Top 8 Differences Between ‘It Ends With Us’ Book and Movie

• Warning: This article contains major spoilers for “It Ends With Us.”
• The Blake Lively movie is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name.
• The central story remains the same, but there are some notable changes from the book.

The movie adaptation of one of BookTok’s most popular reads, “It Ends With Us,” debuted in theaters on Friday. Based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, the film stars Blake Lively as Lily Bloom, a florist whose chance encounter with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, played by Justin Baldoni, ignites an intense relationship.

As Lily begins to observe troubling similarities between Ryle’s behavior and her parents’ tumultuous relationship, her first love, Atlas Corrigan, played by Brandon Sklenar, reenters her life. Naturally, this book-to-screen adaptation introduces some changes, both significant and minor.

“Every change that we made was christened by Colleen herself, and none of the changes were made lightly,” screenwriter Christy Hall explained in an interview. “But this is, I feel like this is the absolute best offering that we could give.”

One noticeable change is the characters’ ages. In the book, Lily is a 23-year-old recent college graduate when she first meets 30-year-old Ryle. Atlas is described as slightly older than Lily. In the movie, however, the characters are played by older actors: Lively is 36, Baldoni is 40, and Sklenar is 34. Hoover acknowledged her initial decision to make the characters so young as a mistake. She explained that her participation in the movie allowed her to correct this, stating, “You were writing college-age characters. That’s what I was contracted to do. I made Lily very young. I didn’t know that neurosurgeons went to school for 50 years. There’s not a 20-something neurosurgeon.”

The initial courtship between Lily and Ryle also sees modifications. In the book, their will-they-won’t-they romance unfolds over several months after Ryle’s sister Alyssa, played by Jenny Slate, starts working at Lily’s flower shop. A sprained ankle incident further brings them together, but the romance develops more gradually with several tense moments and compromises.

Conversely, the movie accelerates their relationship in some ways. After Ryle and Lily reconnect at the flower shop, they join Alyssa and her husband Marshall, portrayed by Hasan Minhaj, for a night out in Boston. Their night includes a Bruins game, karaoke, and bowling. Flirting ensues, and by the end of the night, Lily agrees to kiss Ryle, which leads to further flirtation and an eventual trial run at a relationship, similar to the book’s development.

An interesting departure from the source material is the omission of Lily’s journal entries addressed to Ellen DeGeneres. In the book, Ellen plays a significant role as Lily’s obsession and a source of comfort for Lily and Atlas, who bond over watching her show. The movie, however, removes most references to DeGeneres.

Another key difference lies in Atlas’s backstory. In the book, Atlas is a victim of abuse by his stepfather, leading to his homelessness. However, the movie doesn’t delve into this abuse. Instead, it is implied that Atlas’s mom, like Lily’s, was abused by her husband.

Ryle’s proposal also shifts in timing. In the book, Ryle and Lily elope to Vegas before Alyssa’s baby is born. After Alyssa gives birth, a furious Ryle assaults Lily upon discovering her teenage journal entries, leading her to take refuge at Atlas’s house. The film changes this sequence, with Ryle proposing to Lily in the hospital after Alyssa gives birth, altering the emotional buildup significantly.

Atlas’s restaurant also sees a name change. In the book, it’s named Bib’s (Better in Boston), a phrase from a souvenir he gave Lily as a teen. In the movie, it’s renamed Root but still ties back to their relationship with a flashback of Lily teaching Atlas about plant roots’ significance.

The film also handles the revelation of Ryle’s traumatic past differently. In the book, Ryle himself tells Lily about accidentally killing his brother, which is the reason for his anger issues. This confession and Lily’s subsequent empathy keep their relationship going. In the movie, however, Alyssa informs Lily about this dark family secret only after Ryle’s final attack and their separation, changing the dynamics considerably.

Moreover, the gender revelation of Lily’s baby also differs. In the book, Lily learns she’s having a daughter only after the birth, which emotionally impacts her decision to divorce Ryle to break the cycle of abuse. The film, however, reveals this detail to both characters beforehand, slightly undercutting the emotional weight of Lily’s decision.

These changes reflect the filmmakers’ creative decisions in adapting a beloved book to screen, providing a fresh yet familiar narrative for fans and newcomers alike.

Source: Business Insider