August 8, 2024
It Ends With Us (2024)
Location 
: Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines
Rating:
(4.5 stars out of 5)
Audience Rating: PG-13
Cast: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar
Director: Justin Baldoni
Writers: Christy Hall, Colleen Hoover
Genre: Drama, romance
Run Time: 2h 10m
Premiere Date: August 9, 2024
Country: USA
Synopsis
Lily Bloom grew up with a Dad who used to beat up her Mom. When she had Riley for a partner, she saw the same pattern, although not blatant and only when triggered. As a younger Lily Bloom, she had a loving episode with Atlas but short-lived. Fast-forward to the present, Atlas shows up in the picture when Riley and Lily are already together. Tension ensues.
The 3 protagonists were evenly matched
Acting
Acting was competent from everyone. It flowed naturally and effortlessly. And there was a good interaction between the characters. Great job!
Soundtrack
There was a sprinkling of relevant pop tunes that evoked the proper mood for the scenes.
Production Design
The visual environment of the movie was noteworthy - with its yuppie-ish flavor. The lively and busy restaurant scene with all its deco appointments reminded me of New York. The 'happy moments with friends' reminded me of being an outsider looking in. The flower shop's interior design somehow reminded me of Balducci's of NY (even though it's a deli). The urban setting was Boston, but it reminded me of my NY days.
Ending Thoughts
Yes, it's a chic-flic, but a good one - maybe the best I've seen in a long while. I thought it was another love triangle movie, but it went deeper in an intelligent way. I didn't see it coming. This is a twist I haven't seen before in movies. See this. It's worth your while.
This movie has many levels. The superficial and predictable level was a love triangle. This is almost always a theme when you have 3 people together. Even if the movie was just a love story, it's still a good movie because it's a tight-wire act. The 2 guys are almost evenly matched - good-looking, established, hunks, and both in love with the protagonist. They provided an even tension - unlike Indecent Proposal which was too lopsided (Robert Redford vs Woody Harrelslon? c'mon!).
The young Lily and Atlas episode was touching and was a movie on its own. Well done and well-developed characters that bridged into the present seamlessly.
On a deeper layer, the movie's unpinning is empowerment to leave a dysfunctional relationship of domestic abuse. Lily Bloom walks away from Riley, her husband, despite being on good terms again, even with a newborn. That never happens in films. That's when the movie comes to a happy ending. But she explained why they had to separate ways - so plainly, clearly and so compellingly. This cleared up something that was left ambiguous in the movie's fast-play scenes. And it made a lot of sense. The lesson being, a few episodes of domestic abuse is once too often already and if continued, continues its vicious loop into the next generation.
What I find intelligent and refreshing is the restraint of the film not to default to the formulaic villain looking husband who habitually beats the wife up. No, that would be been too easy. And it insults your intelligence. The 'bad' guy was fine-honed to perfection which made the separation unpredictable and the least way out.
The eventual unification with Atlas (the former lover) wasn't even that necessary (because it risks leaning the movie back to a love triangle), but was a feel-good touch anyway.
--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
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