Blake Lively

Justin Baldoni

Jenny Slate

Brandon Sklenar

Hasan Minhaj

Kevin McKidd

Amy Morton

Alex Neustaedter

Isabela Ferrer

Robert Clohessy

Robin S. Walker

Emily Baldoni

Adam Mondschein

Caroline Siegrist

Robyn Lively

Megan Robinson

Steve Monroe

Daphne Zelle

Christy Hall

Robb Sullivan

Kristy Carlson

Alex Saks

Jamey Heath

Colleen Hoover

Steve Sarowitz

Andrew Calof

Andrea Ajemian

Lauren Shaw

Rob Simonsen

Duncan Blickenstaff

Oona Flaherty

Russell Barnes

Eric Daman

Barry Peterson

Roy Farfel

Paige Rhea Allison

Michael Viola

Jason Ng

Zoe Sansanowicz

Todd Black

John Logan Pierson

Season Kent

Derek Johnson

Melody Garcia

Thomas Canestraro

Peter Wallack

Bob Roseman

Paige Dubrul

Cole Mason

Charley Brucato

Salar Ghajar

Kyle Woods

Stephen Pollak

Julie A. Bloom

Christopher Surgent

Findlay Zotter

Cary Lee

Lisa Rodgers

Jill Sacco

Mariela Villa

Annie Simeone

Marci Mudd

Carrie Stewart

Alexandra Mazur

Morgan Pitts

Bridget Rafferty

Holly Unterberger

Ari Robbins

David J. Thompson

Sebastian Slayter

George Tur

Evan Walsh

Shaun Malkovich

Amanda Uribe

Charlotte Skutch

Sarah Boardman

Oliver Richards

Emily O'Leary

Alan Baumgarten

Shane Reid

Mark Perzely

Lauren Pivirotto

Zinnia Kim

Sharna Brzycki

Sarah Graalman

Robert Lugo

Vita Viscuso

John Alcantara

Truman Clark McCasland

Talia Spencer

Jennifer O'Brien

Laura Grasso

Danny Mura

Vivian Baker

Melanie Licata

Anne Carroll

Andrew Naugle

DeLany McFate

Gennaro Morrone

Michael Mastroserio

Ryan Rodriguez

Michael Yurich

John Patrick Oates

Thomas Jirgal

Gavin Holmes Jr.

Brian Edmiston

Michael Infante

Johann Kunz

Drew Jiritano

Sarah Fredericks

Kate Stewart

Romance

Drama

It Ends with Us

Wayfarer Studios

Saks Picture Company

Columbia Pictures

United States of America

English

based on novel or book

love triangle

abusive father

trauma

florist

flashback

love

domestic abuse

domestic violence

attempted rape

falling down stairs

unreliable narrator

repressed trauma

abusive relationship

adaptation

romantic drama

Manuel São Bento

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://talkingfilms.net/it-ends-with-us-review-balancing-love-trauma-and-abuse/

"It Ends With Us tries to balance heavy drama and conventional romance with some difficulties, but it manages to offer a minimally thought-provoking reflection on generational trauma and relationship abuse.

Formulaic and not as deep as the complexity of its themes demands, yet still effective enough due to the strong performances of the cast, Justin Baldoni's sensitive lens, and several valuable messages for the audience.

The heart is in the right place, despite the problems that haunt the film."

Rating: B-

CinemaSerf

"Lily" (Blake Lively) is supposed to give an eulogy at her father's funeral, but she can't. Even with her mother (Amy Morton) there and in the full glare of a packed church, she cannot find five good things to say about the man. Quickly we learn - through some flashbacks - just why that is, and just why she's grown up to be a bit of a romantic. Then she encounters neuro-surgeon "Ryle" (Justin Baldoni) and there is instant chemistry. She then opens a long-dreamed of flower shop and a stranger walks in seeking a job. Guess what? She's "Allysa" (Jenny Slate) who just happens to be the sister of her enigmatic stranger. Maybe they can make a go of things? Well a dinner one evening brings her face to face with "Atlas" (Brandon Sklenar) and that takes us back down the path of retrospection as it turns out that in her younger days, she (Isabela Ferrer) has met this vagrant (Alex Neustaedter) and they's had quite an intense relationship until her father (Kevin McKidd) caught them, and - well you can use your imagination. When "Ryle" catches them chatting, he suspects the worst and that proceeds to cause his behaviour to materially change the dynamics as matters take a series of quite unpleasant turns. Now, quite why anyone thought this was a film worth making eluded me. Sure the subject matter is serious, but this plodding drama just takes way too long to get going and then when it might to become more compelling it runs out of steam. The camerawork pays far too much superficial attention to the undercooked character of "Lily" and the writing all too often resorts to power-ballad mode when the story becomes potentially more poignant and resonant. We know that the gist of the plot is to underscore not just the effects of domestic violence in the present, but to try and understand the sources so that path need never be taken again, but it's all presented in too shallow a fashion and could easily lose half an hour without impacting on the thrust - such as it is - of the drama. It's disappointing.

I found 'It Ends with Us' to be largely great, though the way it ends does make me question how I feel about it.

The performances of Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni (just me who thinks he looks a touch like Runar from 'Ice Age'? ...), Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate - heck, even Isabela Ferrer and Alex Neustaedter (iffy likeness aside) - are stellar. I sensed a lot of chemistry between Lively & Baldoni and Lively & Sklenar, which is impressive to succeed in that area twice.

Pace-wise the movie jumps along nicely, all the other major elements like editing, music and whatever are all well done and are only plus points. However, the conclusion disappoints a bit. I do think it just about regains its footing to produce a positive ending, though how it gets there by wrapping up the relationship between Lively's Lily and Baldoni's Atlas left me feeling a bit uneasy. As did a few other scenes, though they were of course as intended.

Amusing that I'm pretty sure I was the only dude (or at least one of a few) in a packed cinema watching this. Upon exiting, visually I kinda felt like Will Smith in that famous 'The Pursuit of Happyness' (which I still haven't seen btw, gotta get on that) crowd scene - only surrounded by women. Bit awkward, I can't lie. "Will watch anything!" evidently leads me astray sometimes!

It Ends with Us( 2024)

We break the pattern or the pattern breaks us

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A review by Manuel São Bento

Written by Manuel São Bento on Fri Aug 09 2024

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