Back in March I was reading It Ends With Us, being super curious about why the world of reading is so split when it comes to Colleen Hoover’s books. I don’t know if I can form an opinion after reading just one book of hers, but the fact that I ended up selling my copy of It Ends With Us should give you some sentiment into what I thought about it.
It Ends With Us was written by Colleen Hoover and published in 2016, touching on the subject of domestic abuse that was inspired by her own mother’s experience. Some of my immediate thoughts about the book were included in my Instagram post, but I will say it here as well. Althought the book doesn’t excel with the writing style, I was surprised by the honesty and raw emotion that was portrayed through the main character. I don’t think I’ve read another book that approached this sensitive subject before and I was drawn to find out the ending. The book’s sequel, It Starts With Us, was published in 2022. Both books are available via Epica Publishing.
I first saw Justin Baldoni on screen back in 2014 (how was that 10 years ago?!) in Jane the Virgin, one of the best television comedy series ever made, in my opinion. After the show finished, in 2019, Justin founded the production company Wayfarer Studios. I’ve followed along his projects especially the ones linked to the production company. Two beautiful movies that come to mind are Clouds (available on Disney+) and Five Feet Apart, both of which Justin directed. Having fell in love with his work and also being a fan of Blake Lively, my excitement level grew to very high levels once the adaptation of It Ends With Us was announced a few years ago.
Update January 2025: I don’t know if I can call myself a “Blake Lively fan” anymore at this stage, but I will update again once the lawsuit is over.
This has now become one of my favourite movies. I loved It Ends With Us so freaking much! And it’s harder to write about movies that I either hated or loved, because it’s so extreme that I find it hard to gather my thoughts in order to put together a detailed review – but I’ll try. 🙂 Directed by Justin Baldoni, the movie was produced by Wayfarer Studios and released in August 2024.
I took a Saturday afternoon for myself, went shopping and stopped at the cinema to watch this adaptation. Yes, I was excited and yes, I did have expectations that it would be good. But it was so much better and I am so happy I went to see it as soon as it came out. 🩷 Starring Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, and young actors Isabela Ferrer and Alex Neustaedter who did an incredible job, the movie is also completed by an amazing soundtrack and a storyline that was conveyed much better on screen that in the book.
I was saying on Instagram that the book should come with trigger warnings for domestic abuse. Same for the movie. It Ends With Us is Lily Bloom’s story (played beautifully by Blake Lively) who moves to Boston to open her first flower shop and falls in love with the neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (played perfectly by Justin Baldoni). Their love story might seem as normal and cute as any other love story you’ve seen in movies (or outside of them), up until the first glances of domestic abuse come about. And that’s when you really start to understand what’s going on.
Having grown up in an abusive environment, Lily is no stranger of what a toxic relationship looks like, but she needs to be strong enough to accept the reality and have the courage to break the cycle. The movie is a trip around her feelings, her thoughts, and her motivations. I liked how the script doesn’t make you root for Ryle, but it makes you like him enough to be torn just as Lily is up until the very end. Outside of the domestic abuse storyline, It Ends With Us is a story about hope, love, and forgiveness – what it should look like and how much we should give to others.
All humans make mistakes. What determines a person’s character aren’t the mistakes we make. It’s how we take those mistakes and turn them into lessons rather than excuses.
Spoiler alert! I would like to mention some bits that I loved to see in this movie: Amy Morton (from Trudy in Chicago P.D. to this unlikeable mother, such a treat!), Colleen Hoover‘s cameo, and how Emily Baldoni (Justin’s wife) played the sonographer at Lily’s appointment.
It’s been a few months since reading the book, but to be honest I didn’t notice any major change that could be bothersome – with the exception of the main characters age which was explained by the author of the book already: “As an author, we make mistakes,” she said. “There’s no 28-year-old neurosurgeons, you know? You go to school for 15 years., but don’t let this stop you from watching the movie as this is not affecting the storyline in any way.
In the future… if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again… fall in love with me.
I did not touch too much on Lily and Atlas’ story, but all I’ll say is that we need the sequel. They deserve the sequel. 🩵 And also, I’m going to read It Starts With Us VERY soon because I need to find out what happens next!
Trailer:
It Ends With Us is now in cinemas, via InterComFilm (in Romania).