The Kissing Booth 2

Last updated

The Kissing Booth 2
The Kissing Booth 2 poster.jpg
Official release poster
Directed byVince Marcello
Screenplay by
  • Vince Marcello
  • Jay Arnold
Based onThe Kissing Booth
by Beth Reekles
Produced by
  • Ed Glauser
  • Andrew Cole-Bulgin
  • Vince Marcello
  • Michele Weisler
Starring
CinematographyAnastas Michos
Edited byPaul Millspaugh
Music byPatrick Kirst
Production
companies
  • Picture Loom Productions
  • Clearblack Films
  • Komixx Entertainment
Distributed by Netflix
Release date
  • July 24, 2020 (2020-07-24)
Running time
131 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Kissing Booth 2 is a 2020 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Vince Marcello and written by Marcello and Jay Arnold. As a direct sequel to the 2018 film The Kissing Booth and the second installment in the Kissing Booth trilogy (itself based on The Kissing Booth books by Beth Reekles), the film stars Joey King, Joel Courtney and Jacob Elordi.

Contents

The film was released on July 24, 2020, by Netflix. Like its predecessor, the film received generally negative reviews from critics. A third installment was released on August 11, 2021.

Plot

Elle's senior year begins with classmates gossiping that she and Noah are breaking up. This makes her fear elevate as Noah has befriended an attractive British girl named Chloe on Instagram.

Elle and Lee are planning the kissing booth again for the Charity Fair. So, he is trying to convince her to ask Marco Peña, the new transfer student dubbed the new "Noah Flynn," to be one of the kissers. Beating Marco on the dancing game, she forces him to participate in the booth.

Noah suggests Elle apply to Harvard, which clashes with her lifelong plan to study at University of California, Berkeley with Lee (where their moms met and became bestfriends). So, Elle does it secretly. Talking with her father about college tuition, Elle learns money is a problem, so decides to participate with Lee in a dance competition with a huge cash reward for first place.

Elle visits Noah in Boston, meeting his new friends and Chloe, making her even more insecure. Finding Chloe's earring under Noah's bed causes her to leave Boston early. Confronting Noah, he assures her nothing has happened between him and Chloe and asks her to trust him, though she is still skeptical.

Lee slips during one of their practice sessions (later revealed to be fake) so proposes that Marco become her dance partner, which she isn't too happy about, but eventually does. As Marco and Elle start spending time together, they grow closer, and an attraction starts to develop between them.

Unbeknownst to Elle, Lee's having problems with Rachel, as Elle goes everywhere with them and does not give them alone time. After forgetting Rachel waiting at the movies, she asks Lee to talk with Elle, which he promises but never does. The Halloween Dance arrives, and Lee forgets to tell Rachel they changed costumes (Rachel was a marshmallow while Lee and Elle were going to be graham crackers making a s'more), further upsetting her. Elle shares a dance with Marco, almost kissing him but Marco stops the kiss when he realizes Elle is dressed like a graham cracker.

Lee finds in his car trunk Elle's application to Harvard, angering him. Elle and Marco excel at their competition performance, and she kisses him at the end of their dance, not knowing Noah was in the crowd, causing him to exit quickly.

At Thanksgiving dinner at the Flynn's, Noah brings Chloe, which upsets Elle. Lee then confronts her for not telling him about her application to Harvard and Rachel is also upset with her. When Rachel discovers Lee never spoke with Elle she leaves. When he catches up with her, Rachel breaks up with him. Elle unsuccessfully tries to convince Rachel to reconcile with Lee. She also returns the earring to Chloe, who confirms it's hers. Later on, Chloe confesses to Noah she'd slept in his room one night when he was away and must've lost it then.

The carnival day arrives, and Lee and Rachel reconcile after being blindfolded and kiss at the kissing booth. Elle is also blindfolded and is approached by Marco, who wants to talk with her about their feelings. Although she admits they have chemistry, she tells him she loves Noah and goes looking for him at the airport.

At LAX, Chloe tells Elle that Noah went looking for her, and she finds him in the park where they first kissed. He confesses he was embarrassed as he initially wasn't doing as well at Harvard as he'd hoped. Noah also wants a connection with Chloe like Elle has with Lee. Elle and Noah make up.

A few months later Noah returns, and Elle, Lee, and Rachel graduate. Lee shares with Elle that he was accepted at Berkeley and asked if she received a response. She tells them she was waitlisted at both Berkeley and Harvard. When Elle opens both envelopes in her room, it turns out she was accepted to both universities, so she has to make a decision: go to Harvard with Noah or Berkeley with Lee.

Cast

Production

In February 2019, it was announced Joey King, Joel Courtney and Jacob Elordi would reprise their roles, with Vince Marcello directing from a screenplay he wrote alongside Jay Arnold, with Netflix distributing. [1] In May 2019, Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Taylor Zakhar Perez joined the cast of the film, with Meganne Young, Carson White and Molly Ringwald reprising their roles. [2]

Principal photography concluded in August 2019, taking place in South Africa. [3]

Release

The film was released on July 24, 2020 on Netflix. [4] [5] It was the top-streamed film in its opening weekend, while the first film ranked third. [6] It placed second in its sophomore weekend, with Forbes noting it as "one of the most popular movies ever on the platform." [7] [8] In October 2020, Netflix reported 66 million households watched the film over its first four weeks of release. [9]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 27% based on 41 reviews, with an average rating of 4.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Joey King makes The Kissing Booth 2 better than it could have been, but this slapdash sequel will leave viewers puckering up for all the wrong reasons." [10] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 39 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [11]

IndieWire's Kate Erbland gave it a grade C+, and wrote: "While it offers some necessary growth for all of its characters, The Kissing Booth 2 can never resist looking and acting like dozens of other offerings of its genre ilk, unable to grow beyond basic complications and done-to-death dramas. And yet there are hints that its evolution has a few more tricks left to employ, its winking conclusion only one of them." [12] Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent gave the film a score of 2 out of 5 stars, writing: "To The Kissing Booth 2’s credit, it’s not as aggressively problematic as its predecessor." [13]

Adam Graham of The Detroit News gave the film a grade of B, writing that the film "is a sun-kissed fantasy with an appealing cast and a slick presentation that provides an easy escape, and that's OK, too." [14] Robyn Bahr of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film "wades into the quagmire of what happens when the glow fades from a new relationship", and concluded: "As I might have said during my own high school days, The Kissing Booth 2 is “mad stupid,” but it’s still not as overtly slappable as Netflix’s other low-budget teen comedies." [15]

Sequel

The Kissing Booth 3 was released on Netflix worldwide on Wednesday, August 11 at 12am PT and 3am ET in the US. [16]

Related Research Articles

<i>Legally Blonde</i> 2001 film by Robert Luketic

Legally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic and written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, based on Amanda Brown's 2001 novel of the same name. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, and Jennifer Coolidge. The story follows Elle Woods (Witherspoon), a sorority girl who attempts to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Davis) by getting a Juris Doctor degree at Harvard Law School, and in the process, overcomes stereotypes against blondes and triumphs as a successful lawyer.

<i>The Notebook</i> 2004 American romantic drama film by Nick Cassavetes

The Notebook is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, from a screenplay by Jeremy Leven and Jan Sardi, and based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love in the 1940s. Their story is read from a notebook in the present day by an elderly man, telling the tale to a fellow nursing home resident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey King</span> American actress (born 1999)

Joey Lynn King is an American actress. She starred as Ramona Quimby in the comedy film Ramona and Beezus (2010) and gained wider recognition for her lead role as a late-blooming teenager in The Kissing Booth film series (2018–2021). King received critical acclaim for playing Gypsy-Rose Blanchard in the crime drama series The Act (2019), for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel Courtney</span> American actor (b. 1996)

Joel Courtney is an American actor known for his role in the 2011 film Super 8 and for his starring role as Lee Flynn in Netflix's The Kissing Booth film series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maisie Richardson-Sellers</span> English actress

Maisie Richardson-Sellers is a British actress and director. She first gained recognition for her role as Rebekah Michaelson / Eva Sinclair on The CW series The Originals. She has since gained wider recognition for her starring roles as Kathy Freeman in CH4/Peacock's The Undeclared War, Chloe Winthrop in Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2, as well as the third installment in the franchise. She also played both Amaya Jiwe / Vixen and Charlie on The CW superhero series DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Korr Sella in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

<i>Dude</i> (film) 2018 American film

Dude is a 2018 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Olivia Milch and written by Milch and Kendall McKinnon. The film stars Lucy Hale, Kathryn Prescott, Alexandra Shipp, Awkwafina, Austin Butler and Michaela Watkins.

<i>To All the Boys Ive Loved Before</i> (film) 2018 film directed by Susan Johnson

To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a 2018 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Susan Johnson and written by Sofia Alvarez. The film stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Israel Broussard and John Corbett. The movie is based on Jenny Han's 2014 novel of the same name, and was released by Netflix on August 17, 2018. It received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised the cast.

<i>The Kissing Booth</i> 2018 American teen romantic comedy film

The Kissing Booth is a 2018 American teen romantic comedy film written and directed by Vince Marcello, based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Beth Reekles. It stars Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and Joel Courtney. The film follows Elle (King), a quirky, late blooming teenager whose budding romance with high school senior and bad boy Noah (Elordi) puts her lifelong friendship with Noah's younger brother Lee (Courtney) in jeopardy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Elordi</span> Australian actor (born 1997)

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. After moving to Los Angeles in 2017 to pursue an acting career, he gained prominence with his role as Noah Flynn, the bad boy love interest, in Netflix's The Kissing Booth film series (2018–2021). He also became known for his role as troubled high school football player Nate Jacobs in HBO's teen drama series Euphoria (2019–present). In 2023, he starred as Elvis Presley in the biographical film Priscilla and as a wealthy university student in Saltburn, which earned him a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

<i>The Sea Beast</i> (2022 film) Netflix Animation film

The Sea Beast is a 2022 animated adventure film directed by Chris Williams, who co-wrote the screenplay with Nell Benjamin and produced with Jed Schlanger. The film stars the voices of Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste with supporting roles done by Kathy Burke, Jim Carter, Doon Mackichan, and Dan Stevens. It tells the story of a sea-monster hunter and a young orphan girl who joins his crew on their search for an elusive beast known as the Red Bluster.

<i>Zombies 2</i> 2020 Disney Channel film directed by Paul Hoen

Zombies 2 is a 2020 American musical and dance Disney Channel Original Movie that premiered on Disney Channel on February 14, 2020. A sequel to the 2018 Disney Channel Original Movie Zombies, the film stars Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly, and features Trevor Tordjman, Kylee Russell, and Carla Jeffery reprising their roles from the first movie, with Chandler Kinney, Pearce Joza, and Baby Ariel joining the cast. The film shows the zombies and cheerleaders, who have mostly since reconciled from the events of the first film, attempting to coexist and assimilate werewolves into the town of Seabrook.

<i>To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You</i> 2020 film directed by Michael Fimognari

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is a 2020 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Michael Fimognari and written by Sofia Alvarez and J. Mills Goodloe. The film stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Trezzo Mahoro, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Kelcey Mawema, Jordan Fisher, Ross Butler, Julie Tao, Sarayu Blue, John Corbett, and Holland Taylor. The film is based on Jenny Han's 2015 novel P.S. I Still Love You.

<i>The Old Guard</i> (2020 film) 2020 American action-fantasy film

The Old Guard is a 2020 American superhero film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and written by Greg Rucka, based on his comic book of the same name. It stars Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Ejiofor, and follows a team of immortal mercenaries on a revenge mission.

<i>Grand Army</i> (TV series) American teen drama streaming television series

Grand Army is an American teen drama television series created by Katie Cappiello that premiered on Netflix on October 16, 2020. It is loosely based on Cappiello's Slut: The Play. In June 2021, the series was canceled after one season.

<i>The Kissing Booth 3</i> 2021 film by Vince Marcello

The Kissing Booth 3 is a 2021 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Vince Marcello and written by Marcello and Jay Arnold. The third and final installment in The Kissing Booth trilogy based on Beth Reekles' novel of the same name, the film stars Joey King, Joel Courtney, Jacob Elordi, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Meganne Young and Molly Ringwald.

<i>The Kissing Booth</i> (film series) Film series

The Kissing Booth film series consists of American teen-romantic comedy films developed and released as Netflix original films, exclusively for the streaming service. Based on the novels written by Beth Reekles, the plot centers around Rochelle "Elle" Evans, and the complications that arise when she begins dating her best friend's older brother. The series explores the teenage experiences of high school, popularity, dating, and friendship.

<i>Tall Girl 2</i> 2022 American film by Emily Ting

Tall Girl 2 is a 2022 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Emily Ting from a screenplay by Sam Wolfson. The film stars Ava Michelle, Sabrina Carpenter, Griffin Gluck, and Steve Zahn. It is the sequel to the 2019 film Tall Girl.

Meganne Young is a South African actress and director. She is best known for her roles in The Kissing Booth franchise and the Starz series Black Sails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Zakhar Perez</span> American actor (born 1991)

Taylor Zakhar Perez is an American actor. He began his career by appearing in several series, before his breakthrough role in the romantic comedy films The Kissing Booth 2 (2020) and The Kissing Booth 3 (2021). Perez had a supporting role in the sex comedy series Minx (2022) and a starring role in the romantic comedy film Red, White & Royal Blue (2023).

Frances Claire Sholto-Douglas is a South African actress. Her films include Samson (2018), The Kissing Booth trilogy (2018–2021), and Slumber Party Massacre (2021). On television, she is known for her roles in the film Dating Game Killer (2017) and the Netflix series Fatal Seduction (2023).

References

  1. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (February 14, 2019). "'The Kissing Booth' Getting Netflix Sequel". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  2. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (May 30, 2019). "Netflix's 'The Kissing Booth 2' Sets Maisie Richardson-Sellers & Taylor Perez In Key Roles". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  3. ↑ Gemmill, Allie (August 19, 2019). "Joey King Is Officially Done Filming The Kissing Booth Sequel". Teen Vogue . Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (May 21, 2020). "'Kissing Booth 2' Coming to Netflix in July". Variety . Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  5. ↑ "The Kissing Booth 2: 5 Things You Should Know About Netflix Movie". Moviespie. June 6, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  6. ↑ Brueggemann, Tom (July 27, 2020). "'The Rental' Is Second Film Ever to Be #1 on Both Theatrical and VOD Charts at Same Time". IndieWire . Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  7. ↑ Brueggemann, Tom (August 3, 2020). "'The Secret: Dare to Dream' Soars on PVOD as 'The Rental' and 'The Outpost' Hold Strong". IndieWire . Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  8. ↑ Bean, Travis (July 29, 2020). "'The Kissing Booth 2' Is Close To Becoming The Second Movie On Netflix To Achieve This Incredible Milestone". Forbes. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  9. ↑ Low, Elaine (October 20, 2020). "'The Old Guard' Viewed By 78 Million Households in First Four Weeks, Says Netflix". Variety. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  10. ↑ "The Kissing Booth 2 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "The Kissing Booth 2 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  12. ↑ Erbland, Kate (July 24, 2020). "'The Kissing Booth 2' Review: Netflix's YA Hit Gets a Sweeter, Sloppier Sequel". IndieWire . Retrieved July 26, 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. ↑ Loughrey, Clarisse (July 24, 2020). "The Kissing Booth 2 isn't as problematic as its predecessor, at least – review" . The Independent . Archived from the original on June 18, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  14. ↑ Graham, Adam (July 24, 2020). "Review: Muuah! 'The Kissing Booth 2' a slick, sweet teen rom-com". The Detroit News . Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  15. ↑ Bahr, Robyn (July 24, 2020). "'The Kissing Booth 2': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  16. ↑ Lattanzio, Ryan (July 26, 2020). "'Kissing Booth 3' Shot in Secret, Already in Post-Production and Coming from Netflix in 2021". Indie Wire. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.