The Prestige TV Podcast - Love for 'To All the Boys: Always and Forever'

Episode Date: February 15, 2021

Liz Kelly, Kate Halliwell, and Amelia Wedemeyer discuss 'To All the Boys: Always and Forever,' the third and final installment in the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' franchise. Hosts: Liz Kelly, Kate Halliwell, and Amelia Wedemeyer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's hard to believe. What all started with a letter, a hot tub and a diner could turn into this. Largen, Song, Covey, will you go to prom with me? Yes, of course. Welcome to TV concierge, a podcast on the ringer.com that helps you now. navigate the vast streaming landscape. My name is Liz Kelly. I am a co-host of Tea Time, and I am joined by my two other Tea Time co-host, Amelia Weddemeier, and Kate Hallowell. Last week on Tea Time, we discussed to all the boys I loved before, always in forever.

It's the third and final installment of this series. It's out on Netflix. Here's a clip of that now. Okay, let's do the next category. This is Crunch Mode to All the Boys I Love Before, the third installment. This is the best day of my life. I love this movie. We love this series in general. Yeah, third and final movie out on Netflix, just in time for Valentine's Day.

Who wants to take the plot? I can do it. Guys, these movies, it feels like, are just like an intrinsic part of tea time. The first podcast I ever did at The Ringer was to talk about this Noah Cincinnatio guy. Wow. We then started Tea Time shortly after.

We watched all of these movies, talked about them, feels like the end of a journey for us. It does. Oh my God. So to all the boys I've loved before, always and forever, bit of a mouthful. This is the third movie, obviously, in the saga of Lara Jean Covey and her love for Peter Kivinsky, their high school romance.

A lot of, like, big rom-com hits in this movie. We start out with, like, spring break trip to Korea. Then she comes back. And then it's like, senior trip to New York. And then it's like prom. And then it's like wedding. It's like all the big things that can happen in a movie. Basically, the big thing is that Largene doesn't get into Stanford.

Peter does somehow. We're going to talk about that. And she just has to decide if she's going to go to Berkeley, which is really close to Stanford, or her heart when she goes on this trip is like tugging her towards New York City and NYU. So she decides to go to NYU. She breaks up with Peter because it's too difficult to make it work long distance. They end up together. her dad marries the woman next door.

Am I missing anything? I think that's it. I think that's pretty much it. That's it. Yeah. It was a good movie. I was pleasantly surprised by this. I was a little worried after the second one,

but they really rallied. Yeah, it's fantastic. Let's do some highlights. On that note, Kate. On that note, my first highlight is that I genuinely love these movies. I, the vibes, the colors. Launa condor, I would die for. I just think they're great.

I just enjoy watching them every single one. I agree. Even the second one. I agree. And I also just want to say that I think that besides the second one being slightly worse than the others, they kept the like identity and the world in which Jenny Hahn has created consistent throughout the three movies, which is kind of difficult to do three times. I just think there's a through line that is just so unique and is so present in each of these movies. It's just fucking great. As you sit down and watch it and you immerse yourself in this world. Actually, I feel like I'm talking about like so much more intense than I am. This is like a teenage song book. But regardless, I loved it and I love the identity and the world of all three of these movies. And credit to Susan Johnson, who was the director of the first one, for creating, like, this visual identity. Because they took the movies from her after the first one and gave it to a man, which sucks.

But he obviously, like, stayed very faithful to, like, the visual themes and, like, her sort of vision for where they went. So, like, again, like, please let her direct all of them. They probably would have been better. But, yeah, I mean, it's very much, like, true to what she. kind of set in the first movie. Yes, agreed. There's a scene in the beginning when they're on their spring break. They go to Soul Tower and Nomsen Tower.

It's like all the locks on the bridge, like love locks. And the family went to go find the lock that the dad and their mom who had passed away did way back when when they visited. They find it. It's like Eve plus Dan. It's old and crusty. And on the back it says for the rest of my life. And then all the girls take their new lock.

They put their initial, they say, for the rest of our lives. And they connect it on this bridge. And I just, like, thinking about it makes me so emotional. I'm not sure why. It's just a real,

that's the only time I really got like, that's the most emotionally invested I was the whole time. But really, really good heartwarming scene. Definitely. Very cute. Let me dry my tears. What else? I'm a sucker for a prom storyline.

I say this all the time. watched a lot of prom movies. But it just gets me every time. I want to see the promposals. I want the prom drama. I want to see them picking out the dress. I want to see them taking pictures and coming down the stairs and talking to each other at prom and everyone dancing. And like, it's great.

I just love it every time. It never misses. Great. Also, in general, I know you two have more specific notes on this, but blanket statement, they get the soundtrack of these movies so right. And this is no different. They're releasing the full soundtrack. the same day as the movie comes out.

Oh. So it's like not online anywhere. And I tried to Google what I could. But just in general, I find it very unique, the choices that they made and like not your average teen rom-com. I think about like movies like Book Smart and other things like that where they just pick like Top 40 Pop, like American Pop music. It's kind of easy.

And I just find this specific soundtrack really, really great. And shout out to Oasis for becoming relevant again in this movie. Really? Good for them. I really appreciated her. drag where he was like, do you ever listen to Oasis? She's like, not on purpose. Seriously. Like, same.

Same. On that note, going in line with my flawless taste, I love these movies dedication to K-pop songs, especially K-pop girl groups, which is how you know that they really have tastes. Like, they're not just like, BTS, everything. This movie starts out with G by Girls Generation, which is just like a building block of K-pop.

They start out in Korea, obviously, which is why they're playing that. But then they also played Cherry Bullitt in Black Pink And I'm just like whoever is in charge We're just on the same wavelength I just love it I love that I love that I love that

I also like the continued use Of I mean Is his name L-A-U-V? I'm sorry I feel so old But the I like me better Which it started in the first movie And that song is a bop okay And it's just

It is so good And I'm just like yes more We love a through line I associate that song with this movie Every time I hear it The identity It's just pristine It's so good

It's so good What else? What's another highlight? Another highlight back to prom We didn't do a great job organizing this She just listen Guys we're just speaking from the heart

Painfully relatable scene in this movie Lara Jean is just going through it She's like what college should I go to Should I dump my boyfriend or not And she's at prom And her little internal monologue is like, oh my God, like I already miss him. And he's still here. And I just, the pain in my heart is unbearable.

And like, fucking Kivinsky rolls up. He's just like, no thoughts, head empty. Do you like my prom key king crown? Like, love music must dance. And I'm just like, you fucking pimbo. It just was very relatable. I was like, this is absolutely like the prom thought process of like the girl and the guy. Yeah.

That is really good. Yes. Nailed it. They did. They really did. Also, these movies make me feel like I understand Gen Z a little more. So just thanks to everyone involved. I appreciate it.

Like the modern high school experience. Yeah, right. Exactly. I'm like, okay, I think I get it now. And then two quick things. One, shout out to Sarai, you blue, who is an actress. She plays Trina, the new stepmom. And she is in, actually, you know what?

I should have recommended this show I'm going to recommend right now for Valentine's Day recommendations. But she she plays the love interest of another widowed guy in The Unicorn starring Walt Gaggins. Oh, yeah. I won't watch that. Okay, that show is actually delightful. And I normally don't like little CBS dromedes, but I've watched it like a couple times. It's just, it's very sweet. And it's lovely.

So I highly recommend that show. she's really good in that too, but she's, she's great as the new stepmom. I don't know. She's very, she's very calming presence. She seems very sweet. And then also,

I'm happy that Laura Jean and also, her best friend, whose name I am totally blanking on right now. Jen, right? Jen, yes. But she's friends with, wait, no, she's friends with Jen. Who's Jen's cousin?

Chris. Chris. Okay, yes. So I like how they're all friends kind of with Jen. again because, you know, there was so much animosity in the first film. And it's just kind of like, oh, okay, well, I'm glad you guys, you know, sorted things out. And I'm glad that she was supportive of you going to NYU, you know. Agreed.

They really, like, tied up all the bows and left it all nice and clean. Yeah. Okay. Let's do some low lights. Kate, what do you got? I mean, you could say this about any movie that's coming out right now. So, like, I feel kind of bad, but it just hit me at the end of the movie. They are graduating.

and they say, congrats to the senior graduating class of 2021. And I was like, oh, no, this isn't what any senior graduating class looks like this year. It's just a bummer. It's just, you know,

one of those weird times where it hits you and it's like, oh, this is like an alternate timeline where COVID never happened. And like, this would never look like this. Their senior year would suck. They would never have to do long distance because they would both be at home.

Like, you know, I'm like, oh, fuck. Senior trip to New York. Yeah. That trip to Korea would be. be out that trip to New York wouldn't be having a wedding, wouldn't be having a prom. God. Just really hit me.

And I was like, fuck. Damn. I was dark. That's actually, I didn't even like truly fully process that until you just said it. You're so right. And it also makes me, I love New York. And that poor city has just been totally decimated. So it's just like, yeah.

I mean, it's bittersweet, you know, right? Like, we don't want to see a real, like, COVID story. Like, we want to see this, like, ridiculous thing. But, you know, it is. bittersweet. Yeah. I also felt kind of distracted the whole time because I have this very deep anxiety and I guess should we do a spoiler? Should we talk about what happens at the end or no? Whatever you guys want. Yeah, I think that's fine. Okay. Yeah. Right. Spoiler alert. Stop if you don't want to know what happens at the end. But they do end up together. They break up for a brief period of time and then

true love brings them back together. They're going to do long distance. But the anxiety I felt this entire movie wondering what was going to happen to these two. And what I really wanted for her, I mean, I could give a fuck about Peter Kovinsky's like trajectory, but her as a young woman, I was like, do I want her to dump him and embrace her independent NYU self and like shed, you know, like a teenage love and start experiencing everything as a young woman and single and her independence? But then I love the two of them so deeply together that I was like, no, I want them to be together because it's true love. So I just felt a lot of, to, tumultuous emotions this entire time, ultimately ended up very happy that they were together.

I think I would have been so sad if they woke up. Yeah. You bring up a really good point because part of me is like, am I a bad feminist for wanting her and Peter to end up together? Because, you know, I fully support being independent. But at the same time, it's like if you find someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with, why is that a bad thing? Why is that a bad thing? It's like I only want him for her and like, do I never want her to have any other experience? is in life and love like, no, and that makes me a bad person. But they're meant to be. That's the only point.

Exactly. Shakespeare's ass guy. Wow. What else? What's another low light? A low light for me is just the continued subway product placement. Free these movies from the prison that is big subway. Literally, fucking Chris gets a promposal from Trevor, who's really hot, by the way,

like should not have to be going like above and beyond. she should just say yes. But he gives her like a subway bouquet of subway sandwiches. And I'm like, come on. I just can't. I can't with the subway. You know what also? Also free them from big subway as in like the New York subway because they glamorize the shit out of that mode of transportation.

And in general glamorize a lot of like the New York experience. She looks in like the commuter shoes. And that is like super cute. But the subway has just, like, at perfect capacity. Everyone's got room. Everyone's doing something normal and staying quiet, which is, like, sometimes not an experience you have on the subway. They go to this rooftop part.

They, like, I don't know, they do a lot of things that is, like, fits in the world because it's all glitz and glamour. They would never show someone spitting at you as you try to haul a couch onto the subway and taking up way too much room for themselves. So there are some pros and cons of doing it that way. That's so true. That's so true. Did glamorize a lot.

There's this bowling date, which a bowling is a smelly and weird date. The shoe smell, the ball smell. Noah Centennial kisses the ball. Okay, yeah, we can't condone that. Their bowling date looks very fun, though. They have custom shirts, pants, and then they bring pastries and are like crushing pastries on a tablecloth. Like, if you're going to do a bowling date, it's pretty fun. Agreed.

That is true. I love New York, but I have. I've never had more anxiety than trying to find the right subway place back to my friend's apartment. Like I, and I know as a fact that she's seen people multiple times poop on the subway. So yeah. It's part of the experience. Imagine trying to haul a full-length couch on a subway and not being spit at by a random stranger. Oh, seriously.

Yeah. What's another low light, Amelia? Oh, yeah. Sorry. Okay. I will continue to stand by the fact that the worst, most annoying. Teen Movie trope is the whole Look at all the top tier schools I applied to and got in.

Like I'm okay, I'm sorry, have you ever heard of one safety school? I'm also, it's just like, what, the University of Washington is a good school. Why don't you want to like talk about that school? Like, why does it have to be like Stanford and UCLA, which are, again, like, do you know the acceptance rate of those schools? Just whatever, whatever. Yeah, we have big problems with Peter Kavinsky going to Stanford, but I guess. we can talk about that when we, before we wrap up the category. Okay, MVP's, I think we all kind of agree.

It's kind of all the same answer. Lara Jean and who she is and just what she is. Just fucking fantastic. She just carries these movies. I mean, the first, I guess the first movie we were all like, oh, my God, Peter Kivinsky. Like that was like the big talking point because, I don't know, that's just what the world focused on.

But like three movies in, if we're not talking about how Lana Condor has just carried these movies on her back, her charisma, her joy. Like, I just don't know what else to say. She's such a little star. She is. She's great. Put her in everything now. I know.

If she doesn't have a long and prosperous career and then fucking Noah since Nio is like, he man, I just throw it all away. Just throw it away. I don't want it. On that note, I wanted to ask, has our opinion of Noah changed? I know it has. But watching this movie, like, could we still get into the Peter Kivinsky? of it all. It seems like for both of you, the answer is yes. Amelia? Yeah, you know, yeah. As much as like his on the off the screen antics are debatable, whatever, he's a good actor. And he's, this is his role. Like, this is his star making role. He's great in this. He's great as Peter Kovinsky. And again, their chemistry is just off the charts. So agree. Yeah. He's just so charming. I would like to think that I'm a smarter woman now than when I watch that first movie. Even, even.

though it came out like two years ago or something, not too long ago. But I agree with both of you. There's just something about his, the way he portrays his very certain character. And now I've seen a lot of other Noah Centenoe Netflix rom-coms. He does it okay. But I think this will be just like a trophy of his career going forward. Definitely. Anything else to add before we move on, an MVP? They're just great. Those two. Great together. Yeah. Can't beat them. Okay. Wonderful. This, we don't normally do on cringe mode. This, We took this from the rewatchables, which is where this entire category kind of comes from. This is the Dion Waiters Award.

And for those who don't know, it's named for a basketball player prone to, quote, heat checks. Obviously, don't know what that means. And so basically, this award goes to the actor in the film that has very limited screen time, but really went for it and made the most out of those appearances. So I would like to nominate Lucas because I thought he actually could have been in a little bit more in the third installment. He's a slightly larger role in the first. the friend, right? Yes. Yeah. It's one of the boys that she wrote a letter to and then just becomes her best friend throughout the whole thing. He's just great. He's played by an actor named Trezo Mahoro. And I just also want success in his career for him because I think he's really, really captivating in every scene he's in. Do you guys have nominations? I think John Corbett as the dad just did what he had to do. He is so charming and limited screen time. He's such a likable dad. he's just like, you know, I mean,

it's so hard to be like a cool dad that's also like responsible that also gives her her space. And I just think he does a great job. He's so likable. Like you're like, damn. Yeah. I want you to be happy,

John Corbett. I'm so glad you're getting married and you found new love. Yeah. That's how I thought in this movie. I also like how he has transitioned to the dad role, you know, because like, I don't know,

I mean, I'm sure you guys have seen my big fat Greek wedding, but he was like the main love interest in that movie. and, you know, it's like, oh, you're so handsome and suave. And, and again, like, he was in Sex and the City as one of her love interests. And now he's the dad. And I'm just like, yeah, love that for you.

He still looks good. Yeah, next chapter. Yeah, next chapter. Just for the record. And he does still look good. He does, Kate. We got it. We heard you.

I just wanted to say that. Just wanted to make sure I got out there. Loud clear. Okay, let's do the lightning round before I do the last category. So, quickly, what was Peter's X factor on his Stanford application that got him in over Laura Jean? it sure as hell wasn't lacrosse. We saw his little playing in the first movie.

It was not exactly Stanford worthy. What do you guys think? Kate. Liz, I like your guess. Go ahead. Okay. I think perhaps he created an app that we didn't know about it. And he's a tech savant that we saw off screen.

Because I can't think of much else besides his pretty privilege and white privilege getting into Stanford. So maybe that plus an app. I think that's a great guess. just happening off screen. I love that. I think he must have known someone on the inside. But then, like, why wouldn't he help Largene also? Right.

So that's not a great strategy. Yeah. What about you, Amelia? I think it could have been actually lacrosse because, and I knew this guy in college because he dated my roommate, and he could have gone to Harvard because he was so good at playing hockey, but he was a dumbass. So I honestly think it could be sports. And I feel someone once told me, like, years ago, that Stanford was trying to, like, create more athletes, more star athletes to add to their, I guess, cabal of famous alumni.

So it kind of makes sense. I don't know. And yeah, maybe he got better between junior and senior year. That's true. Locking out. Maybe, guys, what if his parents did the Olivia Jade thing and, like, did the fake lacrosse or, like, the fake crew? A little Varsney Blues action for Peter Kincki. Yeah, like took pictures of him on a treadmill.

Maybe. Don't rule it out. We cannot rule it out. Next one. Did you guys have any cross-country senior trips because they unleash a bunch of 17-year-olds in the city of Manhattan? And that seems insane. But I'm curious what you guys think. The lack of chaperones was concerning.

She's at an NYU college party in the dead of night. And no one notices or cares. Yeah. My concert choir took a trip to New York. in high school, which is not the type of people that just go out, wreak havoc in Manhattan. But yeah, my mom chaperone, and I'm pretty sure she's all those nightmares about, like, that 12-hour bus trip.

Also, like, it was a bus trip because we were in Indiana. We weren't in wherever the hell they're in in this movie. So, like, they are flying in this movie, and, like, I would never do that with the high school class. Right. Never. Yeah, I think, like, same thing. Right before my class graduated high school, we could go on, like, an overnight in

Big Bear, which, like, in the spring, not a lot to do. I did opt out of that. trip. I did not have any interest in doing that. What about you, Amelia? I know. I wasn't in band, but I knew some people who were in band, obviously. And I think they went to Disney World maybe. And, like, they played, like, the band thing at Disney World. And then I think there was a trip to Mexico. But, you know, Natalie Holloway's story has continued to haunt my mother, like, to this day. So there was, yeah, there was no way I was ever going to go to that. No. I never would have been allowed to go to Mexico.

Yeah. Okay, last question from me is, and I'm going to out myself here, did they depict sisters fighting inaccurately or did I just scream too much as a teen? Because I actually feel as though I'm alone in this experience, maybe, but they portrayed these Kobe sisters just in a way too calm a manner. When they fight, they say one remark and then they walk away. And Kitty fucks with Laura Jean's life in real legitimate ways. In life-altering ways.

Laurie Jean is just like, you. And then that's it. She straight up didn't tell her she got into NYU. Yeah. Like, she released her diary entries for the entire world to see. That is so personal. And Lara Jean is just like, kitty. And I'm like, no, I would be literally screaming at the top of my lungs.

The older sister fights with her at one point. They call, they text each other an hour later being like, are you love you. And I'm like, that's what that's what gets me is they don't hold the grudges long enough. It's like, okay, like if you're not screaming, like whatever, you're just like a different personality. But like forgiving each other immediately is totally unrealistic. Out of the question. You hold that grudge for weeks. Weeks. Yeah. Amelia, what's your experience like with your sister? Um, you know, we've always been pretty chill. She's actually way more calmer than I am. So she, she's good to just, you know, to chill me out. And,

And honestly, you know, thank God she's not as annoying as kitty cubby. I'm sorry, but that girl is over the top. She's over the top and no one has called her out. Classic youngest child just does whatever she wants. Like really, maybe a psychopath. Like, concerned about the way that she's manipulating the lives of those that she loves. Truly. So true.

So true. Lastly, rank these movies best to worst. Kate. I would say, I mean, I think this is maybe what we all agree on. But I think the first one, still the best. Classic. Second one, disappointed us. Not as good.

And then the third one I thought was the second best. So one, three, two. Agreed. Yep. Would be my ranking. Yeah, I really thought they rallied. They rallied with this movie, you guys. I thought they really pulled it off.

Agreed. Okay. Thanks, guys, so much for listening. As a reminder, you can find more tea time every Friday on the ringer dish feed. and you can find more TV concierge later this week.