It Ends With Us Movie Review
Review by Cathy Cunningham and Laura Henigson (B)
It Ends With Us tells the story of one woman’s experience growing up around a physically abusive father and ultimately aiming to break the cycle of abuse her mother experienced in her own marriage. A tear-jerker? Technically, sure, bring a Kleenex or two, but there’s also plenty of joy in this rollercoaster tale directed by Justin Baldoni, who also stars alongside leading lady Blake Lively as Lily Bloom.
Lily’s passion for gardening as a teenager leads her to opening a flower shop in Boston’s Back Bay area as an adult, and her past and present lives are soon uncomfortably intertwined.
The movie is based on the book by the same title from bestselling author Colleen Hoover, and is sure to draw in her fans. For those who have read the book, the movie may be missing some moments you read fondly, but Baldoni did a decent job of packing the story into 130 minutes, and capturing the ebb and flow and highs and lows of Lily’s life, and loves. And, that’s It Ends With Us in a nutshell; the juxtaposition of the soaring highs and crippling lows that life so often entails, pushing us to learn and — no pun intended— grow from each moment. There’s also an overarching theme that invisible strings tie us to some people for life, and some simply need to be cut (or left to wilt, wither and die).
The crux of Lily’s own story is the unexpected reappearance of Atlas— a formerly homeless man who Lily helped and ultimately fell in love with as a teenager— into her life at a pivotal time. When she needs it the most, Atlas is ready to return the favor she once bestowed upon him and— like his titan namesake— bear the burden of Lily’s present-day world of trouble on his shoulders (and heck, hold his own in fisticuffs when necessary).
Just like the heart that Atlas once carved from an oak tree for Lily, It Ends With Us’ casting is strong as— you guessed it—oak. Lively dazzles and shines with plenty of main character energy as Lily Bloom, the shattering of her confidence at the hands of her husband’s violent outbursts hard to stomach at times. Speaking of which, Baldoni had us holding our breath during the all-too-real scenes of domestic violence. He was perfectly cast (by himself) as Bloom’s controlling neurosurgeon husband with childhood demons that spill out devastatingly into his marriage. Amid it all, Jenny Slate offers some much needed humor, lightness and sass in her perfect performance as Lily’s best friend, Allysa. As for Brandon Sklenar (as Atlas)? You’re rooting for him from his very first appearance, and throughout. He’s the perfect, safe-haven antithesis to Baldoni’s often cruel, unstable Ryle.
The movie’s ending leaves you satisfied but it’s also left wide open. As readers, we can’t help but wonder if there will be a sequel to match the book Hoover has already authored. We hope there is, as overall this movie didn’t disappoint, and was blooming Lively, err, lovely.
P.S. What’s up, Upper East Siders? You might feel a throwback to Blake Lively’s “Gossip Girl” character Serena van der Woodsen with Lily’s wardrobe (and phenomenal hair, let’s face it, there’s a reason she just launched a haircare line) being a special element of the movie. Lily is seen sporting a mix of feminine, swoon-worthy, over-the-top sequin pieces at times while always being, ahem, rooted back to more practical pieces for everyday wear. XO, Gossip Girl
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.
