The highly anticipated adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, ‘It Ends With Us’ has finally hit the screens, but not without its fair share of controversy and drama. As fans flock to the theatres, there’s a lot to unpack- not just about how the movie compares to the book, but also about the lead actor, Blake Lively’s promotional choices for the film.
‘It Ends With Us’ resonated deeply with a lot of readers, tackling the subject of domestic violence with sensitivity and raw emotion. Hoover was praised for her honest portrayal of the complexities of abusive relationships, making the novel an uncomfortable read for many. The book’s strength lies in its ability to evoke empathy as it draws you into the tumultuous journey of the protagonist, Lily, and her partner, Ryle, who is also an abuser.
However, the book, itself, was not devoid of debate on various social media platforms. With its seeming romanticisation of abuse, and release of a colouring book based on scenes from the novel, fans were enraged at the trivialisation of the issue for financial gains. And now, with the advent of the film, the author finds herself trapped in the heat of controversy once again.
I believe that the movie adaptation seems to have softened the raw edges of the story. While the film is visually stunning and is in tandem with the book’s emotional beats, it fails to accurately convey the gravity of the situation. It showcases itself more like a romantic drama than a hard-hitting narrative about the cycle of abuse. Key scenes of the book have been glossed over or altered in ways that diminishes the story’s impact, leaving the fans hoping for a faithful rendition, disappointed.
Blake Lively, known for her performance in ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘The Age of Adaline,’ takes on the challenging role of Lily. Her portrayal is nuanced and powerful, as she brings a certain grace on screen that makes Lily’s journey feel real. Her acting is commendable, as she captures the vulnerability and strength of the character in a way that is both compelling and believable.
Yet, outside of her performance, Lively’s promotional behaviour has raised eyebrows. Akin to Margot Robbie’s choice of a fashion oriented promotional approach, Lively has been displaying her sense of style on the red carpet events, transforming them into her own personal runways. She has been encouraging fans to dress up in their favourite floral clothes (an ode to Lily’s love of flowers) to watch the movie, which has come across as irresponsible to the viewers. Unlike Margot Robbie, who used her ‘Barbie’ movie tour to discuss larger societal issues like gender roles and feminism, Blake Lively has been either noticeably silent or made joking remarks on the topic of domestic violence instead of addressing it as the central theme of the story. Her promotional efforts have focused more on the aesthetics and the romance of the film, which seems like a missed opportunity to raise awareness about an important issue.
The rumours about the tension between Lively and her co-actor as well as the movie’s director, Justin Baldoni, add fuel to the fire. There have been reports of creative differences and on-set disagreements between the two. While such rumours are common in Hollywood, they still cast a shadow over the film, especially given the sensitive nature of the story. The involvement of Blake’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, in the promotion of the movie has also been confusing. It seems as though they have clubbed the release of their respective films to push themselves further into mainstream media instead of speaking up on serious matters like domestic abuse.
As someone who loved Blake Lively in ‘Gossip Girl,’ this behaviour has been quite shocking for me. She has always come across as an actress with depth and intelligence, which makes her decision to sidestep this opportunity to discuss domestic violence all the more puzzling. It’s understandable that promoting a film involves a certain level of glamour and fun, but when the subject matter is as sensitive as this, it feels almost irresponsible not to address it. This has left many fans, including myself, feeling upset. The hope is that future discussions about ‘It Ends With Us’ do not shy away from the difficult conversations that the story was meant to inspire.