Is ‘The Kissing Booth 3’ Better Than Parts 1 & 2? Our Entertainment Editor Weighs in

Warning: Minor spoilers ahead

Throughout the entirety of The Kissing Booth series, there's been a lot of focus on one particular question: Which guy will Elle choose?

Will she stay loyal to her BFF or continue to date his brother? Will she pursue a new romance with the gorgeous new exchange student or try to work things out with her boyfriend? And what about college? Will Elle (Joey King) go to Berkeley to be with Lee (Joel Courtney) or attend Harvard to be closer to Noah (Jacob Elordi)?

That last question is finally answered in Netflix's highly-anticipated Kissing Booth 3, where Elle has to decide which boy's heart she's going to break over the summer. I won't ruin the big surprise, but I will say that the drama has practically multiplied tenfold. And there are quite a few fun and silly moments in this iteration that Kissing Booth fans will appreciate. But how does it hold up compared to the first two films? And is it worth the watch?

For the record, I should note that I was a bit disappointed by the first two films. I didn't like that Elle's entire existence revolved around the boys in her life, and I was especially peeved at how these movies tried to glamorize relationships that were clearly toxic (don't even get me started on Elle and Lee's strict friendship rules). Still, as turned off as I was by this series, a part of me hoped that these issues would be addressed/fixed in The Kissing Booth 3.

For those who are unfamiliar with the plot, Elle spends the summer trying to put off selecting the college that she'll attend. Instead, she focuses on making the most of her final summer at home, where she teams up with her BFF to complete a long "Beach Bucket List" of fun activities.

Since I watched the film with slightly higher expectations, I started off feeling a bit annoyed. Unfortunately, Elle begins by repeating a lot of the same mistakes. Noah is still super jealous and possessive. Lee still feels entitled to Elle's time and complete loyalty, and the list goes on. But thankfully, things take a turn when Lee's mom helps Elle realize that picking between different guys was never the real problem. After struggling to balance a summer job with catering to the needs of her best friend and boyfriend, she finally learns that her selflessness and people-pleasing habits are only holding her back.

The Kissing Booth 3 is a bit melodramatic and predictable, but it does a good job of tying up loose ends and showing character growth.

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