Directed by Justin Baldoni, It Ends With Us is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book of the same title. The book and the movie are mainly about raising awareness about domestic violence. If you haven’t read the book and you’re not the one to read the movie logline or synopsis, the ending of the movie might surprise you.
If you’ve missed the cinema showing and are planning to watch this movie, it’s now available on specific streaming services like Netflix. Let’s get into the good and the not-so-good parts of this movie.
Cast Performance
Blake Lively stars Lily Bloom, a young beautiful lady who is dreaming of owning her own flower shop. Justin Baldoni plays Ryle Kincaid, a neurosurgeon with a mysterious past. There’s also Brandon Sklenar as Atlas Corrigan, Lily’s past flame; Jenny Slate as Allysa, Ryle’s sister and Lily’s newfound best friend; and Hasan Minhaj as Marshall, Allysa’s partner.
The performance of the cast was great. Blake Lively as Lily Bloom is a treat to watch and the emotions she showed were, as usual, convincing and raw. Justin Baldoni’s performance is good as well as he effortlessly portrayed the complexity of Ryle’s character and his internal struggles. Brandon, being the knight in shining armor he is, is very charming. His portrayal of Atlas was captivating, which makes you root for him, even though he’d been out of the picture for quite a while.
The two supporting characters, Jenny Slate and Hasan Minhaj, added comedic energy to the film. Their chemistry is on point as well, which makes them easy and fun to watch.
The POV of Domestic Violence Victims
If you were to watch this movie on other platforms like DISH TV, when you’re simply browsing from one channel to another and decide to watch this movie, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The movie, in its entirety, is about a woman who’s in a relationship with a man who has heavy hands. Lily is no stranger to domestic violence, as she witnessed it in her own family when her father hurt her mother. She’s afraid that the same thing would happen to her.
Whenever there are instances where Lily gets hurt, like when Ryle burns his hand while making breakfast, he hits her in the face which bruises her eyes when Lily tries to check up on him. In the hospital, Ryle claims that it was an accident, which Lily believed. There are other instances when the same thing would happen, he would hurt her, and afterward, he would claim that it was an accident.
Of course, Lily believed it each and every time. This is a common experience for many victims of domestic abuse. The abuser often employs tactics of gaslighting, manipulation, and minimizing their violent behavior. Even though the abuse does not regularly happen in the film, the essence of what happens to victims is properly laid out in the movie.
Just a side note, make sure to have a fast wireless service when you stream this on Netflix. This will help you understand and enjoy the movie better.
The Storytelling
Honestly, the storytelling feels a little flat. The depth of the character, especially Lily, is lacking. It would help if they built more into her character so that people could relate to her more. Yes, her background was shown – her past, traumas, and everything in between – and explained very well, but her own nature is what’s missing in the movie. There’s a type of disconnect that made the movie more of a narration than an experience that allows the viewer to feel, empathize, and connect with Lily’s character.
The Verdict
Overall, the movie is a solid 6/10. It’s a decent movie with a decent plotline, although there is room for improvement. I was personally surprised by the twist when I watched it for the first time. It’s like during the last bit of the movie, everything made sense. You get that sudden realization that “Oh, this is what happens when a domestic violence victim comes to their senses.” But the struggle of the victims can be shown better in the movie. Still, It Ends With Us is a movie worth watching.