The Kissing Booth 2 (2020)
Story overview
The Kissing Booth 2 is a 2020 romantic comedy that continues the story of high school student Elle as she navigates a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend Noah while he attends college. Elle faces new challenges including maintaining her connection with Noah, dealing with a charming new classmate who shows interest in her, and balancing friendships and school responsibilities. The film explores themes of young love, loyalty, friendship, and the transition from high school to college life through lighthearted humor and relatable teenage experiences.
Parent Guide
A lighthearted teen romantic comedy focusing on relationship dynamics, friendship, and high school to college transitions. Generally appropriate for mature pre-teens and teenagers with parental guidance for discussion of romantic themes.
Content breakdown
No physical violence or perilous situations. Some mild relationship conflicts and emotional tension.
No scary or disturbing content. Some emotional scenes involving relationship difficulties and friendship conflicts.
Occasional mild language typical of teen dialogue. No strong profanity.
Kissing and romantic situations. Some flirting and discussion of relationships. No explicit sexual content or nudity.
No depiction of substance use. Social situations may include party environments without substance focus.
Moderate emotional content related to relationship conflicts, jealousy, and friendship challenges. Some scenes of teenage anxiety about future plans and relationships.
Parent tips
This film is rated TV-14, primarily for its romantic themes and some mild language. The movie focuses on teenage relationships, friendship dynamics, and the emotional challenges of young love. Parents should be aware that while the content is generally lighthearted, it does depict typical high school social situations including dating, jealousy, and peer pressure that may require discussion with younger viewers.
The film portrays healthy communication in relationships and emphasizes the importance of honesty and friendship. However, some scenes show characters navigating romantic attraction and dealing with relationship conflicts that might be confusing for younger children. The movie's humor is generally appropriate for teens and pre-teens, but parents of younger children may want to preview it first.
Consider watching this with your teen to discuss the relationship dynamics portrayed. The film provides opportunities to talk about maintaining friendships during romantic relationships, handling long-distance relationships responsibly, and making thoughtful decisions about college and future plans.
Parent chat guide
For younger viewers, focus on the friendship aspects of the story. Ask questions about what makes a good friend and how friends support each other during difficult times. Discuss the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, using examples from the movie where characters showed care and consideration for others.
With older teens, you can have more in-depth conversations about relationship expectations, balancing personal goals with romantic relationships, and preparing for life transitions like going to college. The movie provides good starting points for discussing how to handle jealousy, maintain trust in relationships, and make responsible choices.
Parent follow-up questions
- What did you like best about the friends in the movie?
- How did the characters show they cared about each other?
- What was your favorite funny part?
- How did the characters solve their problems?
- What would you do if your friend was feeling sad like in the movie?
- What makes Elle and Lee good friends to each other?
- How did Elle handle having her boyfriend far away at college?
- What did you think about how the characters communicated their feelings?
- What would you do if you liked someone but your friend didn't approve?
- How did the movie show that telling the truth is important?
- What challenges did Elle face in maintaining her long-distance relationship?
- How did the movie portray peer pressure and social expectations in high school?
- What did you think about how the characters balanced friendship and romance?
- How did the characters show maturity in handling their conflicts?
- What lessons about trust and honesty did the movie show?
- How realistically did the movie portray long-distance relationships for teenagers?
- What did you think about the way characters handled jealousy and insecurity in relationships?
- How did the movie address the transition from high school to college life?
- What messages did the film send about balancing personal goals with romantic relationships?
- How did the characters demonstrate healthy communication in their relationships?
🎭 Story Kernel
At its core, 'The Kissing Booth 2' explores the painful transition from teenage fantasy to young adult reality. While marketed as a romantic comedy, the film is actually about identity fragmentation—Elle must navigate being Noah's girlfriend, Lee's best friend, her father's daughter, and her own person simultaneously. The love triangle with Marco isn't about romance but about Elle discovering she can exist outside her predetermined high school role. The college applications subplot reveals the film's true anxiety: what happens when the carefully constructed social architecture of high school collapses? The characters are driven by fear of separation—not just from each other, but from their established selves.
🎬 Visual Aesthetics
The film employs a hyper-saturated California color palette that gradually desaturates as emotional stakes heighten, mirroring Elle's loss of innocence. Wide shots of empty hallways and beaches emphasize adolescent loneliness despite constant social media connection. Dance sequences use fluid tracking shots that contrast with the awkward static framing of emotional confrontations, visually representing the characters' desire for graceful transitions they cannot achieve. Costume choices subtly signal character evolution—Elle's transition from bright patterns to more solid colors parallels her search for authenticity. The recurring motif of thresholds (doorways, locker room entrances) visually reinforces the film's theme of perpetual transition.
🔍 Details & Easter Eggs
💡 Behind the Scenes
Joey King performed all her own dance sequences despite having no formal training, practicing for six weeks with choreographer Talia Favia. The Harvard scenes were filmed at University of Cape Town due to budget constraints, with careful framing to avoid revealing South African architecture. Director Vince Marcello intentionally cast actors who were actually teenagers (King was 20, but most supporting cast were 16-18) to maintain authentic adolescent energy. The script underwent significant rewrites after test audiences found the original ending too bleak, leading to the more optimistic final college decision sequence.
Where to watch
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Trailer
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