‘It Ends With Us’ Starring Blake Lively: Tackles Big Issues, Slips into Drama

Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid don’t have a typical meet-cute. When they first encounter each other on a rooftop in Boston, Ryle is kicking a patio chair in frustration, and Lily is grappling with her abusive father’s death. Their conversation about maraschino cherries and gun violence quickly turns into flirtation, signaling an attraction but also an underlying tension.

This is how the movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling 2016 novel “It Ends With Us” begins. Starring Blake Lively, the film attempts to blend the harsh realities of domestic violence with the lightheartedness of a romantic comedy and elements of female empowerment. Unfortunately, the attempt fails to do justice to any of these themes.

The movie veers into melodrama, tackling issues like suicide, homelessness, generational trauma, child murder, and unintended pregnancy, but fails to properly address them. Despite being set in Boston, the film does little to incorporate any of the city’s unique atmosphere.

The central character, Lily, is played by Blake Lively, a flower shop owner caught in a love triangle. She’s torn between Ryle, a hunky neurosurgeon played by Justin Baldoni (who also directs the film), and her high school sweetheart, Atlas, portrayed by Brandon Sklenar with a hangdog charm.

Though there are red flags about Ryle’s behavior, they are not immediately apparent, taking literally years to piece together. This gradual buildup, however, does keep the potential abusive traits from being overly obvious from the start, which could be seen as a credit to the filmmakers.

The film’s most potent element is its portrayal of the enduring impact of domestic violence on those who witness or endure it. Unfortunately, this theme could’ve been more tightly integrated and highlighted.

Baldoni’s performance oscillates skillfully between menace and charm, perfectly threading the line between assertiveness and psychosis. His direction is effective in summarizing scenes and progressing the plot, though he does have a penchant for excessive music-led montages.

Lively, while almost drifting into the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope with her quirky flower sketches and love for shabby chic, manages to shine towards the end of the movie. Her character’s style oscillates between wearing many rings and floral dresses to stunning a room with a cut-out dress.

Christy Hall’s script has its flaws. Some lines fall flat — for instance, “This man runs through women like candy” — but the screenplay does manage to navigate around some of the book’s more awkward moments. Transforming Lily’s dad’s funeral from a dramatized rooftop scene into a flashback was a smart move.

The film, however, overstays its welcome. With a runtime exceeding two hours, the movie drags with diversions and poor editing choices, which include abrupt scene cuts that leave viewers confused about the setting.

The movie raises some head-scratching questions. How did Lily access the rooftop of the luxury high-rise in the first place? Why does her best friend, portrayed by Jenny Slate — who steals the show with her performance — work in the flower shop despite wearing Valentino and owning a purse worth as much as a small car?

There’s also an awkward relationship with the brand Carhartt; the logo appears and disappears on jackets and jumpsuits as if to indicate the wearers are down-to-earth, working-class folks. This contrasts sharply with the film’s adoration of wealth and luxury, featuring items like Mercedes cars and million-dollar apartments, perhaps suggesting that domestic violence crosses all socioeconomic boundaries.

The makeup team deserves praise for transforming a 36-year-old Lively and a 34-year-old Sklenar into believable teenagers for the flashback sequences, using haircuts, eye makeup, and, interestingly, more Carhartt apparel.

Lily has a definite type: both her romantic interests are dark-haired, muscular men with stubble who favor tight black T-shirts and have an intense affection for her. When they fight, it can actually be difficult to distinguish between them.

The soundtrack is notable, featuring songs like Thom Yorke’s “Dawn Chorus,” Lewis Capaldi’s “Love the Hell Out of You,” and Brittany Howard’s “I Don’t.” Taylor Swift, a close friend of Lively, contributes with her track “My Tears Ricochet.”

When Lily and Ryle eventually consummate their relationship, she ominously warns, “Don’t let me regret this.” Predictably, she will, and others involved in this film likely will too.

“It Ends With Us,” a Sony Pictures release, hits theaters on Friday and is rated PG-13 for domestic violence, sexual content, and some strong language. With a runtime of 130 minutes, it garners one and a half stars out of four.

Source: AP News