For What It's Worth


Thursday, August 23, 2018

To All the Boys I've Loved Before & Love, Simon - A.K.A. - Kevin's education in Rom-Coms

Kevin and I have a lot of shows that we watch together but most of the time when there’s nothing we both want to see he puts on his sci-fi/war movies and I read a book.

He prefers when I read because otherwise I don’t pay any attention to the movie for the first 1/2-1 hour then something grabs my attention and I ask 100 questions so I can get up to speed and he calls me the peanut gallery. lol

This past weekend I really wanted to watch to All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Kevin was home. I was thinking – should I make him watch it or just wait until next week when I’m alone and don’t have to see him roll his eyes?? Then I remembered a few years ago the Princess Diaries was on and he started watching it and wouldn’t let me change the channel so I thought we’d give it a go.

And just to go full out on this YA romcom weekend - we watched Love, Simon (which I’ve already seen) after.

The big takeaway is that Kevin doesn’t understand the rules of Rom-Coms. He keeps wanting a different outcome lol But like me, he picks his ships early and sticks to them to the bitter end.

But he did like both movies and what follows is our viewing experience…A.K.A. as Kevin’s education in Rom-Coms…

***THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!!!!

To_All_the_Boys_I've_Loved_Before_posterTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before - Netflix

The gist: Someone sends Lara Jean’s secret love letters to boys she’s crushed on are released and she agrees to a fake relationship with the popular jock – Peter Kavinsky so that he can make his ex girlfriend jealous and so that things don’t get awkward with another recipient – Josh – Lara Jean’s older sisters newly ex boyfriend.

Here we go!



~ Kevin loves the Covey family and we covet their house. Kevin wants their kitchen & I want their yard.

~ Lara Jean’s sister breaks up with the boy next door, and Lara Jean’s crush, Josh.

~ LJ’s love letters to the boys she’s loved have been released into the world, including one to Josh. he starts looking at Lara Jean differently and wants to talk to her. She avoids him.

~ Kevin is hooked. He likes Josh.

~ Then we meet Peter (one of the letter recipients). He’s a bit cocky and dating someone else – who is a bitch to Lara Jean. Peter is kinda spineless about it.

~ We hit our first speed bump…

~ Kevin: She ends up with Josh right? Peter is a jerk.

~ Oh how cute….Kevin has his first ship…and it’s going to sink.


~ I had to break it to him and he started coming around to Peter with him being all cute with the notes, the movie watching scene with LJ’s little sister, their conversation about their parents.

~ I comment on how Lara jean is so effortlessly cute all the time – Kevin likes her boots.

~ We both love how she’s shy but still stands up for herself and asks for what she wants.

~ Then…the ski trip.

~ So the cute/sexy things happens – we’re happy – we’re both Team Peter now.

~ Then we’re not.

~ Kevin: Ok, so now this means they don’t stay together right?? That’s unforgivable!

~ Poor sweet naive Kevin. I need to explain how Rom-Com's – TEEN Rom-Coms - work before he gets his heart broken.

~ Because I understand this is part of the process –the meet cute, the misunderstanding, the dark moment, growth, the big gesture, HFN/HEA

~ But Kevin is having NONE OF THAT!

~ Peter makes a few tentative steps towards explaining things and forgiveness.

~ Kevin: NOPE

~ Me: But…things weren’t what we thought.

~ Kevin: NOPE – he could have just said that then.

~ Me: But... then there’s no plot – no conflict – no movie.

~ Kevin: NOPE

~Fast forward to the growth, the grand gesture, the HEA/HFN and he grudgingly accepts it and admits that he even loved the movie but is still not Team Peter. So overall - Yay!

~ Then there’s that mid-credits scene…

~ Kevin: So she ends up with THAT boy???

~ Me: Oh Kevin…you’re hopeless

via GIPHY

So anyway – I really loved this movie! The hype was real. The acting and the casting were perfect. I know Noah Centineo  (Peter- aka teen Mark Ruffalo) is getting all the attention right now but how awesome was Lana Condor as Lara Jean??? I mean – she was PERFECT. The mannerisms, the tiny facial ticks that expressed so much emotion. This girl needs to be in all the movies!

I would LOVE to see more movies like this! It was fun but smart and sweet!!


download (8)So I feel like Kevin has a basic grasp of the ins & outs of a YA Rom-Com and can handle Love, Simon, which I’ve seen already and own on DVD…

The gist:  Simon is gay but not out to anyone yet. He starts up an email friendship/relationship with another gay boy who is also not out yet and won’t reveal his identity but calls himself “Blue”. Simon spends most of the movie trying to find out who Blue is by connecting the dots from their conversations with different boys he meets throughout the film.There’s also blackmail and family/friendship drama as a consequence.


~ Opening scene is of Simon and his friends car pooling to school – stopping by Starbucks to get their coffee first…

~ Kevin: teens drink coffee before school now? (we’re old) then laughs hysterically imagining what I would be like going to school jacked up on caffeine – then crashing 3 hours later with no way to get another cup.

~ Simon is with his beautiful family in the kitchen. We start wondering how every YA kid comes from a  rich, gorgeous, funny family. And both Simon and Lara Jean have GORGEOUS bedrooms!

~ I’m an adult making money and I will never have a bedroom that nice.

~ So Simon is now emailing with Blue and thinks he knows who it is.

~ Kevin: Is that boy Blue?

~ Me: I decide to hold firm this time and not let him know who the OTP (one true person) is yet. He doesn’t take it well.

~ Stuff happens, first dude might not be the dude…for reasons…so Simon considers other guys.

~Kevin starts shipping one of them.

~ Poor, poor Kevin. picks the wrong dude AGAIN!

~Do I tell him? Nah…I’ll wait. Boy has to learn how to do this on his own.

 ~Now Simon is being blackmailed and Kevin wants to know if asshole dude pays for it in the end. Sort of?? Maybe?? Depends on your definition. Kevin wants to know exactly what happens NOW. The real bad stuff hasn’t even happened yet but Kevin is already filled with rage on Simon’s behalf. lol

~ All hell breaks loose - and being vague – there is fallout. Kevin is a little irritated at Simon for throwing people under the bus. He thinks he could have told a certain person something while he was telling that certain person something else.

~ He’s being a peanut gallery now constantly questioning how all this turns out.

~ I’m a tad annoyed.

~ So this is what it’s like when I talk through his movies. Huh…I might try to scale that back now that I know what it's like on the receiving end.

~ I have to break the news about his ship again because he wasn’t letting it go.

~Not his first choice but he likes who it is and he’s handling it better than the Peter incident.

~Fast forward to the BIG moment. We both think it’s super cute and John Hughes-ish but wish it was done a quieter way because Blue was always trying to stay private but it’s ok.

~Back to a repeat of the carpool/coffee getting scene from the beginning. Kevin wants to know why Leah is sitting in the front seat. Isn’t this supposed to be a HEA Rom-Com ending?? Where’s Blue?

~I’m a little teary eyed now because he’s learning!

~ Wait for it Kevin…waaaait for it.

~ Ok – he’s happy now – even though he’s pissed that you know you didn’t pay a big enough price.

Despite having his ships sink – he liked TAtBILB a little better but loved them both - especially the both Simon and Lara Jean's families.


download (6)I watched The Kissing Booth – also on Netflix - by myself the next day and THANK GOD! Kevin would have had feelings about that one and would have ended up hating everyone! lol

Have you guys watched these movies yet? And what are your favorite Rom-Coms? 

And more importantly - can anyone agree on the spelling of Rom-Coms??? Is it Rom-Coms? romcom? 



48 comments:

  1. LOL, feel free to send Kevin over when you watch rom-coms (or however it's spelled). We can agree about everything NOT going as it should 😂.
    (Not that I watch rom-coms, but you know what I mean).

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    1. Yeah - I don't take you for a rom-com watcher lol

      He's very specific about it. He wants things to go a certain way and notices every. single. thing. that's off.

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  2. Eeeek yes I must watch All the boys!!!!!

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  3. Hahaha! I don't like rom-coms either, so I feel like this would be me and my friends. I'm glad he enjoyed them!

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    1. I'm mixed. I like them but not if they get too far fetched.

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  4. I wathced To All The Boys the other day and enjoyed it despite the few changes. I really thought they captured the characters. I still haven’t read the final book in the trilogy, I need to so I can see how it finally ends. That whole dialogue with Kevin was too cute. I don’t think I could get my husband to sit and watch a rom com he would likely fall asleep.

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    1. I haven't read the books but I really liked it.

      I doubt Kevin would turn it on on his own but he'll watch anything. Except maybe reality tv. But I don't like it either so we're good haha!

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  5. Yes to the kissing booth and to all the boys I have loved...loved them :)

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    1. I didn't like The Kissing Booth but the other 2 were cute.

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  6. This had me in stitches. I haven't watched TATBILB yet but it's on the list. As is Kissing Booth. Love, Simon I saw at the cinema and enjoyed. :)

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    1. I'm surprised & happy! at how these YA rom-com adaptations are going so far. I haven't been a fan of most of the others but these two were very good.

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    1. I'm sure I will too at some point. We re-watched Clueless over the weekend lol

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  8. This was so much fun to read. Thank you! I am all about the rom-com, and these two were really great. TATBILB was a stupendous adaptation, and it totally did the book justice.

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    1. TATBILB before was one of the best teen movies I've seen in a long time - and Simon!

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  9. I started watching To All the Boys I have Loved Before, but the internet was acting up so I never got the chance to finish it. I hope I will be able to watch it this weekend.

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    1. Oh no!! That happened to us too! It cut after the first scene and we had to start over. I hope you like it!

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  10. Ha ha the guy's perspective. I also liked Josh early on, and wanted Lara to end up with him, even as Peter grew on me throughout the movie. At the end I was even kinda like- what about Josh lol? They screwed that up. :) Although I loved the ending, don't get me wrong. It just went differently than I thought it would! Oh, and I covet their house too.

    Yes- the boots.

    "Nope" lolol.

    I don't understand that young people drink coffee either.

    I enjoyed this. Ah how the sexes see movies differently... and I think it's Rom-coms. That just looks right. :)

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    1. I don't think I liked Josh for LJ because of the sister thing but I didn't love Peter. Liked...but not loved.

      I can barely drink coffee as an adult. I have one cup of iced coffee int he morning and if I drink more than that I'm a basket case for days.

      And never mind that it's SB's and way stronger than any coffee that we had as kids.

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  11. I also just watched TATBILB and The Kissing Booth since everyone was talking about them lol. I love that Kevin doesn't understand how romcoms work, haha. But yeah, TATBILB ended up being cute, and I liked both characters. I can see why Kevin was Team Josh though. The Kissing Booth I wasn't so crazy about. A little *too* dramatic and cliche for me, I think.

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    1. He's getting there! lol

      I didn't like The Kissing Booth either and I'm soooo glad I didn't watch it with him.

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  12. Poor Kevin, but I do admire his determination to stick with his ships.

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  13. I've never heard of these but I don't have Netflix.

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    1. Oh wow - it was ALL over Twitter last weekend. I can't avoid it lol

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  14. I absolutely loved that you watched these together Karen, I haven't seen either of these but would probably prefer to watch them beforehand before watching them with the other half. Unless it's a film he's chosen, he'll try to talk all the way through it. I'm hoping to find time to Watch TATBILB this weekend, it's been so hyped on social media as well and so glad you enjoyed it Karen!

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    1. I went to see Twilight without him years ago thinking he would hate it and he was so mad at me lol

      He didn't like it when he eventually watched it but he'll watch almost anything.

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  15. I also convince my boyfriend to watch RomCom's with me and he deals with it. I'm going to watch To All The Boys I loved Before soon, but haven't picked up the books because of so many mixed reviews.

    Tori @ In Tori Lex

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    1. I know a little bit about the books but I'm not going to read them. I can tell I'll be annoyed lol

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  16. BAHAHA this was the most adorable thing ever. ♥ I love rom-coms, both TATBILB and Love, Simon were favorites! I haaaated The Kissing Booth. Seems like Kevin and I would be good friends. 😂

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    1. :-) Thanks.

      I can't even imagine him watching The Kissing Booth. That was horrible!

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  17. Haha, I can relate to Kevin. My ships usually sink. I don’t watch rom-coms, but I do want to see Love, Simon. I really liked the book.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. It was a cute one. And t stuck fairly close to the book.

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  18. HaHHa This is adorable. I am the same way when the Mister puts on one his movies. I tune it out for a bit and then BAM I find something interested and need to be brought up to speed. I doubt my husband would be down for these movies, but I will just have to watch them while he's at work or something.

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    1. I'm horrible. I need relationships of some sort so I don't pay attention until I hear one developing and then I need to backtrack and have the whole movie explained to me lol

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  19. I'm like Kevin in the fact that I stick with my ship as soon as I decide it!

    Poor Kevin not understanding romcom rules. I was in a beach town these past two days and kept giving Matt general outlines for these romcoms that were forming in my head. I could have broken it down for Kevin!

    I feel you about wanting those bedrooms. They're so effortlessly beautiful.

    I watched 20 mins of The Kissing Booth and it wasn't my jam. I may try again.

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    1. The Kissing Booth was ugh...don't bother.

      Do you make up romance stories for random strangers like I do Amber????!!!

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  20. All I have to say is poor Kevin! I know what it's like to pick a ship and have it sink. *sad face* I didn't know Lara Jean was out on Netflix. I didn't read the book, but it's usually better for me to watch the movie and then read the book, because I'm usually disappointed by film adaptations. I need to watch it soon! :)

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    1. I rarely do both. I either read or watch. One exception was Simon because I had read it so long ago I didn't remember details.

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  21. I admit I was all kinds of in love with To All The Boys I've Loved Before and I am fully in love with Peter K (teen Mark Ruffalo is hella accurate, it's a little weird, they even sound kind of similar when I think about it). I admit, Lana Condor was adorable, though, and deserves more love. Also, her wardrobe was amazing so if I could steal that that would be awesome. Poor Kevin for not understanding the concept of rom-coms, there are rules and you have to accept the drama. I also pick a ship early in books and films and I will full on abandon if I don't get my way because if there's all that chemistry they should not let it go to waste! Love Simon is on my to watch list still, I'm just not quite willing to buy a copy so I'm waiting for it to drop in price.

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    1. I finally found Simon on Sale at Target a few weeks ago.

      I'm a pick one ship till the end kind of girl too. If I can see it won't go my way then I quit reading/watching lol

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  22. This is hilarious - I'm glad Kevin enjoyed his Rom-Com movies with you (and I spell it Rom-Com). I haven't watched To All the Boys, but Love, Simon is amazing and I really need to buy it on DVD so I can watch it over and over.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  23. ::snort:: I'm like Kevin. NOOOOPE! That's too funny.

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    1. Me too but I guess I go into it knowing the outcome where he is naive enough to expect a different one lol

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  24. I am laughing so hard. You need to teach Kevin about the decoy guy and the real guy and that sometimes the real guy is a jerk at first, etc. When I think about it this makes no sense. But those are the Rom Com rules...
    Jen Ryland Reviews

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    1. Yessss Jen!!! He always chooses decoy guy lol

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