I attended an advanced screening for my review. All opinions are my own.
“IT ENDS WITH US, the first Colleen Hoover novel adapted for the big screen, tells the compelling story of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a woman who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life in Boston and chase a lifelong dream of opening her own business. A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, Lily begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents’ relationship. When Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with Ryle is upended, and Lily realizes she must learn to rely on her own strength to make an impossible choice for her future.”
I was excited to see It Ends with Us. I love the book. I was worried about how it would compare to the book. After seeing it, I think it is one of the best book adaptations I have seen in a while.
I was happy with how they adapted the plot. There were a few changes, but I think that they really helped in telling the story on screen. I thought that the pacing of the movie was well done. For me, it didn’t feel like a 2-hour movie.
The casting was perfect. Blake Lively was perfect as Lily and Isabela Ferrer was fantastic as the younger Lily. She was so like Blake Lively that it was uncanny. I also thought that Jenny Slate was so great as Lily’s best friend Alyssa. When I heard that she was cast, I was so excited, and she delivered. I thought that Justin Baldoni and Brandon Sklenar were both great as Ryle and Atlas. Both brought great depth to their complex characters.
One of the themes of the book is domestic violence. I was really worried how these scenes would be shown on the screen. I felt like they were toned down and were done well. I loved that the movie had a hopeful message of being brave and making hard choices to better your life.
It Ends With Us is rated PG-13 “for domestic violence, sexual content, and some strong language.” It earns its rating and is not appropriate for children. I do not think it is appropriate for young teens either. I would say 16 and older.
Overall, I was surprised how much I enjoyed It Ends With Us. As a fan of the book, I was pleased. I do think that people who are not familiar with the book will enjoy it as well.
It Ends With Us gets bragging rights!
It Ends With Us is now playing exclusively in theaters.
For more information about the film, you can visit the movie’s official website, Facebook, X, and Instagram.
