Jenny Han‘s motion pictures and TV reveals have change into a cultural phenomenon, along with her characters changing into a few of the most beloved personalities within the coming-of-age romance world. Earlier than her tales made it to the display, Han was making a reputation for herself within the literary world. She has three stand-alone novels and three trilogies, which embody The Summer time I Turned Fairly, Burn for Burn, and To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than.
The primary display adaptation of one in all her tales got here with Netflix’s unique movie To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than, which was adopted by two sequels. Sofia Alvarez labored on the script for the primary two motion pictures, and Katie Lovejoy wrote the third installment. Susan Johnson directed the primary movie, passing the baton to Michael Fimognari for the sequels. Han herself took cost of the Prime Video hit collection The Summer time I Turned Fairly, approaching as showrunner. XO, Kitty, the To All of the Boys spin-off collection on Netflix, can also be helmed by the creator.
This listing ranks all of her 5 diversifications (to date).
5
‘To All of the Boys: P.S. I Nonetheless Love You’ (2020)
Written by Sofia Alvarez and J. Mills Goodloe, the direct sequel to To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than picks up the place issues left off within the first film. It is the spring semester of junior yr, and Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) at the moment are official. Their relationship is put to the take a look at when a forgotten love letter and a brand new volunteering place at Belleview Retirement Residence convey Lara Jean’s previous crush, John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher), again into her orbit. As she struggles with insecurities in her relationship with Peter, LJ finds consolation in her friendship with John Ambrose and flirts with the potential of new love.
The Woes of First Love
To All of the Boys: P.S. I Nonetheless Love You options the identical palpable on-screen chemistry between Condor and Centineo. Like the primary movie, it has a captivating manufacturing design. This stuff assist protect a little bit of its predecessor’s magic. By Lara Jean, the film splendidly depicts the painful actuality of being a teen fighting fears and insecurities in your first romantic relationship. Whereas the efforts of taking a extra profound have a look at teen romance and shifting the protagonist into new maturity will be appreciated, they fall flat. As an alternative of navigating this territory in a extra considerate and profound method, it deploys the love triangle trope, making the story really feel uninspired. It is a severe downgrade from the pleasant faux courting trope of the unique, which made the story really feel extra epic. The love triangle may need labored higher had extra time been spent fleshing out John Ambrose’s character.
4
‘To All of the Boys: All the time and Eternally’ (2021)
To All of the Boys: All the time and Eternally relies on the final novel in Jenny Han’s trilogy. Written by Katie Lovejoy and directed by Michael Fimognari, it re-focuses on the romance between Lara Jean and Peter. The movie follows the couple throughout their senior yr as they put together for the following stage of their lives: school. Peter has been accepted to Stanford on an athletic scholarship, and LJ anxiously waits for her acceptance letter to have the ability to be part of him. When she’s rejected, she finds herself torn between the nearer Berkeley and the closer-to-her-heart NYU.
A Sweetly Hopeful Ending to an Endearing Love Story
All the time and Eternally manages to prioritize each Lara and Peter’s romance and the protagonist’s journey of non-public progress and self-discovery. Lara Jean’s evolution shines via on this final installment. She has grown into a robust, assured younger lady able to step out into the world. Her resolution to go to NYU and transfer throughout the nation from her boyfriend reveals her maturity. There’s inspiration to be discovered for younger women in seeing LJ select her goals and comply with her coronary heart, as an alternative of letting herself do the straightforward factor and following her boyfriend. The movie ends sweetly, with the couple lastly selecting their tune and LJ feeling optimistic about her long-distance relationship with Peter. It is a becoming farewell to their story, which is wrapped up in a satisfying and hopeful method.
3
‘The Summer time I Turned Fairly’ (2022 – 2025)
Created and run by Jenny Han herself, Prime Video‘s hit collection The Summer time I Turned Fairly adapts her novel trilogy of the identical identify. Lola Tung stars in her first function ever because the protagonist Isabel “Stomach” Conklin. In a story as previous as time, the coming-of-age romantic drama focuses on a love triangle between a lady and two vastly reverse suitors. Solely on this story, the 2 boys competing for her coronary heart are brothers, Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney), her long-life crush, and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), who Stomach has all the time seen as a pal. The love triangle has cemented itself as one of the vital iconic in TV historical past, with followers divided between Workforce Bonrad and Workforce Bellyjere.
An Emotional, Bittersweet Story of Love
The Summer time I Turned Fairly captures the essence of old flame, tenderly exploring the bittersweet dance of feelings that comes with it — the magic, the pangs, the hope, the depth, the heartbreak. The present’s fearlessness in placing the characters in awkward, cringey conditions, which replicate the experiences of many individuals’s early life, makes it relatable to audiences of all ages. Stomach would not all the time make one of the best selections, however she has captured viewers’ hearts along with her story of old flame and coming into herself. The collection additionally delves into profound topics, like grief and loss. Whereas it does discover Stomach’s journey of self-discovery, it may do a greater job of going deeper and displaying who Stomach is outdoors the love triangle. Her romance with the 2 brothers, at occasions, overshadows Stomach’s personal journey of progress, in addition to aspect plots which have nice potential. Regardless of these shortcomings, it is a fantastically executed TV present. Jenny Han’s love for the story and the characters actually shines via. There’s such consideration to element — symbolism, easter eggs, music as narrative exposition, immersive cinematography. The Summer time I Turned Fairly makes it to the corridor of fame of teenage romance dramas, with a love triangle that is being referred to as this era’s greatest.
2
‘To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than’ (2018)
The primary-ever Jenny Han adaptation introduces audiences to Lara Jean Track Covey as a shy highschool senior who, regardless of being a real romantic, lives a comfortably single life as a result of she’s afraid of placing herself on the market. Laura Jean is pressured outdoors her consolation zone when her youthful sister, Kitty (Anna Cathcart), mails out personal love letters she wrote however by no means despatched to her former crushes. The recipients embody her older sister Margot’s (Janel Parrish) ex-boyfriend, Josh (Israel Broussard), and her highschool’s lacrosse famous person, Peter Kavinsky. Lara Jean enters right into a faux relationship with Peter to persuade Josh she now not has emotions for him and to assist Peter make his ex jealous, however quickly they develop actual emotions for one another.
One of many Best Teen Romcoms Ever Made
To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than evokes ’80s romantic comedies, whereas additionally feeling like a recent romcom for a brand new era. It is a shocking, pleasant YA romance performed out with effervescence on the display. Sofia Alvarez’s outstanding, sharp script retains the beating coronary heart of the books: Lara Jean’s interior monologue. The 2 leads are each charming and compelling of their star-making roles. Lana Condor delivers a heartfelt, plausible efficiency, excelling in comedic and emotional scenes in equal measure. Centineo brings to life an irresistible heartthrob who raised the bar for future male love pursuits in coming-of-age romances. Their swoonworthy on-screen chemistry is actually unparalleled. As an entire, the film reveals extra nuance and has extra stakes than each of its sequels.
1
‘XO, Kitty’ (2023 – Current)
Jenny Han proved herself to be a mastermind at teen reveals with The Summer time I Turned Fairly, but, nonetheless, she surpassed expectations with XO, Kitty. The Netflix unique present follows the youngest Covey sister, the precocious, bubbly, daring Kitty. When she receives a scholarship to the celebrated Korean Unbiased College of Seoul (KISS), she strikes the world over to embark on a brand new journey. Seeing as her mother attended the identical academy, it is a particular alternative to be taught extra about her mom’s previous and join along with her Korean roots. Kitty begins to be taught extra about herself there, as she navigates teenage woes and romance.
A Criminally Underrated Teen Drama
Though the present options common romcom tropes, it handles them in a novel, recent method that does not make them really feel drained. What really makes XO, Kitty a standout amongst different teen dramas is that it focuses on extra than simply the romantic elements, prioritizing Kitty’s journey in rising up, connecting along with her heritage, and discovering her personal id. The collection delves into topics like sexuality, cultural exploration, grief, and the complexities of friendship. Whereas the present will be cringey for older audiences, it’s the whole lot a YA drama ought to be. The protagonist is cause sufficient to change into captivated, with Anna Cathcart’s efficiency endearingly embodying the attraction and chaos of Kitty Track Covey.
The Summer time I Turned Fairly
- Launch Date
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2022 – 2025-00-00
- Community
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Prime Video
- Administrators
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Erica Dunton, Jesse Peretz, Jeff Chan
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Lola Tung
Isabel ‘Stomach’ Conklin
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Christopher Briney
Conrad Fisher
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Gavin Casalegno
Jeremiah Fisher
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Sean Kaufman
Steven Conklin
