Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
When teenager Elle's first kiss leads to a forbidden romance with the hottest boy in high school, she risks her relationship with her best friend.
The Kissing Booth is a fairly formulaic teen romance that hits every expected beat of the genre without much surprise or subversion. The plot is predictable and relies on well-worn tropes — forbidden romance, jealous best friend, love triangle tension — without adding meaningful depth. Acting is serviceable but uneven, with Joey King showing charm but the material limiting genuine emotional range. Cinematography is competent and visually pleasant, capturing LA locations with a bright, appealing aesthetic typical of Netflix productions. Novelty is low as the film is largely derivative of countless teen rom-coms before it, offering little that distinguishes it. The ending resolves in the most expected way possible, tying everything up neatly without earning its resolution dramatically.