“It Ends With Us: A Flawed but Necessary Exploration of Domestic Abuse”
Blake Lively’s turn as Lily Bloom should have been the heart of “It Ends With Us” – a thoughtful young woman navigating grief, romance, and ultimately, the insidious grip of domestic violence. Sadly, the film never fully commits to her journey, instead getting bogged down in its well-intentioned but heavy-handed messaging.
Director Justin Baldoni and the screenplay (adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel) paint Lily in broad strokes, making her more of a plot device than a fully realized character. The supporting players, particularly the magnetic Jenny Slate as Lily’s new friend Allysa, prove far more compelling. The two male leads, Justin Baldoni and Brandon Sklenar, did their part well. Baldoni created an intense and uncomfortable atmosphere as a the charming yet twisted character he portrays. Skelnar , who was a force to recon with in Taylor Sheridan’s “1923” as
Spencer Dutton, was underwhelming here. I feel like his character needed more screen time and more room to grow as her hero.
The film’s strength lies in its unflinching depiction of domestic abuse – the way it can creep up gradually, masked by charm and false promises of change. The brutal scenes of violence are hard to watch, as they should be, serving as a sobering reminder of the trauma endured by countless survivors.
Yet “It Ends With Us” struggles to find the right balance between education and entertainment. The Boston setting, while picturesque, feels underutilized, and the absence of Lily’s beloved flowers is a puzzling oversight. One wishes the filmmakers had found more visually poetic ways to convey the story’s emotional weight.
Ultimately, “It Ends With Us” is a noble effort that falls short of cinematic greatness. But in highlighting an important and often overlooked issue, it may still prove a valuable, if imperfect, addition to the conversation about domestic abuse. Sometimes, a flawed but necessary film is better than none at all. With all the controversy going on between the director “Baldoni” and co-producer “Lively” we are left with a glass half empty , with no foreseeable sequel or continuation to this tale.
– Danny T.
3/5 Rating
