Last Updated on August 15, 2024 by
It Ends with Us is a 2024 Movie Directed by Justin Baldoni. The film stars Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Jenny Slate, with a runtime of 2h 10m, and will be released on August 09, 2024.
Based on the Colleen Hoover best-seller tells the story of a woman named Lily who survived a terrible childhood to start a new life. They meet one day and start a relationship, but Lily starts seeing things they do that make her feel like they are just like her parents. To be honest, it is never an easy feat to tackle any book and turn it into a feature film.
Many books do not follow the same pattern as a movie, and thus, the pace of the film can be lost. What might be disruptive to the flow of the film can be regarded as necessary for book fans. I have no background with Colleen Hoover’s novel but I get the concept. It Ends With Us is as much about love as it is about marinating in victimhood. And because of this desire to be a rom-com at points, the deeper message that the movie essentially has gets buried in the process.
It Ends With Us revolves around the life of Lily Bloom, who left Stanton Village to establish a flower business in Boston. She finds a handsome young doctor (Baldoni) around but does not want to get involved in an affair. The following is a sequence of stories that, in totality, only seeks to convey one message, and it doesn’t matter how it gets to the point. The audience is shown glimpses of Lily’s past, and they explain her father’s abuse and her first serious boyfriend. That’s how they look like they are in two completely different movies and are absolutely at odds with each other in terms of style.
And yes, I know book fans will say that such imbalance is essential, but, as a cinematic story, it is not. See, I think this story could work better in the more drawn-out book format. However the way it was written, I found it detracted from the events and was always pointing it out to make it clear how the scene would go. Blake Lively does alright as the lead character, Lily Bloom, and has a pleasant charm. I was also impressed with Isabela Ferrer, who portrayed the young Lily: she looked like Lively and sounded like her. But there is no depth to the character of Lily at all. Sometimes, she feels like a walking contradiction, whether she is teasing a man for sex or running around instead of speaking proficiently. The biggest problem that I had with It Ends With Us is that the abuse looks like it has its predictability in mind. None of it sounds smooth, and most of the time, it is as if the writer has decided to end on a particular tone. Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if they told me that the idea of the book as a whole stemmed from the end scene alone. The process of getting there doesn’t sit right with me. They attempt to paint the husband as the villain, and the obsessed stranger is actually the protagonist. It is the kind of scene every person would expect in such movies that gives me squirms.
Whether it is the beautiful flower shop or the absurdly attractive cast of the film, one has to know that the film is in the business of making the most of it. Despite not caring for the story at all, at least there were some nice things to ogle at here and there. The city of Boston is as much a character here as any of the people. There is nice interaction between all the romantic partners and the first meetings are quite amusing. While all the performances are good, they are tied to such characters that they are simply creations propounding a stereotype in the story. Somehow, I am not sure how much of the blame can be attributed to this book, but I hated almost all the characters in the play. Unfortunately, I felt that coming across It Ends With Us was a very frustrating affair. Lily may be considered as a one-dimensional character whose primary role is to be an object of violence. All the times when she failed to provide some crucial information that could help to resolve the situation, or her total disinterest in everything that was not her high school boyfriend me, it was difficult to feel for her. The whole story is told with a low-quality romance novel’s dramatism. The performances and chemistry will assuredly earn it a decent box office, but as a quality film, If this does not suit their preferences, they should look elsewhere.
It Ends with Us 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
It Ends with Us is Rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for domestic violence, sexual content, and some strong language.
Violence & Gore: The movie describes the topic of domestic violence, which is closely connected with the past of the main character, Lily. Some scenes of the drama consist of rude word exchanges, screams, and stages of emotional and physical aggression, including scenes where Lily’s father used to beat up her mother. These scenes may provoke certain discomfort, especially if the viewer has certain reactions to the shown material. There may be scenes that violence is depicted or suggested in the form of physical aggression, especially when it comes to Lily and her interactions with other characters. The violence is not presented in gross detail but its consequences are shown intensely. The movie uses flashbacks in which Lily’s father is seen to be abusive, which may include the use of violence on family members. These are important flashbacks that make it easier for the audience to understand why Lily is afraid that her current relationship might resemble that of her parents.
Sexual Content: The movie is tender and contains scenes of passion and sensuality. Some affectionate contacts, such as kissing, are depicted, and there are hints of sexual intercourse, though no real scenes of intercourse are depicted. Generally, the sexual behaviors of Lily, who is currently in a relationship, and her previous boyfriend are depicted in the series. Lily will often be seen in some scenes as dragging a love interest or even questioning him in ways that might be considered provocative. The film seems to sometimes border on presenting romantic attraction while at the same time exploring the issues around the relationships that Lily has with her partners.
Profanity: There may be little to moderate use of abusive language, which could consist of words like ‘damn’ or ‘hell’ and severe language, which is not likely to be used frequently because of the PG-13 rating.
Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking: Characters may be depicted consuming alcohol at a dinner table or in a cafe with friends. The movie has no scenes that portray or encourage the use of drugs or smoking. The actual consumption of alcohol is usually moderate and situated in the context of a social situation rather than presenting intoxication as the main focus.
