It Ends with Us

I normally don't take to reading IMDb reviews and when I do I rarely agree with them, with that being said I wholeheartedly agree with every review that is giving the film the same score as I am if not a tad bit lower. Having grown up in an abusive household, the film did hit pretty close to home. Ryle Kincaid (Jason Baldoni) gave a stellar performance which genuinely encapsulates how unpredictable an abuser can be and how manipulative an abuser can be in a dv (domestic violence) relationship. With that being said that's where the entire score for my review comes from; baldoni's performance and direction.

Blake Lively (Lily Bloom) went ahead and gave us basically nothing. There were moments during her performance I thought she had something, and then she lost it as simple as that. It felt like we as the audience were there more so for her outfits and hair than we were for her performance. Reading up on articles that state people have noticed two different films mixed into one, I couldn't help but agree with that. Baldoni's direction was centered around portraying an accurate picture of dv, and actually showing us the viewers this depiction, whereas Blake's version of the movie (as per sources) comes in through her one dimensional performance, weird placement of music in scenes that didn't require the music and if they did the music was just off and again showing us her outfits and luscious hair.

I sincerely hope that if there is a baldoni cut of this film that it gets the light of day as the film I watched just didn't quite do it for me.

In a few words: great message, stunning visuals, and impressive videography. However, the plot feels one-dimensional, as does the character of Lily, who lacks the depth needed to make her truly relatable or memorable. Sure, we're shown her trauma and backstory, but it doesn't fully draw you in or create a genuine emotional connection. It feels like there's a disconnect, as if her struggles are presented more as a narrative requirement than as a lived experience, making it hard to truly immerse yourself in her journey.

The narrative structure also falls flat at times, creating a sense of frustration as it hints at greater potential that it never fully explores.

The film itself is great. Most actors did their part well. There are some twists in the way story is told, though it isn't difficult to guess where it was going.

The only thing that really bothered me was the character of Lily Bloom. Oh my god, Blake Lively has seriously ruined some scenes. Her acting was too cringe and annoying boring rather than bad... she made me feel like some part of the Gossip Girls were put in there randomly. Not sure why they picked her for the female lead as there are so many other talented actresses out there, who could made much much more impact portraying Bloom, like Margaret Qualley?!

Lot of potential here but as someone who lived through A LOT of domestic violence situations, watching Hollywood make it artsy so mainstream audiences can "handle it" to me really misses the mark of helping people understand what it feels like. I really enjoyed what this film tried to do but do not feel like it translated well to the big screen. Sure they were attempting to show gaslighting and whatnot, but I think you, the audience should have felt more powerful emotional response to what you were witnessing. I think we needed to hear more of the pain vs the silent flashbacks. Perhaps this could of been a part 1 and part 2 where in part 1 we stay in lillys high school years and learn more about her unstable home life and get a chance to bond with the character. Just wanted more than the film gave. At least it's creating an important narrative that isn't option talked about. Its a start...

I wish Director Baldoni would release his cut of the movie. It scored well above Lively's horrible cut that was released. How that happened is tragic.lLively took over and refused to promote the movie if her editing was not accepted. She absolutely took over this movie and ruined it. She would not allow Baldoni, the lead actor and director, to appear iin any promotion of HIS movie. Who would want to work with her after all the receipts he has provided. Go look at Perez Hilton on Instagram. He has all the details.it was a very good book that sought to educate in domestic violence, but the movie was taken over by her vanity and absurd need to self aggrandize.