Justin Baldoni’s big screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends With Us, is making its way into theaters this weekend.

If you have not read the book, I’m going to issue a few content warnings right now. There are scenes with both domestic abuse and marital rape. Abuse plays a key role in the film so please keep this in mind as you decide whether or not to see the film. For what it’s worth, Hoover’s bases her novel on her parents. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to be in that position. Call it cathartic, healing, or whatever but in writing the novel, she was able to resonate with many others. I cannot stress enough that the scenes in particular are not easy to watch.

When we first meet Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), she is arriving back in Plethora, Maine for her father’s funeral. It is not until Lily gets up to deliver her eulogy in which we sense that there is something more. Little by little, the film unveils Lily’s past through flashbacks with a younger Lily (Isabela Ferrer) and Atlas Corrigan (Alex Neustaedter). An older Atlas (Brandon Sklenar) will be back in the picture soon enough but not until after Lily starts a relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). In the meantime, Lily is opening up her flower shop, Lily Bloom’s, and meets new best friend Allysa (Jenny Slate). It’s only after they start dating in which Lily begins to realize that Ryle is similar to her father. At some point, she is going to have no choice but to make the decision to end their relationship.

Unbeknownst to Lily, Atlas is also living in Boston and running his own restaurant. It comes as something of a shock that it just happens to be his restaurant where Lily and Ryle meet Lily’s mom (Amy Morton). Lily keeps to herself but after another visit, the gloves come off. Even not being familiar with the book, it’s easy to see what direction the film takes from there. Get out of there before it’s too late, right?!? For those of you not familiar with the book, the flashbacks allow us to better understand both Lily and Atlas. Both grew up in abusive households and left the small town for the city of Boston. It’s easy to see why Atlas has his own concerns during their second encounter.

There’s a few things going on here. Obviously, the title itself implies wanting to end the cycle of abuse. It’s not a question of if but how and when. But at the same time, Lily and Atlas still have feelings for each other. He’s there for her in the same way that she was there for him in high school. The leaves the audience in a position of hope for the characters. Hope they Ryle can get help for his anger but hope for Lily and her future. That’s not to say that she’ll be healed from a traumatic childhood and marriage but certainly a hopeful future ahead.

After quickly reading up on the book, I can say that It Ends With Us keeps the essence and the spirit of the book. They age up the characters into their 30s through casting Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Brandon Sklenar. In addition, the narrative also plays some of the things slowly rather than boom, here’s what’s going on. Meanwhile, I expect we’ll see the continuation of the film’s story on the big screen with the adaptation of It Starts With Us. If the film makes enough money, it will be a no-brainer decision to go forward in bringing the second novel to the screen.

DIRECTOR: Justin Baldoni
SCREENWRITER: Christy Hall
CAST: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Kevin McKidd, Amy Morton, Alex Neustaedter, introducing Isabela Ferrer, and Brandon Sklenar

Sony Pictures will release It Ends With Us in theaters on August 9, 2024. Grade: 3.5/5

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