The Wasteland Reviewer

It Ends with Us (2024) Written Review

What should you expect from a film whose trailer makes it look like the latest in a long line of melodramatic Lifetime original films? It Ends with Us is a dramatic romance that explores a range of differing elements centered around abuse and trauma. This seems like a challenging place to navigate through when trying to tell a romantic story on screen. Luckily this film has a beloved novel it is based off by writer Colleen Hoover. Then you have the screenwriter of the recent gem Daddio who adapted it (Christy Hall). You would expect a certain type of movie but luckily director and star Justin Baldoni has some special prepared for his audience.

How does the story play out for this romantic adaptation? The story begins with Lily Blossom Bloom (yes…that is her real name and the names in this are luckily the only ridiculous aspects of the film) struggling with the death of her father. By chance, she meets a charming and seductive neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (like above…ridiculous). Their love is paralleled nicely by the flashbacks about Lilly’s first love, a young homeless teen who she develops a deep and loving connection with. You might expect this story to just right into the more dramatic elements and feature consistent abuse from the start. But what works so well about the storytelling is that this 131-minute film takes its time to build the characters and their connections organically. The emotions hit harder because we connect with this relationship and feel the weight of its quickening end. This is the type of film where the parallel stories are equally compelling, which provides good balance.

Does Baldoni and Hall capitalize on all the rich themes that This Ends with Us introduces? There is a maturity in how this film navigates generational trauma and the slow burning abuse that is presented in this film. The relationship between Lily and her mother captures the importance of setting the right example for your children and how hard it can be to escape an abusive relationship. The lessons Lily learns make for some of the most poignant elements of the film as Lily finds herself in similar relationship traps her mother found herself in. The way Hall brings the film to life allows for the audience to bypass a stereotypical presentation of a man who is just violent and angry all the time. We are shown a relationship where the abuse is more subtle and builds over time. This film deserves credit for taking its time to build a richness of emotion and connection around these characters where you feel terrible about what Lily goes through and feel genuine emotion at the fact that Ryle would do such things when we fell for him too. There are fleeting moments of melodrama and over-dramatization. There is a strong emotional anchor to all that occurs between Lily, Ryle, and her first love Atlas who finds his way back into her life by chance.

Is Baldoni able to capture the right tone for this engrossing drama and romance? There are certainly funny moments in the film, but they are rooted in character and character interactions. The film never feels like it is trying to force comic relief in. Jenny Slate is the main source of laughs in the film but that is in the personality of her character. Lily and Ryle are both funny at times but a lot of there is through their mutual flirtation which results in some charming moments throughout the film. More importantly, Baldoni creates an overall atmosphere of respect for the sensitive nature of the story and themes. There is a needed seriousness to provide the appropriate weight to the heavier moments in the story. When there is violence on display, Baldoni can craft the tension that is needed for the audience to be engulfed by the trauma it causes. With the trauma of violence at the heart of the film, the audience needs to feel it authentically. No melodrama.

How well do the stars elevate the material from Hoover’s novel and Hall’s screenplay? Lively is undoubtedly a star. The screen presence and charisma that she brings to her roles is off the charts. She makes great choices in little gestures that endear her to the audience even more. There are moments where she shows her humor, strength, vulnerability, and love in the most genuine and authentic of ways. Special acknowledgement for young Isabela Ferrer who portrays the young version of Lily. This might be one of the best examples of a younger actor embodying another actor for a long time. The little choices tie the performance all together. Baldoni had a tough job as Ryle could have been an easy caricature, but he brings genuine charm, passion, and vulnerability to this role. That makes the scenes of his abuse that much more tragic, and his intensity makes them so hard to watch (which they need to be). Slate is fun for sure, but she has one scene that really shows the range that most people don’t get to see. The combination of Brandon Sklenar and Alex Neustaedter brings Atlas to life with empathy which allows him to be the rock for Lily to find love and happiness on.

Is It Ends with Us just another trashy and generic romance that audiences are fed so often? Absolutely not. Baldoni, Lively, and company have found the perfect balance of weight, drama, humor, and romance to navigate a moving story with sensitive themes. There are challenging ideas that this romance navigates and luckily there is a strong bit of maturity that ties it all together. Don’t overlook this one or write it off. It is worth the journey.