to the marriage. It did provide some good conversation with my daughters. But if yours haven't seen it and aren't asking for it, don't show them. If they do want to watch it, watch it together and talk about the hard subjects.

This title has:

Too much sex
1 person found this helpful.
Lilith W.
Lilith W. Parent of 8, 11 and 14-year-old
April 25, 2023
age 11+
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) are still going strong as a couple in TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER. They're seniors in high school now and applying to colleges. Their plan is to go together to Stanford, where Peter has made the lacrosse team, but a senior trip to New York City opens Lara Jean's eyes to the possibility of studying at NYU instead. The pair will need to decide if their relationship is strong enough to withstand such a distance. Will Lara Jean follow her dreams, her boyfriend, or both? Will the two break up or finally consummate their relationship? Meanwhile, they're both also grappling with family changes: Lara Jean's dad is getting remarried, and Peter's dad wants to be back in his son's life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (25):

This latest entry in the teen romance franchise is likely to please fans. To All the Boys: Always and Forever continues with the same light tone, charming characters, and pleasant settings. The film takes on some worthy and timely topics for teens on the precipice of adulthood, and there are positive lessons about family, relationships, and individual growth. A couple of cutesy techniques are fun, like a video imagining of Lara Jean's dreams for the future getting rewound when things don't work out as planned, or the film's hand-drawn transitions. Same for certain lines and scenes, like lessons Peter says he's learned from watching romcoms, his reenactment of the classic Say Anything scene with a mini Bluetooth speaker replacing John Cusack's '80s boom box, or the little sister rolling her eyes at people actually still leaving messages.

As the teens grapple with grown-up issues like applying to college, having sex, and losing or gaining parental figures, they exhibit an emotional fortitude that's enviable even for those well over 17. When they're being a little naughty, like evading chaperones on a senior trip or sneaking into a childhood bedroom to make out, they still come across as eminently trustworthy and upstanding. When Peter gets down on one knee to propose going to prom together, he looks like a grown man proposing marriage. The pair are as settled in their snuggling as an old married couple. They argue, break up, make up, and more, but for a film about teens facing grown-up decisions, there's a certain amount of real-to-life angst and passion missing here. Whether that feels refreshing or superficial may depend on who's watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how To All the Boys: Always and Forever differs from or follows on the previous two films in the franchise. Do the characters' stories make sense based on the past films? Is their future what you expected?

  • Have you heard of the colleges that the seniors in the film have applied to? Do you have any connection to these schools? College can be expensive. Why do you suppose that isn't discussed in this film?

  • At first, Peter is upset with Lara Jean for choosing the college she does. Why does he come around? Did you think his initial reaction was justified?

  • What role do Lara Jean's and Peter's fathers play in the movie?

Movie Details

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