Elle has a problem. She got into two colleges, and she can only pick one. The Kissing Booth 3 spends its whole running time circling that one question, and it never quite answers it in a way that feels earned.
The film, directed by Vince Marcello and written by Marcello and Jay Arnold, wraps up the trilogy based on Beth Reekles’ novel. It stars Joey King as Elle Evans, Joel Courtney as Lee Flynn, Jacob Elordi as Noah Flynn, and Taylor Zakhar Perez as Marco Peña. The setup is simple: Elle has been accepted into both Harvard and Berkeley, and her best friend Lee is heading to Berkeley too. Elle’s boyfriend Noah is going to Harvard. Elle has to choose.
Trailer, via Netflix.
Elle’s Decision
Elle’s choice drives the entire story. The film keeps pushing back the moment she decides, letting Noah and Lee fight about it while Elle drifts between the two men. That’s the core idea, and it’s a fair one. But the execution drags.
The Beach House
The bulk of the film takes place at the beach house where Elle, Lee, Noah, and Lee’s girlfriend Rachel spend the summer helping sell the property. It’s meant to be a quiet, nostalgic backdrop, but the pacing is slow and the tension between Elle, Lee, and Marco rarely feels urgent.
Marco’s Feelings
Marco is the main complication. Elle thinks he had an affair with Noah, and Marco shows up at the beach house. He fights with Noah at the waterpark, and later he punches him at a Fourth of July party. Marco admits he still has feelings for Elle, and she rejects him. These scenes exist to stir things up, but they don’t land.
Lee’s Plans
Lee spends the summer planning how he and Rachel can see each other across long distances. His proposal to see each other on holidays is the closest the film comes to giving Elle a reason to choose Berkeley. It’s a decent idea, but it gets buried under the film’s constant deferral of Elle’s actual decision.
Elle’s Father
Elle also has to deal with her father’s new girlfriend, Linda. Elle fears Linda wants to replace her late mother. The film leans on this subplot for drama, but it’s thin next to the central question of which college Elle should pick.
Chloe’s Advice
Chloe, Noah’s friend, encourages him to make up with Elle. That’s a small but useful thread, since the film needs some reason for Elle and Noah to reconcile after Marco’s admission. Chloe is coping with her parents’ divorce, which gives her lines weight.
What Works
There are moments where the film’s intentions show through:
- The beach house itself, which gives the characters a contained space to argue and resolve.
- Marco’s admission, which finally makes his feelings explicit.
- Elle’s fight with her father over Linda, which gives her a personal stake beyond college choices.
None of it adds up to a strong ending.
The Verdict
The Kissing Booth 3 is a film about making a choice, and it never lets its heroine actually make one. The story circles the same questions for 112 minutes without resolving them in a way that feels earned. It’s a disappointment, not a disaster, but it’s a disappointment all the same.
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