The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, "It Ends with Us", navigates the painful reality of domestic violence and emotional manipulation. This story centres around intriguing protagonist, Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), whose life gets tangled up with charming yet potentially dangerous surgeon, Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni).
After Lily's emotionally charged father's funeral, she stumbles upon the charismatic Ryle while seeking solitude on a rooftop. Despite a violent display of temper, Lily is captivated by Ryle and spirals into a whirlwind romance filled with passion and escalating toxicity. Ryle’s initial charm and flirtation turns into obsessive jealousy and emotional manipulation, overriding Lily’s initial wishes of being just friends.
Ryle is the brother of Lily’s new ally, Allysa (Jenny Slate), who she employs to assist with her dream florist shop. Despite the escalating turmoil in her relationship with Ryle, Lily transitions from being repulsed by Ryle’s temper to becoming the recipient of his outbursts.
As the toxic relationship intensifies, we weave in and out of carefully curated flashbacks of young Lily (Isabela Ferrer), engaged in a tender relationship with a schoolmate, Atlas. This contrast shows her early encounters with love while simultaneously depicting her home life fraught with abuse.
Despite a commendable effort in story-telling, the film sometimes fails to strike the right balance between these past and present scenes. More dynamic representation of Lily's personal growth, independent of the men in her life, would have added more depth to the narrative.
The film visually captivates its audience through luscious scenery, beautifully framed close-ups and dreamy staging of Lily’s flower shop. Lively convincingly portrays the inner turmoil of Lily, paralleled with her transformation into an empowered woman. However, the women in Lily's life, such as Ally and her mother Jenny, receive undercooked character development chasing plot tailcoats.
While visually depicting the violence in Lily's life is elegantly navigated, the script falls short in illuminating the depths of why women sometimes stay with abusive partners. Additionally, an unnecessary love triangle with the re-emergence of Atlas as an adult forces an undue focus on male perspectives.
"It Ends with Us" certainly delivers a poignant narrative with sincerity, despite its shortcomings. The film’s central theme of grappling with emotional turmoil, self-discovery and female empowerment is resonant. However, it would have greatly benefited from more attention on Lily's journey of self-definition, beyond her traumatizing relationships.
