The phrase “To all the… before” is gaining traction in Twitter after a popular streaming site adapted a young adult book titled “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” into a movie.
The movie was released on Netflix on August 17 and it immediately became popular to the point that people have adapted its quirky title into witty phrases.
The key words were “To all the…before.” People related the phrase to their own personal sentiments and happenings in life.
Poet and artist Juan Miguel Severo related it to all of his unsent text messages.
To All the Texts I Thought I'd Already Replied To Before Remembering That I'm Such a Terrible Procrastinator Who Only Replies to Texts in His Head Because While Tweeting is Fun, Texting is Too Much Commitment and I Usually Don't Have the Energy for That
— Juan Miguel Severo (@TheRainBro) August 28, 2018
Twitter user @ruffaxmae related it to her answer presumably whenever her friends would invite her to hang out.
To all the " next time lang " i said before
— B R A V O ? (@ruffaxmae) August 29, 2018
User @thenicolegayle recalled her ignored alarms before waking up in bed.
to all the alarms i’ve snoozed before
— — (@thenicolegayle) August 29, 2018
Parody account @SikyuCebu recalled the bags a security guard has checked before entering a mall.
To All The Bags I’ve Checked Before
— Security Guard ?? (@SikyuCebu) August 28, 2018
The account also added a school-related concern felt by students whose identification cards have been confiscated by security guards for violating rules.
To All The ID’s I’ve Confiscated Before
— Security Guard ?? (@SikyuCebu) August 28, 2018
Noontime show “Eat Bulaga” also joined in the fun and shared their own version.
To All the "Dabarkads na Nagsasabing Pogi Sa Akin" Before,
Ipagpatuloy niyo lang `yan! HAHA! ? pic.twitter.com/Gc0V68A5wI
— Eat Bulaga (@EatBulaga) August 29, 2018
What’s the real deal with the movie?
“To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” was highly anticipated since it was based on a New York Times-bestselling book that School Library Journal described as a “lovely, lighthearted romance.”
It tells the story of a teenager named Lara Jean Covey who writes love letters to her crushes but never sends them out.
Her younger sister, however, decides to mail them to her crushes in an effort to find her a boyfriend. Chaos ensues when all of Lara Jean’s crushes confront her at the same time.
Constance Grady of Vox noted that it is probably the “best teen romance of the decade.” According to her, the movie’s appeal comes from how it executes the story of a “classic formula with care and affection.”
It’s a familiar love story but it portrays the plot with “unabashed sweetness,” where characters “care about each other and want to do nice things for each other.”
Grady noted that the movie “carefully and thoughtfully executed” Lara Jean and Peter’s romance through easy banters which were balanced with enough romantic tension that draws the viewers.
It is also considerate of today’s teen dating etiquette, where young people usually go to social media in order to validate their relationships. This could be seen in how the two main protagonists “fake date” each other.
The movie also casts an Asian-American protagonist that is a far cry from typical Caucasians who dominate silver screens in Hollywood.
This enables a wider demographic of viewers who might be able to relate to the non-Caucasian character.
Grady noted that the movie manages to immerse the viewers in a world full of “candy-colored sweetness” that offers “overwhelming coziness.”
She concluded: “It is a psychic refuge from a terrible world, and somehow it never once either becomes cloying or falls into the trap of easy cynicism. It’s simply, incredibly sweet.”
