Review: The Kissing Booth 2

Okay, full disclosure, I enjoyed the first movie. Is it Oscar-worthy? No, not at all. But that doesn’t stop it from being enjoyable. Because that is what the movie is supposed to be… fun! And the same can be said for the sequel. 

As teen rom-coms go, The Kissing Booth 2, just like its predecessor, has a full grasp on all the cheesy romance tropes. And it does them really well. I only cringed once. 

Let’s recap the first movie, just in case you forgot. Elle Evans (Joey King), decides to run a kissing booth at her high school’s Spring Carnival, even though she has never been kissed. She ends up locking lips with her secret crush Noah (Jacob Elordi), who also happens to be her best friend Lee’s (Joel Courtney) brother.

Elle and Lee live by a set of best friend rules. Elle breaks rule number 9, which is, relatives of your best friend are totally off-limits, and secretly dates Noah. Of course, Lee finds out, and their friendship implodes. But never fear it all works out in the end. 

In the kissing booth 2, Elle is facing two worries. Her first, keeping her promise to her best friend by making sure they go to the same college. And her second, the trials and tribulations of being in a long-distance relationship.

If you have already graduated from high school, you know the daunting feeling of worrying about your next step in life. And if you haven’t graduated yet, this movie surprisingly accurate when it comes to conveying what it feels like. 

Sprinkle in a new token high school hottie, and a gorgeous college friend to add to the long-distance worries, and you got yourself the makings of another perfect romantic comedy cliche.

Elle realizes college is going to cost a lot of money, no matter where she chooses to go. So she enlists the help of Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez) to help her win a dance competition with a pretty heft cash prize. Meanwhile, she worries Noah may be more than just friends with Chloe (Maisie Richardson-Sellers), his new college classmate. 

I’m very critical when it comes to sequels. I often find myself not liking them as much as the first. In my opinion, The Kissing Booth 2 is better than the first mainly because it feels more mature. It deals with real-life issues while adding just the right amount of cheese to keep it light. 

Maisie Richardson-Sellers was a great addition to this film. Even if she’s playing a character you’re supposed to be leery of, she has so much charm you can’t help but love her. Plus, I’m a huge fan of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and I enjoyed the nod to her character with the mention of Zambesi in a scene. 

Taylor Zakhar Perez was another great addition. He has the perfect amount of whimsy for a romantic leading man. You can feel the struggle Elle deals with because of the likability he adds to the character. 

And of course, there are great friendship moments between Elle and Lee. The two play so well off each other. The two make you believe they knew each other their whole lives, just like their characters. 

In conclusion, The Kissing Booth 2 is nowhere near an award-winning film. But that’s not what it was made for. It’s an enjoyable escape that will bring you laughter, love, and even some tears. It has a good momentum but falls a little flat towards the end. The few “cliff-hangers” for a potential third film left it feeling unfinished instead of leaving you with the feeling of anticipation.

If you’re searching for something light and fun, this movie is for you. If you’re wondering if it could be better than the first film, give it a watch, you may be surprised.