The Dark Side of It Ends with Us: Criticism Over Domestic Abuse Portrayal

It Ends with Us (2024) is TikTok’s most recent obsession, a film that has sparked notable controversy for its portrayal of domestic violence. Though a book under the same name was published in 2016, it was in 2020 when author Colleen Hoover became an internet sensation and the face of TikTok’s book community, “BookTok.” With Hoover’s growing popularity, it seemed inevitable that one of her books would be brought to the big screen. However, since the film’s release, the book, author, and even lead actress Blake Lively have come under heavy fire for their portrayal of domestic abuse. 

The film follows Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) and her tumultuous relationship with Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) as the couple faces the worst when ex-boyfriend Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar) reenters Lily’s life. Though the film attempts to portray domestic abuse with respect for real victims, the careless and insensitive marketing casts a foreboding shadow over the film. 

With a quick glance at the film’s marketing, one can easily mistake It Ends with Us as a cheerful romcom. Attempting to monopolize and recreate the Barbie (2023) craze of last summer, it seems every ad for the movie features fluorescent pink, flowers, and catchy pop music. Though director Justin Baldoni intended the film for real-life victims of abuse, it appears to have been rebranded in an attempt to appeal to Hoover’s audience, which consists primarily of young teenage girls. Lively has recently come under fire for her own insensitive promotion of the film, with her excessive pink outfits and attempts to advertise her hair care line. Hoover also came under fire when, earlier this year, she announced her plan to release a coloring book vaguely based on the film. Covering topics like domestic abuse can be triggering for victims, and thanks to its misleading marketing, the film is doing more to hurt the voices of real victims by “glamorizing” their abuse rather than uplifting their voices. 

Many of the abusive actions between Lily and Ryle are portrayed as romantic or cute throughout the film. While one could argue that the film is attempting to tell the story from Lily’s perspective as she gradually comes to terms with and recognizes the abuse, the film never acknowledges the harmful actions in the first half, instead treating Ryle’s sudden villainization as a plot twist. In an attempt to present the first half as a romance, the film normalizes problematic behaviors. 

One thing the film gets right is the portrayal of how difficult it is to leave an abusive relationship. Even after Lily realizes the toxicity of the relationship, sweet, short scenes between Ryle and Lily show how hard it is for Lily, and, in turn, the audience despises Ryle. Even though it is explicitly clear in the second half that Ryle’s actions are harmful, his sweet words and apologies leave the audience wanting to forgive him, demonstrating the true danger and complexity of domestic abuse. Baldoni delivers an outstanding performance in the role as he manages to charm the audience and Lily alike.

Outside of the film’s main message, nothing else stands out. Besides Baldoni’s excellent acting, Lively’s remains lackluster with a mediocre performance. Both the stylists and costume department alike also failed to deliver, with outdated clothing and messy hair creating a worn look for a film with a relatively large budget. While the main plot of the story is carefully constructed, it’s disappointing to see the film lack in all other elements. 

It Ends with Us stands as one of the most controversial films this year. While it is far from being perfect and has been insensitive with its marketing, the story itself is an incredibly emotional and heartbreaking story that leaves the audience thinking about it. While the film is far from flawless, it has sparked a much greater conversation about domestic abuse, and that is not to be ignored.