To All the Boys I’ve

Loved Before
Analysis by Olivia Chilcote
 PLOT SUMMARY

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before follows the story of

sophomore, and hopeless romantic, Lara Jean Covey. She
has 5 love letters hidden away in a hatbox from her mother.
They are each written and addressed, by her, to her
childhood crushes. As her sister moves to college and has
everyone donate items to goodwill, Lara Jeans letters get
stuck in the mess and are mysteriously sent out.
 PLOT SUMMARY

Her love life is then turned upside down and each secret
love comes to confront her. In the rush of it and to keep her
sisters ex-boyfriend, Josh, from seeking her out, Lara Jean
ends up with a fake boyfriend, Peter Kavinsky. Peter wants
to make his ex jealous, while Lara Jean keeps Josh away.
The couple goes through ups and downs of the fake
relationship as they also develop real feelings for each
other.
 USE OF LIGHTING #1

Scene Description: Lara Jean and her sister Margot are on a video call using
their laptops. It shows them through the computers view.
Type of Lighting: It is more flat lighting, that brings in the light from the
computer screen. It is not as perfect as the rest of the movie is set up to be.
Purpose/Meaning: It imitates a real
computer call, where the light would
seem messy and imperfect.
Agree? Why or Why not?: I think this
choice of lighting was good because it
makes the scene more realistic and
natural to the viewer.
 USE OF LIGHTING #2
Scene Description: Lara Jean has just gotten into a
fight with Peter and her sister, after an unflattering
picture has floated around school. She lays on her bed
upset.
Type of Lighting: This scene uses chiaroscuro
lighting. The room is pretty dark, except for two lamps
in her room. There is also a shadow across her face.
Purpose/Meaning: The dark lighting expresses her sadness and emotion. There is
light around her to draw attention to her, but it is not light enough to seem happy.
Agree? Why or Why not?: I think it was a good choice and shows how Lara Jean is
sad and upset. The lighting matches her emotions.
 USE OF FILM EDITING TECHNIQUE #1

Scene description: Lara Jean is in shock of Peter having the love letter. As she
realizes what is happening, she passes out and the camera focus acts as it is her
vision going blurry.
Type of Editing Technique: This scene uses a dissolve as Lara Jean passes out
Purpose/Meaning: Using the dissolve shows that she is passing out and as she does.
It doesn’t just show her laying on the ground, but how she got there.
Agree? Why or why not?: I think it was a good choice. It is not something you see all
the time, and the viewer sees things from her perspective.
 USE OF FILM EDITING TECHNIQUE #2

Scene description: Peter is picking up Lara Jean and Kitty for

school after the two become a couple. Kitty is in the back seat and
Peter is in the driver seat, with Lara Jean also in the front in the
passenger. Peter and Kitty are talking and introducing themselves.
Type of Editing Technique: This scene uses the cut transition.
Cuts to show Peter’s reaction and talking and the view of everyone
in the car.
Purpose/Meaning: It cuts to show everyone in the car and Peter’s
individual reactions. It helps to give the whole view
Agree? Why or why not?: I think this was a good cut. It gives the
opportunity to show the whole picture, since the area of the car is
so small. It also shows each character, so you can see who is
talking.
USE OF FILM EDITING TECHNIQUE #3
Scene description: Laura Jean and Peter are out at
dinner after a party. They are casually talking and
then get into a small argument. The scene then cuts
to Lara Jean getting home and walking into her room.
Type of Editing Technique: This features a cut scene
as her location is changed.
Purpose/Meaning: It leaves the audience wondering
how their night ended after their small disagreement.
Agree? Why or why not?: I think it was a good choice.
I think they should have shown if he drove her home
or if she walked, but they wanted their to be some
mystery to what happened between them.
 USE OF SHOT OR SHOT RELATIONSHIPS #1

Scene description: Peter is walking over to Lara

Jean with something in his hand. As the camera
zooms in, you can see it is one of the love
letters Lara Jean had written.
Type of Shot or shot relationship: Zoom shot
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: The
camera zooms into the letter so the viewer can
read it and connect that it is one of the love
letters accidently sent out.
 USE OF SHOT OR SHOT RELATIONSHIPS #2

Scene description: In the same scene as before, when Peter comes over
holding the letter. Lara Jean becomes shocked and many emotions go
through her head.
Type of Shot or shot relationship: Reaction
Shot
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: Using
a reaction shot shows Lara Jean’s shock,
confusion, and realization up close. It
helps the audience to know how she feels
about Peter having the letter.
 USE OF SHOT OR SHOT RELATIONSHIPS #3
Scene description: Lara Jean is talking to her roommate for the ski trip about
what Peter might be doing. Her roommate suggests he’d be in the hot tub
waiting for her. It then cuts to showing Peter in the hot tub and Lara Jean
going to find him.
Type of Shot or shot relationship: Features
a cut scene
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: It cuts
straight to the point without putting in
unnecessary walking. It also adds more of
spontaneous feel, which is what this scene
features.
 USE OF COLOR #1
Scene description:In this scene Lara Jean is daydreaming and putting
herself in the romance novel she is reading. It puts her with her sisters
boyfriend Josh, in a bright green field.
Color Used: Lara Jean is in a bright red dress, with the bright green
field surrounding her.
Purpose/Meaning: The Red color is a symbol of love and romance. The
green is a good complementary color and draws more attention to Lara
Jean, as the main character
Appropriate Use of Color? Why or why not? I think it was appropriate,
as this was a daydream scene and wanted to bring out the romantic side
of Lara Jean. I think the red was a good choice for the dress.
 USE OF COLOR #2

Scene description: Lara Jean is leaving the parking lot on the first day of school, with her
new license.
Color Used: Kitty’s helmet is a bright teal with hot pink accents.
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: It is supposed to draw attention to the helmet and the
humor in Kitty wearing helmet in a car. It further tells addresses Lara Jean’s bad driving.
Appropriate Use of Color? Why or why not? I think it is appropriate in the fact that it is bright
and draws your attention. The use of dark colors in everything else further helps to put the
helmet at the center of attention.
 USE OF COLOR #3
Scene description: The characters go on school trip to a ski
resort. Lara Jean and some of her friends are in the lobby
discussing their plans for the trip, while other classmates passby
in the background
Color Used: Pink and Hot Pink
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: Pink is usually associated
with love and romance. The other characters wear darker and
subtle colors that help make Lara stand out amongst her peers.
Appropriate Use of Color? Why or why not? I think it is
appropriate as it brings attention to Lara Jeans and makes her
stand out amongst her classmates. It also places her as the
heroine in the romance story by using colors associated with
romance and love.
 USE OF SOUND
Scene description: Lara Jean and Peter are walking into the lunch room
after first becoming a couple. Lots of people are staring at them. Lara
Jean is narrating about how it feels to not be invisible and looks
somewhat uncomfortable but also excited. There is very playful, upbeat
music in the background.
What are the differences with sound and without sound? The scene is not
as exciting without the sound and music. The scene feels much slower
without the music. It is also much more confusing. You can get some part
of the story by watching facials, but you miss a lot of it.
How does the narration and/or dialogue and or sound effects and/or
music impact the scene? The narration is important because it tells how
Lara Jean is feeling and why her facial expressions are reacting the way
she is. At the end of the scene Peter whispers “good job” into her ear and
she looks up confused. The narration was needed to further explain why
him telling her “good job”, usually a good thing, was somewhat off
putting to her.
 USE OF SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECT #1
Scene description: Lara Jean is daydreaming about a
romantic event, when in the day dream she is hit with a
pillow. The camera pans over and Kitty is standing in her
room. It takes her out of the daydream and back to the real
world.
Special Visual Effect Used: It uses panning and a wipe cut
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: It put Lara Jean back into
reality and takes the audience with it.
Appropriate Use of Special Visual Effects? Why or why not? I
think it was appropriate. It visually shows Lara Jean being
pushed back into reality, while mixing the two worlds for a
split second.
 USE OF SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECT #2
Scene description: Lara Jean is driving home from school. The camera shows a
birds eye view of her car as she drives home.
Special Visual Effect Used: This scene uses the jump cut.
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: It
makes her driving home go by faster, while
still showing pieces of it.
Appropriate Use of Special Visual Effects?
Why or why not? I think it is a good use. It
makes the drive go by fast so the audience
doesn’t become disinterested.
 USE OF SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECT #3
Scene description: Lara Jean is marching across the lacrosse
field to tell Peter how she really feels. She is holding a new
love letter for him and hopes to make amends.
Special Visual Effect Used: Deep focus, Lara Jean and the
whole field are in focus.
Purpose/Meaning within the Scene: It gives the viewer a sense
of where she is and looks more realistic. It also helps make her
look more brave and confident, even though you know she is
nervous about what she is doing.

Appropriate Use of Special Visual Effects? Why or why not? I think it was good to have the whole
scene in focus. I do wonder if it would have made her look more in power and confident if they
had used shallow focus and only looked at her.