The Kissing Booth 3

The fanfiction turned Teen movie, The Kissing Booth, has finally met its end with its last installment in the franchise.


Joey King carried this awkward pacing, terribly written, shallow character development series by doing everything she could to inject charm and humor into her baseless character.


There seemed to be some promise in its sequel but the conclusion embraces all the worst elements. Completely bloated with storylines it attempts to leave the audience satisfied with the main character's final decisions.


With a cliffhanger on what Elle's future should be it seemed like it was leading to an entire last film to figure out who she is and what she wants post-high school. Will she go to Harvard with Noah or Berkeley with Lee. Once again she finds herself in a sticky situation but it never results in her becoming an actual person. Her entire identity has been built on the relationships between the two boys and if they weren't there she simply would not exist.


The final film is set at the Flynn's beach house where Elle, Noah, Lee, and his girlfriend Rachel spend the summer together. The group cycle through the same problems they have had since the beginning of the franchise that could all be solved if they actually sat down and had a conversation together. They bring back characters that caused conflict that was resolved in the series already so it feels pointless to have them do it again.


What doesn't work here is the PG perspective of a look into the lives of teenagers. It attempts sexual entanglements but finds itself flocking back to a cookie-cutter, PC version. There is no maturity for people making some big life decisions.


Elle's chapter is finally closed with the audience never getting to know her true identity.