The One Kissing Booth 3 Scene That Makes Us Love Joey King And Joel Courtney Even More
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There are a lot of great love stories to be seen throughout "The Kissing Booth" film series, but there's one that might just top them all: the lifelong friendship of Elle Evans (Joey King) and Lee Flynn (Joel Courtney). The two were born to be best friends, and they're both completely committed to making sure that their close connection never falters. They've even spent their lives abiding by a carefully structured set of rules to assure maximum best friendship achievements.
Of course, a lot changes once Elle and Lee's big brother, Noah (Jacob Elordi), get together and Lee strikes up a romance with Rachel (Meganne Young). Not only do a few of their precious rules get bent and even broken, but they have to learn to share each other with others. In the final installment, "The Kissing Booth 3," Elle and Lee face yet another serious strain when she decides that going to UC Berkeley with him — as they always planned — might not be in the cards after all. Lee is obviously distraught over the idea of not having unlimited facetime with Elle, and Elle also gets a touch jealous when Lee makes a new friend who'll be with him at the school. But instead of spending months moping about the big change ahead for them, Elle decides she wants to make the best of it.
When Elle puts a plan into motion so that she and Lee can commemorate their relationship with a summer of unforgettable activities, this kickstarts a new adventure for the dynamic duo. Plus, it also gives both actors who've brought these characters to life a chance to really shine. Here's a look at the one "Kissing Booth 3" scene that makes us love Joey King and Joel Courtney even more.
Gone silly
There's no doubt that Joey King is a phenomenal dramatic actor. In addition to bringing some gravity to "The Kissing Booth" films' most heart-wrenching moments, she's also been celebrated by critics for her scene-stealing work in shows like "The Act" and films like "Borealis" and "Wish I Was Here." But there's still something so satisfying about those moments where she really leans into her playful side. And her performance as Elle Evans in "The Kissing Booth" series has given audiences a lot of chances to giggle right along with her.
King has always been fearless about showing off just how kooky Elle can get. Whether it's nomming on a messy burger during an intense game of "Pac-Man" or shaking it with abandon in the boy's locker room while covered in paint, King portrays Elle as someone who doesn't hesitate to get silly on a regular basis. So it's only fitting that in the third film, she really digs into the goofy goodness once Elle and Lee commence their beach bucket list extravaganza.
The scene begins with Elle reminding us just how much she cares about Lee's happiness. After a bacchanalia at the beach, she wakes her bestie up with a hangover cure and a carefully curated plan for how they'll squeeze all their time-consuming outings into the few weeks they have to complete the list. Her chipper, self-assured demeanor is another hallmark of the character, and King's quick wit and sharp comedic timing are as impressive as ever here.
Then, once the real action begins and the two dig into their fun-times schedule, King really delivers on all of the excitement and funny faces that come with jumping out of planes and off cliffs, overloading on donuts and frozen drinks, and of course, relentlessly pranking Noah with atomic wedgies and ice cream baths. As ever, King's portrayal of Elle is someone who's fun and competitive and unafraid to take risks.
Close connection
Like King, Joel Courtney is also an actor who can deliver on everything from serious film fare to supernatural scares, like what we saw from him in his breakthrough roles in "Super 8" and "Don't Let Me Go." But he's also a whole lot of fun to watch as a light but fiercely loyal friend in "The Kissing Booth" movies. Lee imbues Courtney with a tender-hearted sensibility that makes him easy to love but also deeply needy for attention. So Lee is at his absolute happiest when he and Elle are living it up together like kids again, and in this scene, Courtney makes sure his smile is as bright and beaming as we've ever seen while Lee and Elle live out their list of childhood dreams.
Like Elle, Lee holds nothing back when it comes to having fun, and he even gets to show off some new skills when he proves to be a natural-born juggler and then crushes the pie-eating contest. Even if he's got some surprising individual talents, though, Lee ultimately considers himself to be one-half of a friendship duo through and through. Even as Elle determines what path is best for her, not them, Courtney visibly commits to the fact that for Lee, sharing these little wild rides with Elle is simply as good as it gets, and little else matters in the world. Courtney plays Lee's childlike demeanor and devotion with precision in the scene, and with King also giving right into the good times, the two are — like their characters — unstoppable and full of bliss when they're together on screen.