From paperback to the big screens, It Ends With Us has been brought to life. Inspired by the popular novel portraying the reality of domestic violence, director Justin Baldoni and author Colleen Hoover collaborated to adapt the adult fiction novel onto the massive broadcasts.

The story follows the main character, Lily Bloom, who pursues her dream to Boston (“the city where everything is better”) and opens a flower shop. Lily soon falls for Ryle Kinkaid, an experienced neurosurgeon. However, as their relationship progresses, her life begins to mirror her parents’ toxic and abusive relationship. Her past lover, Atlas Corrigan, reappears, capturing her attention and saving her from repeating her mother’s mistakes. Justin Baldoni portrays Ryle Kinkaid, with Blake Lively starring as Lily Bloom and Brandon Sklenar as Atlas Corrigan. Isabela Ferrer and Alex Neustaedter play the younger versions of Lily and Atlas.

According to Hindustan Times, the film was “made on a modest budget of $25 million, and has now earned more than 7x that amount.” It Ends With Us premiered on Aug. 9, and the media seems to rise to speculation and question the cast’s behavior on the red carpet and social media. According to the New York Times, “hints that things were off first surfaced at the New York and European premieres.” Though Baldoni was in attendance, he wasn’t posing for the cameras with anyone else involved in the movie and wasn’t participating in joint interviews. Fans speculated that this was a marketing tactic, given that he plays an abusive husband. The theory seemed to be that the distance was a statement about not romanticizing the relationship between Lively’s and Baldoni’s characters. But that conjecture was quickly discarded when it emerged that Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, other cast members, and even Hoover had unfollowed Baldoni on social media, according to the New York Times.

Although no official reason has been confirmed for the cast’s behavior, there is speculation that a falling out occurred. 

According to the New York Times, “Lively’s promotion of the movie has included a push for her new hair care line, discussing clothes and responses to questions about abuse, which have been criticized as shallow and tone deaf. Baldoni, by contrast, has emphasized the importance of raising awareness of domestic violence in similar situations.” The movie’s marketing as a “cute romcom” has drawn controversy, given its serious subject matter. In interviews, Baldoni described how deeply the character and the story affected him as an actor. Gaby Shanner (10) was particularly impressed by Baldoni’s acting.

“My favorite actor was probably Justin Baldoni just because he’s taken the movie’s topic seriously,” Shanner said. “His acting rose above Blake Lively’s, and he knows that domestic abuse is a serious topic. He embodied his difficult character very well. It isn’t easy to play someone so ‘evil’ and abusive, and he did a great job promoting the movie for the right reasons, unlike Blake.” 

Viewers who read the book feel that the movie lacked critical parts of the story; some, like Shanner, were disappointed with the film adaptation. 

“I think production did a bad job; I thought the movie was really bad compared to the book,” Shanner said. “They left out the bibs, the magnet, the Ellen diaries/Finding Nemo, poker night, and much more. All of these were key details that made the book. If I was the director, I would have focused more on Atlas. I feel like he barely got any screen time, but in the book, he was such an important character … in the movie, he felt like a side character.” 

Viewers like Shanner agree that the movie left out key details in the book that were vital to understanding the plot.

On the other hand, students like Faith Bailey (12) believe that the movie was well adapted from the book. 

“I genuinely think they did so amazing — apart from some details they left out, it was exactly how I imagined it would be and just such a heartfelt movie,” Bailey (12) said. “A message I got was that when it comes to abusive atmospheres, do not be afraid to save yourself and turn to the people that try to love you because your future self will thank you.”  

The movie displays serious topics of domestic violence and truly highlights all of the Lily Blooms in the world and gives them strength.

Overall, the movie was given a rating of 6.7/10 on IMDd and 58% on RottenTomatoes.

“Just because someone hurts you doesn’t mean you can simply stop loving them. It’s not a person’s actions that hurt the most. It’s the love.” – It Ends With Us