Trigger warning: It Ends With Us explores a life impacted by domestic violence, which is discussed in this review. Please take care watching this film. If you need to talk to someone, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
Minor spoilers ahead
It Ends With Us follows the life of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), who moves to Boston to chase her dream of opening up a flower shop. Behind the facade of a go-getting entrepreneur, Lily is deeply affected by a family history of violence.
In Boston, Lily meets Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). They bond over their rough day and immediately form an attraction which develops into an intense relationship. However, cracks begin to appear when Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar) enters the picture. Lily and Ryle’s relationship is soon marked with bruises and scars.
The age old Hollywood tropes often portray wife beaters as alcoholic deadbeats with nothing going for them. Ryle is a charming, wealthy, neurosurgeon. His easy banter with Lily and utter adoration of her makes you swoon in your seat. Your heart screams, surely he isn’t a bad guy? Baldoni’s perfectly contrite puppy dog eyes make us want to give him the benefit of the doubt. We WANT to see Lily and Ryle get their happy ending.
Even when it is slowly revealed that what Lily perceived as justifiable accidents were deliberate acts of violence, my heart ached for Ryle. This is why Ryle’s portrayal in this film is so important. By feeding my attachment, I understood WHY Lily can’t just leave. It highlights that while charisma convinces you that someone can’t be an abuser, that it is the perfect cover for a darker rage. It shows us that even though there is a gallant white knight waiting to save the day, the poison apple can still entice the damsel in distress.
Sometimes, film flashbacks can feel jarring. It Ends With Us cleverly weaves the flashbacks so that it feels like a natural explanation of the current storyline. We feel like we are in Lily’s head, reliving past memories whenever she is triggered by what’s happening in “real time”. As the movie progresses, you develop a deeper understanding of why this isn’t just a clean cut “just leave him scenario”.
It’s easy to underestimate Lively as “that girl from Gossip GIrl” but she shines as Lily. Lily is a flawed character trying her best to live life with the trauma she’s saddled with. Even before you know the specifics of her troubled past, you know that the witty comebacks are defence mechanisms. You feel empathy for her and also frustration for the decisions she makes.
The movie is not a perfect representation of domestic violence. I feel that Ryle’s lightweight comeuppance at the end diminishes the message of this movie. Nevertheless, the movie should still be commended for portraying the nuances in domestic violence situations. And that alone, makes it worth watching.
It Ends With Us is now showing in theatres nationwide. Thank you to Sony Pictures for the invitation to preview this movie.