The Kissing Booth 2 Review: Joey King & Jacob Elordi’s rom com is predictable but you still go with the flow
Netflix’s The Kissing Booth 2 is out now. Is it worth your time? Read the review to know the same. The Kissing Booth 2 is miles ahead of its predecessor as the storyline focused more on Elle’s (Joey King) journey of self-introspection rather than choosing between Team Noah (Jacob Elordi) and Team Marco (Taylor Perez). Read below for the full review.
The Kissing Booth 2 Review
The Kissing Booth 2 Cast: Joey King, Jacob Elordi, Joel Courtney, Taylor Perez
The Kissing Booth 2 Director: Vince Marcello
The Kissing Booth 2 Stars: 3/5
A sequel to Vince Marcello’s 2018 Netflix film, the story starts 27 days later from where it ends in the first part. Elle (Joey Rachel) and Noah (Jacob Ellordi) have a splendid and fun time together during the summer holidays. On the other hand, Lee (Joel Courtney) and Rachel’s (Meganne Young) relationship take a meaningful turn. After 27 days, Noah has to go back to Harvard, Boston and Lee and Elle enter their senior year.
At Harvard, Noah makes new friends, and one of them is the gorgeous Chloe (Maisie Richardson-Sellers). On the other hand, everyone in the school in Los Angeles is drooling over the new guy, Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez). As soon as Elle finds out about Chloe and Noah’s friendship, seeds of doubt sow in her mind. So how are all these significant changes going to affect their relationship and lives? That’s what you need to find out in the film.
- What’s Good: It’s a breath of fresh air during the pandemic. It will make you laugh, cry, and take away your stress.
- What’s Bad: You will have a lot of questions, and not all are answered. That sucks.
- Loo Break: There’s no need for one. But if it’s a nature’s call, you shouldn’t keep it on hold.
- Watch or Not?: It’s worth giving a shot. It’s a treat for rom-com lovers.
The Kissing Booth 2 Movie Review: Script Analysis
The sequel had the potential to get ruined because the first part was quite clichéd. But smart and progressive writing saved it. While there are still typical rom-com moments, some were funny and refreshing to watch. The first hour of the film was tremendously engaging and emotional. The film gets predictable post that, but the entertainment factor persists.
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Rather than just focusing on the love story and friendship, Vince focused more on the characters this time. My favourite is how he changed the character arc of Elle. She’s delightful, Lee was thoughtful, and Noah appeared composed. However, he wanted to show us a lot in this 122 mins approx film. That’s why the narrative gets lost somewhere or feels incomplete. Without giving any spoiler, I’ll address one scene that left me annoyed. Marco and Elle’s situation could’ve been handled in a better way. What I saw seemed rush and unsatisfactory.
The dialogues are not something we haven’t heard before, but they strike you because of the way they are used. The dialogues, in the end, reminded me of Ross and Rachel from FRIENDS. I’m sure, many fans of the sitcom will get this reference while watching TKB2.
The Kissing Booth 2 Movie Review: Star Performance
Joey King not only looks stunning in the film, but her character is better than the first film. The actress’ role isn’t restricted because of the influence of two guys in her life. She has always been bold and upfront, but in the sequel, we get to see her funny side. Like her character in the film says that ‘she wants to be mature’, that reflects in her performance.
Joel Courtney’s Lee shows growth too. In the first part, Lee kind of acted like a b*tch when he wasn’t happy with Elle dating his elder brother, Noah. But this time, when he’s upset, he isn’t too harsh. Just like Joey King, Courtney is hilarious in the film. There’s a scene when Elle does something related to Marco and Lee is on his way to save his best friend from embarrassment. That was one of the funniest moments for me in the film.
Jacob Ellordi’s Noah was non-aggressive in the sequel. He wasn’t the bad guy or playboy we saw in the first part. But the makers make sure we don’t forget his old image. Taylor Zakhar Perez is everything Elle describes as (watch the film to know). But I wish he had more screen presence because he was my favourite addition to the sequel.
The Kissing Booth 2 Movie Review: Direction, Music
It’s a high school rom-com, so the execution is going to be super funky, colourful and modern. They also shot in Boston, and I wish they explored the city more. Dance plays a pivotal part in the story. Kudos to the cinematographer for capturing every bit of those fleeting dance steps.
I wish the Vince Marcello would’ve kept a slower pace while showing us the sports events, games and all the high school fun. It happens quickly, and you won’t grasp it immediately. Those scenes tend to become unforgettable and unnecessary addition to the film.
I loved the choice of songs for the sequel. Along with what story Vince Marcello tells us in the sequel, I was worried about the music. The music lover in me is happy, especially with the song Wanderlust and how the scene for the same is shot.
The Kissing Booth 2 Movie Review: The Last Word
2020 is already f**king with our minds. We all need a breather from this painful reality. TKB2 is an apt distraction to everyone who wants to have a good laugh, tears of joy and relive the high school madness.
Three Stars!
