To All the Boys I Loved Before is a 2018 film from Netflix that is based on the book of the same name by Jenny Han. The story is about Lara Jean Covey, a half Korean 16-year-old girl who writes love letters to her crushes that she never sends. One day, someone sends her letters, including the one addressed to her older sister, Margot's, ex-boyfriend. To avoid the drama, she enlists the help of one of her other letter recipients, Peter Kavinsky, to be in a pretend relationship. Eventually, the two fall for each other, and their relationship is tested in the sequel books.
The trope of fake dating is used very effectively in the series as a whole, but most classically in the first film. To start it off, both Peter and Lara enter into the fake relationship because they are trying to get a reaction from other people. Lara Jean wants Josh to think she no longer has feelings for him, and just avoid having to confront those words she wrote to him. Peter just wants to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. From there, the fake dating trope leads to all the best rom-com staples, like grand gestures and public declarations.
Part of what makes the fake-dating trope so entertaining is that it allows these two charming characters to have adorable moments the audience can enjoy, like the back-pocket twirl Peter does to Lara Jean in the cafeteria, while also creating the opportunity for mutual pining. Mutual pining is another popular trope that is done well in To All the Boys I Loved Before, as it is clear that both characters have fallen for each other, but because of their fake-dating arrangement, neither one of them realizes the real feelings beneath the charade.
The sequel film PS. I Still Love You uses a different popular rom-com trope, the love triangle. The love triangle is found in a significant number of romantic comedies, particularly ones directed at teen audiences. However, this trope in the film is less emotionally satisfying than the fake dating trope of the first film because, in a love triangle, someone always gets hurt.
In the second book, the love triangle is used more effectively as a response to the fake dating. Lara Jean is forced to question the foundation of her relationship with Peter and compare it to a potential relationship with John Ambrose McClaren. The film does not have the luxury of the time to explore the deeper inner thoughts and emotions Lara Jean experiences here which makes the exercise less satisfying overall. In comparison, the fake dating trope leaves both characters happy and together by the end of the film without the baggage of a broken heart that is a direct result of that happiness.
To All the Boys I Loved Before executes the fake dating trope at an elevated level over the films that came before it, like Just Go With It, because the characters set out very clear boundaries and expectations for their fake relationship which starts them out on equal ground. They are so clear in their intentions, and yet, they fall in love anyway. It's endearing because it not only overcomes the odds against them due to their different social clicks but the characters also overcome the hurdles they set for themselves in a respectfully and mutually beneficial way.
Rom-coms are popular because audiences enjoy seeing people fall in love and experience joy in a heightened version of reality. The best rom-coms are close to reality but have an aspirational or romanticized element. To All the Boys I Loved Before does exactly this with the fake-dating trope. It is unlikely that people actually create fake dating schemes in real life, and probably not ones as elaborate as those found in Pretty Women or The Wedding Date. However, if someone were to find themselves in a situation that could only be solved by a fake relationship, they would likely want to follow the route set forth in To All the Boys I Loved Before.