
PLOT: Based on the Colleen Hoover novel, Lily has been abused as a child but manages to start afresh. When she runs into a neurosurgeon it seems like a spark has occurred, but Lily begins to get glimpses of the ugly patterns she witnessed growing up between her parents.
For many people making adjustments into broad screen specifically feature mode is a step too far. But usually, such narratives are quite unequally structured to movies so boring moments are likely to happen. In terms of book adaptations, it is not unusual for certain passages that might interrupt the rhythm of the movie to pass for essential scenes to readers. I had no background knowledge of Colleen Hoover’s novel but I can easily see its appeal. It Ends With Us is as much about love as it is about feasting on trauma. And even if this sometimes desire to make the movie a rom com stretches the point of the movie the deeper idea gets lost.
In It Ends With Us, Lily Bloom travels to Boston where she is opening her flower store. She meets a young and handsome doctor (Justin Baldoni) but is not interested in getting into a love. Then follows a series of tales that, in the end only seek the same impact and do not care how they get there. Some parts pose as memories from as early as Lily’s childhood and provide explanations regarding her father’s violent nature and her first genuine relationship. The two don’t seem to be part of the same movie and are totally inconsistent with each other stylistically.
And yes I am certain that some ardent fans of the book will argue that the unevenness serves a purpose however as a cinematic narrative it does not really stand out. I could definitely picture this particular story being done in a book where the plot would be allowed to develop further. But as it is I thought it detracted from the action and was always trying to demonstrate how everything would unfold. In spite of these concerns, Blake Lively plays Lily Bloom well enough. Here up It was Liamsen who was quite ominous and chilling to hear the voice of the model the character was based on. But the character of lily is quite dull. She exists as a range of mixtures within herself from being hot and sexy to wanting an apology for showing up a bit too suddenly without having the basic need to express herself bluntly.
It Ends With Us had one weakness for me that can literally bring shriveled tears to anyone’s eyes. Let me put it the following way the abuse present in the narration is somehow contrived and sounds phony. It appears as if the author is eager to convey some message. Frankly, I wouldn’t be shocked if someone told me that the last scene was the muse for the author. The process of getting to that point does not really appeal to me. A picture is presented of a husband who is a terrible creature but it turns out this so called creepy loving stalker is actually the good guy hero. That would always be the case with love stories as to why they make me cringe.
Whether it’s the lovely flower shop or the ridiculously good looking cast, the film never seems to be skimping on its eye candy. Since I was not in the least bit engrossed in the plot, it was a pleasure to watch nice things. Boston as a city is almost a character in its own right. All the lead characters in love have a good rapport with one another and the meet cutes do not disappoint. And yes, while all the performances aren’t terrible they’re attached to people so absurdly exaggerated that they’re only there as caricatures to further a point in the story. As for the book, I have no idea how much I should hold it accountable but I didn’t like nearly all the people who had any part in it.
In today’s world, we are stuck in a paradox where love and sanity are never meant to meet, and that is how it ends with us. This book, considering the feelings it evokes is nearly uncritically written. Lily is a person that is simply capable of one form of aggression, that being violence against fellow human beings. To emphasize why I am sympathetic Lily’s consistent omission of important details that make the conflict ever more tactful could use some tweaking. The book feels like a tragedy in touch with silly romantic tropes. The acting and chemistry will no doubt ensure it a reasonable box office return but as a film not worth the focus at all.
For More Movie Like It Ends with Us on 123Movies