The Big Picture

It Ends With Us
is elevated by Blake Lively, who excels in portraying Lily’s transformation.
Justin Baldoni successfully handles the sensitive subject of domestic violence as a director and actor.
The film does not romanticize or redeem the aggressor, surpassing the novel in this respect.

BookTok has become an outlet for avid readers to share recommendations and discuss novels that draw them in with their sharp storytelling. Although authors like Emily Henry and Sarah J. Maas have seen their penned efforts skyrocket in sales due to their popularity on TikTok, Colleen Hoover remains one of the writers with the most visibility on the platform and in bookstores. Her novel, It Ends With Us, took over the top spot on 2022’s bestseller list. With millions of copies sold, it is daunting to picture a book that has resonated with many getting transported to the big screen in a way that maintains the same nuance and sensitivity as its source material. Yet, in Justin Baldoni’s careful hands, this onscreen adaptation similarly strikes the core.

The film follows Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a vibrant florist who moves to Boston after her father’s funeral and crosses paths with a womanizing neurosurgeon named Ryle (Baldoni). Although his charming and flirtatious presence captivates the protagonist from their very first interaction on a rooftop, they go their separate ways, leaving it to fate to reunite them. After opening her floral shop and hiring Allysa (Jenny Slate), Lily reconnects with Ryle through her co-worker. The two fall for each other in a passionate and consuming manner. Yet, despite the smiles and mismatched outfits, the protagonist grew up witnessing domestic violence at home and soon sees history repeating itself in her own relationship.

It Ends With Us Lily believes she’s found true love with Ryle, but when a painful incident triggers past trauma, she must decide if love alone can carry her marriage through. However, things are complicated when her first love returns to her life.Release Date June 21, 2024 Director Justin Baldoni Main Genre Drama Writers Justin Baldoni , Christy Hall , Colleen Hoover

Blake Lively Thrives As a Woman Trying to Break Free From a Violent Cycle in ‘It Ends With Us’

Although It Ends With Us readers were skeptical to see that an older cast was lined up for the novel’s screen treatment (myself included), the final product makes it clear that aging up the characters was for the best. Lively’s Lily starts off high-spirited and sassy, trying hard not to give into Ryle’s blunt pick-up lines. She knows what she wants in a partner, and being the next item on his extensive list of flings isn’t it. Lily is only convinced to be with Ryle after he is ready to embark on a committed relationship. Her transition from being a confident woman in love to a fearful and distraught victim is evident through Lively’s performance. The Gossip Girl alum taps into her most challenging role to date with reverence, taking it upon herself to be a voice for the women watching her character’s story take a violent turn. Despite the Lily onscreen being in her thirties, as opposed to the book, her experience feels more universal and gut-wrenching considering her level of maturity and strong-willed personality.

Justin Baldoni Meticulously Trails a Sensitive Subject, Never Making It Exploitative

When a topic like domestic violence is incorporated into a story, it can come out as faulty, and sometimes exploitative. That isn’t the case here, and it’s due to Baldoni’s direction and portrayal of Ryle. Like Lily, the audience finds the character amusing and roots for the couple’s electric connection, but once things go south between them, the director draws the line. In a sense, Baldoni’s take on the source material is even better when dealing with this theme than Hoover’s novel, because it doesn’t spend time redeeming Ryle from his actions. The character’s behavior in the film isn’t romanticized to the point that the viewers who were captivated by him at the start no longer feel the spark when he later walks into the room. Although the skeleton in Ryle’s closet humanizes him, it never takes away the weight of the abuse that he inflicts. Similarly to Lively, Baldoni has never charted this territory as a performer before, and he does so meticulously. Although he brings depth to the character, it is never enough to convince the audience to want Lily to stick around like her mother did.

Another element that positively aids the film’s translation from book to screen is its soundtrack. As the protagonist falls for Ryle and sees her life slowly come to mirror that of her parents, a relationship she has grown to dread, the needle drops add even more emotion and meaning to her hardships. From Lana Del Rey to Birdy, the music perfectly accompanies her journey through the ups and downs of falling in love and then falling apart when violence gets in the way. Yet, the most poignant song choice here is Taylor Swift’s “My Tears Ricochet,” which holds significance in its placement in the film. Not only does it encapsulate the burden that comes with Lily’s internal struggle towards Ryle and what it means to be with him despite the tender start to their bond, but it also represents her return to being the joyful woman she once was.

‘It Ends With Us’ Limits One of Its Leads, and Doesn’t Explore Flashbacks to the Fullest
Image via Sony

Although the movie serves as a purposeful cautionary tale, it also incorporates a love triangle of sorts, which is left on the sidelines. Lily’s first boyfriend, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), comes back into her life years after their teen romance unfolded and soon becomes the support system that she needs. As a result, the character’s arc is incredibly limited considering the former couple’s backstory. His relationship with Lily during high school (which is presented through flashbacks, with Isabela Ferrer and Alex Neustaedter playing their younger versions) is the only background we get on Atlas, leading his adult presence in the film to be one-note. Aside from his helping hand when she needs it the most, the character barely gets the development that Lily and even Ryle have.

The flashbacks are also not as strongly interwoven with the present when it comes to Lily and Atlas’ young love. The start of their romance is laid out well, but by the end of the flashback sequences, little is known as to Atlas’ whereabouts after they part ways and how their happiness being cut short affected Lily. Although an adaptation can only cover so many scenes and parts of the novel that it is based on, reducing the past and the present when it comes to one of the film’s most pivotal characters is a fault that is hard to shake away. It also feels a bit of a disservice to Ferrer and Neustaedter, who could’ve done much more than what they were given.

Despite the decision to minimize Atlas’ presence to a plot device for Lily’s road to breaking free from a generational cycle, Baldoni’s It Ends With Us is an emotional and effective depiction of domestic violence and how to find the strength to overcome it. The film is sensitive to the main topic, and its performances and direction allow for Lily’s experience to empower survivors. The project is also careful not to romanticize the aggressor, which is a positive distinction from the source material. Although slight changes were made to the story present in the novel, most of them (including the change in age) serve the adaptation well. As a whole, Baldoni’s directorial effort isn’t made for the fans who were drawn in by the love triangle, but rather intended for the audiences who resonate with Lily’s journey, and maybe that is for the better.

Review It Ends With Us It Ends With Us is a sensitive depiction of abuse and its performances elevate the adaptation.ProsBlake Lively channels Lily’s transition from confident to fearful seamlessly, making this her best performance to date.Justin Baldoni treats domestic violence sensitively as a director and lead actor.The film does not romanticize or redeem its aggressor, making this aspect of the adaptation better than the novel. ConsAtlas isn’t well-developed despite his importance in Lily’s trajectory.The flashback sequences could’ve been further explored in order to sustain the connection between the adult versions of Lily and Atlas.

It Ends With Us comes to theaters in the U.S. starting August 9. Click below for showtimes near you.

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