It Ends with Us Film Review: First Love Remains

Though It Ends With Us may not live up to fans of the novel’s expectations, the film profoundly portrays the effects of domestic abuse.

Creative differences won’t always appease fans of the source material, either. After watching It Ends With Us and speaking with people at the screening who had already read the book, I realized that viewers’ enjoyment of the feature will heavily depend on whether they have read Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel of the same name before watching the film.

As someone who entered the viewing experience without preconceived notions or expectations, I was taken aback by the lengthy line of people waiting to enter the theater room when I arrived at the cinema. Perhaps that was naivety on my part, as I hadn’t read the book and didn’t realize just how well-received it had been before attending my screening. As It Ends With Us concluded, I realized this novel holds great sentiment for many people. In fact, there wasn’t one empty seat in the theater, and everyone was ecstatic to be in attendance. Once the opening credits began, conversations filling the auditorium stopped, and there was complete silence.

The film begins with us being introduced to Lily Bloom (Blake Lively, of Deadpool & Wolverine), who has returned to her hometown for her father’s funeral as he has recently passed away. When Lily stands up during the service to make a speech, she freezes, struggling to find the words to describe to attendees what she liked about her dad. A conflicted Lily then abruptly leaves the funeral. If you haven’t read the book, you won’t initially understand why she has complex feelings towards her father, though all is revealed later in the narrative.

After Lily leaves the funeral, she meets Ryle (played by Justin Baldoni, who also directs the feature) later that evening. He’s a dashing, charismatic neurosurgeon, and the pair are attracted to one another from the moment they meet. During their conversation, Ryle reveals to Lily that he doesn’t ever date or have serious relationships and only pursues casual. However, once Ryle gets to know Lily, he falls for her, and the feeling is mutual. Though the pair have a whirlwind romance, Lily often reminisces about Atlas (Brandon Sklenar, of Emily the Criminal), her first love as a teenager.

After Lily moves to Boston and her lifelong dream of opening a flower shop comes to fruition, she couldn’t be happier, not to mention her close relationship with Ryle, which is seemingly perfect. However, when Lily is reacquainted with Atlas and Ryle’s sinister side comes to light, Lily faces some challenging life decisions.

After watching Lily and Ryle’s first meeting, I’ll admit I didn’t have much faith in It Ends With Us, as the film instantly succumbed to predictable romantic clichés and tropes. A goofy introduction? Check. A player who changes his womanizing behavior after he falls for the girl who constantly challenges him? Check. Classic cheesy meet-cute lines? Check. That said, I was pleasantly surprised when the narrative took a turn, and It Ends With Us evolved into a powerful story showcasing domestic abuse and how difficult it can be for survivors to find the strength to leave a hostile situation that they have become accustomed to due to fear and manipulation. At the same time, the feature reflects a woman breaking the abuse cycle, finding the strength and bravery to leave a threatening environment, and embracing a better existence for herself and those she wishes to set an example for.

As Lily’s story unfolds, It Ends With Us presents two timelines. Lily’s present-day life explores her developing relationship with Ryle, while flashbacks to her teen years demonstrate when she and Atlas first became acquainted, the blossoming of their beautiful love story, and their ability to find comfort in one another due to similar hostile upbringings. During these scenes, viewers also get a glimpse into Lily’s turbulent home life and her father, who was abusive to her mother.

Isabela Ferrer, who plays the younger Lily, and Alex Neustaedter, who plays a young Atlas, have excellent chemistry, and I found their scenes together to be the most compelling of the film. Every time the narrative switches to the flashback scenes, the story becomes more engrossing. The audience is left wondering why their love story never carried over into adult life, what led Lily to have conflicting feelings about her father (before it’s revealed that he was abusive), and where Atlas might be in the present day.

Though It Ends With Us’ runtime is two hours and 10 minutes, which some may consider on the longer side for a romance drama, the movie never drags. The story structure is incredibly well-placed, and none of the plot points feel rushed. This film has many details to cover to put all the aspects of Lily’s life together, and it does a pretty good job of touching on each. The only gripe I have is that I wish it had spent more time on scenes between Atlas and Lily during adulthood. Though It Ends With Us demonstrates their strong bond when they are teenagers, it doesn’t dedicate enough time to their potential rekindling in the present day. Instead, their interactions feel devoid of sincere emotion, which prevented me from becoming wholly invested in their relationship.

As for the performances, the entire cast excels. Ryle’s sister Allysa (Jenny Slate, of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) delivers effective comedic one-liners that provide It Ends With Us with some unexpected but completely refreshing humor. Baldoni is also a standout, balancing Ryle’s inviting charm while flawlessly demonstrating the character’s darker side.

But what truly elevates the film is Lively’s emotional, vulnerable, and authentic portrayal of Lily. She is a likable character who is incredibly inspirational and kind. Her fortitude is also admirable, and she’s extremely relatable. Lily is a perfect example of a character that makes a significant impact on the big screen. Though she finds herself in volatile situations, the theme of abuse, explored from her point of view, reflects a devastating reality that many people experience in their everyday lives. Though this subject matter is deeply upsetting, these are important stories to tell through the eyes of grounded, multi-faceted characters to which people experiencing the devastating effects of abuse in real life can relate to.

When I was leaving my screening, I overheard some people saying the film made them cry, while others said they didn’t like that the feature left out quite a few details that are included in the book. Though I can’t comment on the latter, this brings me back to my original thought at the beginning of this review. How you feel about It Ends With Us will be influenced by your familiarity with the source material and whether you have read the novel. If you are a fan of the book, the film’s changes may somewhat frustrate you. However, if you have no prior knowledge or attachment to literature, you can observe this movie from a much more neutral viewpoint.

But, at the very least, I hope everyone can agree on the fact that It Ends With Us is a poignant story that showcases the resilience of domestic abuse survivors and what courage it takes to find the strength to walk away.

It Ends with Us will be released globally in theaters on August 9, 2024.