The Kissing Booth 2: 5 Reasons Why Rachel Was Overreacting (& 5 Reasons Why She Wasn’t)
From Screen Rant : The Kissing Booth 2: 5 Reasons Why Rachel Was Overreacting (& 5 Reasons Why She Wasn’t)

In Kissing Booth 2, some fans feel that Rachel was justified in her feelings towards Elle. But others argue that maybe she was overreacting.

As much as The Kissing Booth 2  focused on Elle (Joey King), Noah (Jacob Elordi) and Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez), audiences also dealt with Lee (Joel Courtney) and Rachel's (Meganne Young) drama. For those who watched the film, Rachel starts to feel insecure and unwanted in her relationship due to Elle and begins to feel like she's in second place when it comes to Lee.

In Kissing Booth 2, some fans feel that Rachel was justified in her feelings towards Elle. But others argue that maybe she was overreacting. Take a look to see where Rachel was correct and when she maybe went overboard.

10 Overboard: The Best Friend Angle

It's easy to see why Elle and Lee have so much in common. Their mothers met at Berkely and have been inseparable ever since. Elle and Lee have been inseparable since they were in diapers and they literally grew up together. That bond is hard to break and it's hard to find someone who holds all the same interest as your bestie.

Rachel came off as being a bit bothered by this. She didn't fully grasp that Lee couldn't simply disregard the best friend he's known all his life.

9 Reasonable: Always With Elle

While Lee and Elle are best friends, the film does show scenes of Elle always being with Lee and Rachel. There's actually less than a handful of scenes where Elle isn't with the couple. In one scene, they have a movie night and Elle is awkwardly sitting there while Lee and Rachel make out.

This makes sense, seeing as Rachel can't get alone time with Lee. She even yells at Elle for always being the third wheel. The only place Rachel can be alone with her own boyfriend is at her own home. When Lee picks up Rachel after getting Elle, Elle assumes Rachel will take the back seat instead of sitting up front with her own boyfriend. 

8 Overboard: The Beach Walk

There is a scene where Rachel goes a bit overboard, but its due to the fact that she's upset from events prior. She and Lee had made plans to carve pumpkins before going out together. She is upset to find Elle there and that Lee had already carved pumpkins with her. This is justifiable, but then they all go to the beach together.

Rachel finds any way to get Lee away from Elle. Coming back from spending time together, Lee goes to sit by Elle and Rachel quickly stops him. She suggests going on a walk, just to keep Lee and Elle apart. The question is, was this really necessary?

7 Reasonable: The Costume Incident And Dance

The costume incident during Halloween is justifiable. Lee and Elle don't really take Rachel's opinions into consideration when it comes to Halloween costume ideas. They automatically assume that Rachel wants to take part in a trio costume.

Elle changes the costume last minute and Lee agrees. But so caught up in the grand idea, Lee forgets to tell Rachel. She shows up at the dance as a marshmallow, completely embarrassed. It only worsens when they again push her aside to take part in a dance circle together. Instead of getting mad at Lee, Rachel lets her anger loose on Elle. 

6 Overboard: Making Lee Push Away Elle

Elle now knows about Rachel's true feelings about her relationship with Lee. Elle was oblivious to how she was making Rachel feel in her own relationship, which forces Elle to make a decision and Lee, too. Because of Rachel's outburst, Lee starts to push Elle away.

He does so drastically, by making excuses as to why he can't hang out with her. He is forced to lie instead of telling Elle the truth. This is a result of Rachel's outburst making Lee feel guilty about his friendship with Elle and it's especially bad since she can't come to the realization that its hurting Lee to cut off his best friend.

5 Reasonable: Not Being A Part Of Conversations

A main side effect of Elle and Lee being best friends since birth is that they have their own way of communicating. Fans know that Lee and Elle developed a list of things they have to do and what they can't ever do. They often hold conversations by just referring to a list number. But this leads to Rachel oftentimes being left out.

While walking on the beach, Elle and Lee get into a serious discussion by only referring to list numbers. Rachel, on the other hand, isn't taken into account and has no idea what they're talking about. She feels left out and makes up a story about not feeling well so she can leave. 

4 Overboard: Rejecting Elle's Attempt To Talk

Elle is a reasonable person and, in her defense, was unaware of Rachel's feelings. Regardless, she knows something is wrong and decides to be the bigger person. Rachel becomes unreasonable when Elle asks her to step aside to have a conversation.

Elle wants to understand Rachel's feelings, but Rachel wants no part of it and rejects her. This seems a bit much, especially when the one person Rachel is upset at is willing to clear the air and figure out the issue in a civilized manner.

3 Reasonable: Being Forgotten At The Movies

Being forgotten by your boyfriend isn't a fun feeling, especially in Rachel's circumstance, when she knows that Lee forgot her because of Elle. Lee and Elle had a dance battle with Marco and later tried to figure out who would participate in the kissing booth. Lee then came to the realization that he was meant to hang out with Rachel.

Cue the scene of Rachel being left alone for 45 minutes in front of the movie theater waiting for Lee. Lee then meets her at home, where Rachel tells him the truth. If Lee can't make Elle realize that his and Rachel's relationship is important too, she can't be with him. 

2 Overboard: The Thanksgiving Outburst

Thanksgiving tends to bring out the worst in people when everyone is having issues. Rachel went a bit extreme at dinner when it came to Elle. Elle doesn't understand why Rachel is upset with her. Rachel let's loose in front of everyone, effectively embarrassing Elle.

She tells Elle in a nutshell that she is suffocating her and Lee's relationship. Rachel basically calls Elle a liar for denying that she didn't know all along. Instead of doing it in private, like Elle wanted, Rachel airs her dirty laundry in front of Lee and Elle's parents, as well as Noah and Chloe (Maisie Richardson-Sellers).

1 Reasonable: Lee Lied To Her

Rachel's Thanksgiving becomes a moment of embarrassment and regret for Rachel when she finds out the truth. She had previously told Lee that he needed to talk to Elle about her constantly hanging around. Rachel was under the assumption that he did and assumed Elle didn't care, hence her outbursts and anger.

She then learns that Lee never had the heart to tell Elle and, instead, lied to Rachel. Rachel being upset and angry is completely justifiable, seeing as she was left in the dark and made to look like a fool for hurting Elle.

Joel Courtney
Teen RomCom Hit with Viewers
From Singapore's The Straits Times : Teen romcom panned by critics but a hit with viewers

The Kissing Booth, the 2018 teenage romantic comedy by Netflix, is a prime example of when critics and audiences vehemently disagree.

The film did not sit well with reviewers, whose aggregated critiques gave it an abysmal score of 17% on Rotten Tomatoes.

But it was a resounding success for the platform, which said it was one of its most-watched movies in the United States and the world that year.

And one in three viewers watched it a second time, which is 30% higher than Netflix’s average rewatch rate.

As they reprise their roles in the newly released The Kissing Booth 2, stars Joey King and Joel Courtney unpack the ingredients behind the first film’s success – and suggest it won viewers over because of a joyfulness and energy that harken back to classic 1980s romcoms.

And they think the sequel hits many of the same notes, which may explain why it is among Netflix’s top three titles in the United States – and top 10 in Singapore – this week.

In the original, based on The Kissing Booth books by Beth Reekles, the friendship between best pals Elle (King) and Lee (Courtney) is imperilled when Elle falls for highschool bad boy Noah (Jacob Elordi).

This is because Noah is Lee’s brother and off limits, according to the rules of Lee and Elle’s friendship pact.

In the sequel, it is Elle and Noah’s relationship in jeopardy as Noah jets off to Harvard and the couple try to make things work in a longdistance relationship.

Although critics took the movie to task for peddling romcom as well as sexist cliches, it is one of the few titles in the genre centred on a genuinely platonic friendship between a girl and a boy.

And in a recent Zoom interview, King and Courtney appear to be just as fond of each other as their characters, often stopping to tease and make each other laugh.

But unlike Lee and Elle, there are no hard and fast rules regarding their own platonic relationship, says Courtney, 24.

“Our friendship is one of a kind,” explains the actor, who appeared in the science-fiction film Super 8 (2011). “Honestly, we just laugh. Laughter is the main theme of our friendship. Whenever we hang out, that’s the most memorable thing.”

It was “pure elation and excitement” when the duo learnt they were teaming up again for the sequel, says King, 21.

“And a huge part of that was getting to work with Joel again. We just had so much fun on the first movie. Every time we get together, it’s just absolute chaos and ridiculousness and so much laughter.”

“We’ve spent a lot of time together, and you go through a lot of things work-wise and also personally. So being a support system for each other is something I’m really thankful for,” says the actress, who appeared in the horror film The Conjuring (2013).

As for the success of The Kissing Booth, King believes it was because “the energy was so bright and fun and really just undeniably happy, and I don’t think we’ve seen a romcom like that since the 1980s”.

“We pay homage to those wonderful 1980s romcoms that make our hearts spark with joy, and I think this movie really brought that back.”

Courtney thinks the unusual bond between their characters was another factor. “One of the things I’ve seen (people respond to) over and over again is the friendship between Elle and Lee.

“There’s a purity of joy and love between these two people who are kind of soul mates – not in any physical way, but they are each other’s other half. That was one of the biggest things that clicked for people with the movie.”

The sequel also throws up a few lessons on romance for younger viewers, King adds.

“In terms of love and relationships, one of my biggest takeaways is that while you always have to seek advice, there’s really no better way to learn than to make your own mistakes. That’s one of the biggest lessons for Elle, and also myself and most people,” she says.

“No matter what anybody else says, you have to pave your own way, feel all the feelings and break your own heart in order to learn lessons that need to be learnt.”

Joel Courtney
10 Fun Facts About The Making Of Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2

This long article is from Screen Rant. Be sure to check it out over there!


10 Fun Facts About The Making Of Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2

Most people have already watched Kissing Booth 2 since it was released on Netflix. Here are some great behind the scenes facts about the film.

Most people have already watched Kissing Booth 2 since it was released on Netflix. Those who haven’t seen it yet have a lot to look forward to because this movie definitely triumphs over the first film. Sometimes, sequels have no right to exist and sometimes sequels are exciting. In this instance, the sequel is actually good and fans are already excited about the third movie in the franchise, which is set to be released in 2021.

Joey King, Joel Courtney, and Jacob Elordi are the leading stars of this great coming-of-age movie franchise. Here are some behind-the-scenes facts about the second film.

10 Jacob Elordi And Joey King Had To Film Kissing Booth 2 After Breaking Up

Jacob Elordi and Joey King were once a cute couple in real life. They dated for a little over a year but then called it quits. Their breakup was very private because they kept details of their relationship off social media.

No one really knew that they broke up until he was spotted by the paparazzi kissing Zendaya. After that, fans realized that according to when the movie was filmed, Jacob Elordi and Joey King had filmed the sequel after they broke up.

9 Joey King Is Wearing A Wig

Joey King is an actress who is known for chopping off her long hair! And she isn’t the only one who’s done something like this before. Other actresses who have cut off all their hair include Demi Moore and Natalie Portman. For Kissing Booth 2, Joey King had to wear a wig in order to return to the character of Elle that she played in the first movie.

Seeing Elle with a drastic haircut in the sequel wouldn’t have made a lot of sense, so the filmmakers opted for her wear a wig so the storyline could continue to flow naturally.

10 Jacob Elordi And Joey King Had To Film Kissing Booth 2 After Breaking Up

Jacob Elordi and Joey King were once a cute couple in real life. They dated for a little over a year but then called it quits. Their breakup was very private because they kept details of their relationship off social media.

No one really knew that they broke up until he was spotted by the paparazzi kissing Zendaya. After that, fans realized that according to when the movie was filmed, Jacob Elordi and Joey King had filmed the sequel after they broke up.

9 Joey King Is Wearing A Wig

Joey King is an actress who is known for chopping off her long hair! And she isn’t the only one who’s done something like this before. Other actresses who have cut off all their hair include Demi Moore and Natalie Portman. For Kissing Booth 2, Joey King had to wear a wig in order to return to the character of Elle that she played in the first movie.

Seeing Elle with a drastic haircut in the sequel wouldn’t have made a lot of sense, so the filmmakers opted for her wear a wig so the storyline could continue to flow naturally.

8 The Opening Montage Followed Director Vince Marcello's Vision

Vince Marcello directed Kissing Booth 2 and he had a vision for the opening montage scene of Elle that he was able to bring to life. He explained, “The idea I had was to acquaint you with the character in a really fast way that was fun, energetic and exciting." The opening scene explains to viewers what Elle has been up to since her relationship turned into a long-distance romance.

Marcello went on to talk about the film's cinematographer, Anastas Michos, saying, "He understands cinematic pacing. One question I always asked him, because he’s also a musician, was the rhythm of the scene. A shot always has a beginning, middle and end. A montage has a beginning, middle and end.” The montage they created for Kissing Booth 2 tells a clear story to viewers.

7 Jacob Elordi Admitted His Secret For How He Filmed The More Emotional Scenes

Kissing Booth 2 might be a high school movie, but it still has some serious moments. Jacob Elordi admitted that he would look at old pictures of him and Joey King together in order to reminisce and create an emotional feeling before filming certain scenes in the movie. For some actors, being able to get emotional or being able to cry on cue is not always an easy thing.

They had a year-long relationship together, which means that they have a year's worth of pictures together! Even though they broke up, those pictures obviously still invoked a lot of emotion in him. 

6 It Was Filmed In South Africa

Kissing Booth 2 was filmed in South Africa! This might seem kind of random, but they decided that South Africa would be the best place for the sequel. Every time viewers thought that the characters were located in California, they were actually located in South Africa.

Without knowing where this movie was filmed, most people would have just assumed that it was filmed somewhere near Hollywood, if not actually in Hollywood. The cast and crew had to fly out to South Africa in order to bring this movie to life, making this a somewhat of a destination film. Fun fact: Avengers: Age of Ultron was also filmed in South Africa.

5 Jacob Elordi Denies Feeling Miserable While Filming, Despite Rumors

Fans speculated that Jacob Elordi was miserable having to film the movie with his ex-girlfriend, Joey King. Social media continually made fun of how sad Jacob's face looked in every scene from the trailer. He quickly cleared up the confusion though. He stated, "I have a resting miserable face! You know what it is? It’s because I’m usually thinking a lot, like, an insane amount, about something ridiculous." His face doesn't necessarily look miserable all the time, but he does have a serious look to him.

Jacob then went on to describe the character he plays in the movie, Noah, saying, "I think also ... Noah is a moody dude, you know? He’s a moody guy. He’s not running around [super happy]. I wasn’t miserable, I was tired, but not miserable. I had a blast." It is a relief to hear that he wasn't actually miserable while filming alongside Joey King. 

4 Taylor Zakhar Perez Is Also Embarrassed By The "Snack" Scene

Taylor Zakhar Perez plays the role of Marco in Kissing Booth 2. In one of the more hilarious moments from the film, Elle refers to his character as a snack. Perez said, "In the scene where you first get to meet Marco outside of the video is when he turns around and looks up to the rest of the class. I had so much anxiety and embarrassment — but also secondhand embarrassment for her ..." Almost everyone with a conscience watching that scene felt anxiety and embarrassment for Elle!

Taylor Zakhar Perez easily took on the role of a heartthrob in the movie. Getting compared to Jacob Elordi never caused him to skip a beat and he filled the shoes of the snack Elle was describing perfectly.

3 Joey King Liked Bouncing Back To Her Lighthearted Role

Joey King starred in the first Kissing Booth film in 2018 and then starred in The Act, 2019’s critically-acclaimed true-crime series right after. Then she got to return for Kissing Booth 2. King said, "Honestly, I feel very grateful that I got to do something as fun and lighthearted as The Kissing Booth and go on to something as heavy and dramatic as The Act and then get the choice to go back to do something like The Kissing Booth [2] and basically thank the genre that changed my life.” (Teen Vogue.)

The Kissing Booth franchise is extremely lighthearted and easy to watch in comparison to the gritty and serious episodes of The Act. King has proven herself to excel as an actress, regardless of the genre. 

2 Reuniting With Joel Courtney Was Great For Joey King

Joey King and Joel Courtney play best friends in the movies, but they are actually good friends in real life too. Joey King said, “It was the greatest reunion for me and Joel. We are so close and every day spent on set with Joel was a good day. He's the funniest person ever. All we do is laugh and laugh and laugh when we're together.” They seem like they have a lot in common.

The friendship between Joey King and Joel Courtney started on the set of the first Kissing booth film, but it has since flourished and grown stronger.

1 Joey King Acknowledges The Mistakes Her Character Makes In The Sequel

Everyone makes mistakes as they are learning and getting older. Growing up and getting through those difficult high school years can be a challenge for anyone. Joey King spoke of the character she plays, Elle, saying, “She makes a lot of mistakes. But I don't think she should regret any of them. How are you going to learn if you don't make those mistakes and grow from them?” And she is absolutely right!

Joel Courtney
“I am more mature than my character”
From World Today News : “I am more mature than my character”

The actor took advantage of the confinement to organize his wedding.

On Netflix, “Kissing Both2” is one of the biggest audience hits of this summer. Californian Joel Courtney, 24, plays a teenager shared between the girl he loves and his best friend.

Could you, like in the movie, have a girl as your best friend?

To have a girl as your best friend, what a pain! It’s impossible for me. I am too romantic. I was friends for two years with a girl but we took our distance because she expected more from me. I don’t believe it’s possible to have a platonic relationship with a girl for a straight guy.

Do you look like Lee in life?

No. I am much more mature than my character, who often reacts like a kid in “Kissing Both”.

How do we explain to our readers the attraction of these kissing stalls that are popular in the USA at school parties?

With the virus, I don’t think a kissing booth is the place to be right now (laughs). But the “Kissing Both” is a rite of passage in adolescence where you kiss a stranger while blindfolded. There may be a spark. I know couples who have fallen in love after a simple kiss this way.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done for love?

I left a girl because we were too young to get married. It broke my heart. Luckily, we met up last year and got engaged on last Valentine’s Day.

How have you been living the past few months, when most of the filming has been stopped in Hollywood?

A lot of people got bored staying locked in their homes. For us, it was almost a blessing not to have a shoot or a promo trip for our job. Mia’s family (editor’s note: Mia Scholink, a beauty influencer) lives in Arizona and I moved there with them to stay with Mia. We spent hours preparing for our wedding.

Although the third film “Kissing Both” is already in post-production for 2021, most of the filming is at a standstill in Hollywood. How do you see the evolution of your career?

With confinement, I discovered a passion for photography. I bought two cameras to learn the basics of taking pictures or portraits. I do not know if it will lead to something professional one day or if I will be interested in the directing while passing behind the lens but all this technical side of the show biz interests me more and more while I wouldn’t have thought for a second of doing anything other than the actor before everything stopped because of the virus.

Joel Courtney
The Kissing Booth 2 Star Breaks Down Why The Sequel Is Better Than The First
From Screen Rant : The Kissing Booth 2 Star Breaks Down Why The Sequel Is Better Than The First

The Kissing Booth 2 star Joey King, who stars as Elle in the rom-com movies, thinks that the sequel is better than the first film.

Though it's rarely easy to outdo an original with a sequel, The Kissing Booth 2 star Joey King believes the new Netflix film does exactly that. The follow-up to the most rewatched Netflix Original movie from 2018 picks up right where its predecessor left off, following the lives of Elle (King) and Lee (Joel Courtney) as they navigate their senior year of high school, jealousy, and of course, the events of their annual kissing booth. In the first movie, we saw Elle fall for and subsequently begin dating Lee's hunky older brother, Noah (Jacob Elordi). Here, the couple must dodge the plague of a long-distance relationship, and well as resist the urge to fall in love with their other classmates.

When The Kissing Booth was released on July 24, both it and its predecessor immediately skyrocketed onto Netflix's new top-10 feature, where the streaming giant regularly lists its most popular viewing options. Had this widget been around in 2018 for the first Kissing Booth, its everlasting mainstream popularity hints that it would've made the cut as well. There is still debate on which film is superior, but the star of the sequel clearly prefers The Kissing Booth 2.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, King believes that the second film is a significant improvement from the first. She explained, "This sequel, if I may say so myself, I think is better than the first movie... We wanted to give fans something to remember, something that is even bigger and better than the movie that they fell in love with initially, something that exceeded all expectations and still remained true to the absolute fun, loving, ridiculously silly nature of the first movie." Continuing, she noted, "I kind of think that we might have hit it out of the part or whatever."

While the two Kissing Booth movies have no doubt become popular as indicated above, the reviews for the film say something different. Both films have gotten lackluster scores on Rotten Tomatoes, with the original receiving 17% and the sequel currently sitting at 27%. And though King mentioned that she and her castmates wished to deliver something memorable, the film has been overwhelmingly received as a serviceable product only to those who loved the first Kissing Booth and longed for more as soon as its credits rolled. Anyone else might be better served to keep scrolling, perhaps to To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You,a film that follows a similar approach, yet achieved much better results (and also has a highly anticipated third movie on the way).

Joel Courtney
Joey King Shares Video of the Full Arcade Dance With Taylor Zakhar Perez's Marco!

Joey King is sharing a raw video of THAT dance with Taylor Zakhar Perez in The Kissing Booth 2

The now 21-year-old actress uploaded the full video to her Instagram account.

“Dance into the weekend with us AND WATCH THE KISSING BOOTH 2 ON NETFLIX!!! This is the full version that we shot of the final arcade scene with Marco and Elle. We danced the entire day which was killer on my shin splints but my dance partner made it all worth it. This was a really exhausting day but more fun than anything else. I miss this a lot 🥺❤️,” she wrote with the video.

If you’re wondering why the dance is in front of a green screen, Joey has your answer!

“no it was!!!! Just that specific scene was done on a green screen,” she replied to a fan who said, “So it wasn’t actually in an arcade:(”

Joel Courtney
Seventeen: Here Are the Real Ages of the Cast of "The Kissing Booth 2"
From Seventeen : Here Are the Real Ages of the Cast of "The Kissing Booth 2"

There's a big age difference between the actors and their characters.

It's been over two years since The Kissing Booth first came out, which means the cast has certainly grown up since then. While our favorite characters might still be in high school and trying to figure out their futures and what college they want to go to, the cast follows the Hollywood tradition of having older actors play younger characters. Before you start rewatching The Kissing Booth 2 for the tenth time in a row, you might be curious to know which cast member is the oldest and just how much older they are than their characters. Well get ready, because the answers might just surprise you!

Here's everything you need to know about the real ages of the cast of The Kissing Booth 2.

Joey King as Elle Evans

the kissing booth
NETFLIX

Age: 20

Joey actually celebrated her 20th birthday while on the set of The Kissing Booth 3 and she's about to turn 21 on July 30.

Joel Courtney as Lee Flynn

the kissing booth 2
NETFLIX

Age: 24

The actor is only 3 years older than his IRL and on-screen BFF Joey.

Jacob Elordi as Noah Flynn

kissing booth 2
NETFLIX

Age: 23

Even though he plays the oldest of the Flynn brothers, Jacob is actually younger.

Taylor Zakhar Perez as Marco Valentin Peña

kissing booth 2 2020
MARCOS CRUZNETFLIX

Age: 28

The Kissing Booth newcomer was actually born on Christmas day in 1991.

Maisie Richardson-Seller as Chloe Winthrop

the kissing booth 2
NETFLIX

Age: 28

Maisie is only 3 months younger than her co-star Taylor.

Meganne Young as Rachel

kissing booth 2 2020
MARCOS CRUZNETFLIX

Age: 30

Meganne is the oldest out of all her co-stars on The Kissing Booth.

Joel Courtney