When we meet Lily Bloom, played with sincere conviction by the vivacious and glamorous Blake Lively, whose surname, like Lily’s, aptly reflects the woman herself, she is fleeing her father’s funeral through a quaint New England town.
Dressed in bizarre outfits—surely only Lively could pull off the mechanic’s overalls—Lily is upset but not despondent over her father’s death, a point that, unlike the book, is kept secret until halfway through the film. The same goes for her simmering, questionable relationship, which begins as a flirtatious high-rise meeting with Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni), a neurosurgeon with chiseled features and a fiery gaze. Especially in Baldoni’s hands, Ryle is the versatile looker that heartthrobs are made of.
But it wouldn’t be chick lit without a twist, and that twist, while it may sound acting or dramatic, is that the perfect Ryle is also physically abusive. Of course, this is the reality for millions of women (according to the CDC, it’s one in four), but It Ends with Us offers audiences an extraordinary look into this sometimes over-the-top or conveniently dramatic cliche in film and literature. The message is woven into a love triangle that speaks to the legions of readers, mostly women, who have fueled the #BookTok phenomenon.
Colleen Hoover has been an integral part of this movement. She writes in the romance and young adult genres and has found an enthusiastic following among young readers. Hoover originally self-published her novels, and her most popular novel, 2016’s It Ends with Us, has sold around 4 million copies, been translated into over 20 languages, and, fittingly, has over a billion tags on TikTok. While this work is extraordinarily popular, an author’s tasteful work doesn’t always translate to the screen, requiring other visions to handle it in a sometimes wacky game of Chinese whispers.
Thankfully, that’s not the case here. Christy Hall’s script takes its time and fully develops the characters before diving too deep. The conflict is ambiguous and the perpetrator isn’t quite what we imagine, which is surprisingly refreshing and probably realistic. Before the screening, my biggest skepticism about this film was the gigantic marketing campaign that is spiraling out of control on social media and mainstream media, which in my opinion overshadows the film itself.
I can’t be the only one. Lively has promoted what feels like ten different products, including her husband’s latest Deadpool movie, a new hair care line, and her soft drinks. This oversaturation made me suspicious, to say the least. I was prepared for the worst – another throwaway adaptation focused on its attractive leads and the bottom line – but hoped for the best… anything but the cheap romance trash that has plagued the market lately.
On the contrary, It Ends with Us builds up the villain for much of its running time. Ryle is an undeniable catch, a successful, desirable man who seems to love Lily with the kind of undying, possibly obsessive love that makes for impeccable BookTok material. Baldoni is perfect in the role: slick, casual, and frighteningly engaging. But as their relationship blossoms—pun intended—from dating to living together to engagement, Ryle’s control issues and past trauma rub off on Lily.
Also directing is Baldoni, whose breakout role in the critically acclaimed series “Jane the Virgin” gave him a foot in the door to pursue his interests, namely the mission to create “high-impact media.” That has steered his choices toward poignant material, like the doomed teen love story “Five Feet Apart” or this high-concept adaptation with a good message sprinkled across the pretty celebrity faces.
Lively and Baldoni aren’t the only performances worth seeing. The witty Jenny Slate and the witty Hasan Minhaj play Ryle’s sister and brother-in-law. But it’s Brandon Sklenar as Atlas, Lily’s high school love with a sad backstory of his own, who holds the biggest appeal for viewers who might buy a ticket just for the romantic entanglements. But best of all, the film entertains without being completely cheesy. It informs without being blatantly preachy. There’s an undeniable charm to this film, and, I hate to say it, this dissident has pulled out her own slice of humility.
“It Ends with Us” is now in theaters.
