Director: Susan Johnson

When working within a genre, the target for a film generally seems to be “the same…but different.” I always take that to mean that while a film may seem familiar and comfortable, there’s a newness to it that makes us feel as though we’re watching that particular kind of film for the first time. I think Susan Johnson’s film To All the Boys I’ve loved Before gets it just right. A Netflix original, there’s nothing here that breaks new ground. Change the clothing and slang and this could be an ‘80s John Hughes film. (Sixteen Candles is even referenced in the film.) Yet it’s a heartwarming film that succeeds in spite of its devotion to the genre, rather than because of it.

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