It Ends With Us

Based on the 2016 hit book by best-selling author Colleen Hoover, It Ends with Us brings this romantic drama to the big screen, directed by and starring Justin Baldoni. Chasing her dream, appropriately named Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) opens a florist shop in the city of Boston. After meeting a charming neurosurgeon, Ryle (Justin Baldoni), upon the rooftop of his apartment complex, the two find romance together. However, a surprising reunion with Lily’s first love, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), proves complicated for the couple. Despite the harsh backlash this film has received (rumours about creative clashes, Blake Lively’s bad press, and interesting costume choices), this film sends a deeper and important message regarding domestic violence and abuse. Lily Bloom is all too familiar with an angry man in her home, watching her mother face physical abuse from her father growing up. The soundtrack of this movie was a major highlight for me, featuring artists like Ethel Cain, Taylor Swift, Cigarettes After Sex, and one of my favourites, Thom Yorke. I highly valued this watch, not only for the intense and uncomfortable reality for many which it brings attention to, but also because of the depth of the story which left me speechless in multiple moments.

Holly Beaumont