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Resurrecting the Rom-Com: An Interview with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’s Director Susan Johnson

In the midst of all this incompetent political climate, sometimes you just want to step away from it all. Turning off your mind and sinking into a heartwarming movie seems to the best thing for those wanting a distraction.

Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the perfect romantic comedy that will have you longing for the simple life of high school and first love. Based on the novel of the same name by Jenny Han, the adaptation honors both fans of the book while creating potential fans who will read the book after seeing the movie.

Directed by Susan Johnson, it tells the story of Lara Jean Song Covey, a 16-year-old high school student who loves to fantasize about romance, but is actually scared of having a real romantic relationship. In previous years, she wrote love letters to boys that she has had crushes on, without ever sending them. Feeling that life is passing Lara Jean by, her younger sister, Kitty sends all of Lara Jean’s letters to her past crushes, resulting in multiple awkward confrontations with the boys. Among them are Josh Sanderson, her former crush, who is also her older sister Margot’s boyfriend. Peter Kavinsky, her crush from seventh grade, seizes this opportunity to make his ex-girlfriend, Gen, jealous by asking Lara Jean to pose as his fake girlfriend. Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship develops, and they both eventually realize their feelings for each other are real.

The Koalition spoke to Johnson about adapting a best-seller with a cult following, finding the right tone and how this magical movie came together.

Check out our interview below.