The idea of the media’s inaccurate portrayals has been a longstanding issue. And over time, we have seen this controversy increase, as glorification seems to be the new trend in Hollywood. This has been demonstrated time and time again with serious topics, primarily substance abuse and violence, being glamorized and painted in a falsely positive light. Recently, all of this controversy has been directed to the film adaptation of It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover.
With the romance novel gaining lots of attention on TikTok, as well as reaching huge levels of success on bestseller lists and winning awards, the excitement surrounding this movie was extreme. Its release on August 9, 2024, has been one of the highest anticipated movie releases this year.
It Ends with Us follows the life of florist Lily Bloom, played by Blake Lively, as she navigates her relationships with Ryle Kincaid, played by Justin Baldoni, and Atlas Corrigan, played by Brandon Sklenar. The film centers around domestic violence and abuse, through Lily and Ryle’s relationship, as well as their traumatic upbringings. However, despite the undeniable gravity of these themes, it seems as though the issue is being romanticized.
The backlash came during the It Ends with Us press tour, with many of Lively’s interviews being deemed disrespectful. In these interviews, she seemed to easily brush past or play off the idea of abuse, portraying the movie as a romantic comedy, rather than focusing on the actual darkness and depth of the story. Her continuous attempts at comedic and lighthearted responses to serious questions, as well as her use of the press tour to promote her hair-care brand, left many viewers feeling unsettled. For example, various fans have noticed that Lively has placed more emphasis on the “flower” aspect of her character than the actual storyline and adversity the character faces. In fact, several domestic abuse survivors have come forward, criticizing Lively’s ignorance of the severity of the situation.
Although I think It Ends with Us tells an excellent story, this movie should not be viewed as just another “chick-flick”. It’s not about flowers or a fairytale with a “happily ever after”. The story was written to demonstrate the courage and resilience it takes to get out of a toxic or dangerous situation, and the cutesy, or even tacky, approach to the movie’s promotion has taken away the film’s actual meaning.
