Warning: This article contains discussion of domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
It Ends With Us, the new film starring Blake Lively, has had what it is fair to say is a troubled release.
Amidst a rumoured schism between Lively and director/co-star Justin Baldoni leading to the pair ‘hating each other’, and accusations of Lively being rude and disrespectful in interviews, the film also received a middling Rotten Tomatoes score of just 56 percent.
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Based on Colleen Hoover's novel of the same name, the film follows Lively’s Lily Bloom engaging in a whirlwind romance with Baldoni’s Ryle Kincaid.
Fans of the book, however, are shocked at the film’s marketing portraying this as a 'cutesy' romantic relationship.
In the book, and the film, the main plot of the story follows Ryle being abusive towards Lily, with domestic violence and emotional abuse being the predominant themes of both.
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Despite this, fans are shocked that the marketing of the movie has put the romance to the fore, and this aspect to the back.
One fan on X said: “Blake Lively really said ‘grab your friends and your florals’ to see a movie about domestic abuse, tone deaf asf."
Another replied saying: “The problem is some women who experienced dv went there thinking it was a romcom and got triggered by the movie how is this okay," with another chipping in to say: “I was! My sisters asked me to go randomly, had no idea, thought it was a rom com and I left SHAKING.
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"I'm sooooooo mad somebody should have warned somebody along the line."
A viral TikTok by comedian Orli Matlow mocked the promotion of the film, suggesting that if Schindler’s List - a film about the holocaust in WWII - was marketed in the same way it would be promoted as a fun Christmas film.
This was posted on Twitter with the caption 'They are eating blake lively up on tiktok', where one fan responded saying: “Yeah. Blake Lively really made it hearts and flowers which is fine to an extent but to completely ignore the domestic violence? What a missed opportunity. Sorry to blake but she deserves this drag.”
Whilst Lively has posted a resource director for victims of domestic violence, as has the film’s Instagram account, fans have pointed to the minimal presence of this within the movie’s marketing.
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This is an opinion shared by IndieWire writer Kate Erbland, who wrote an op-ed titled: “It Ends with Us Is a Movie About Domestic Violence, So Why Are Blake Lively and Colleen Hoover Acting Like It Isn’t?”
They went on to say: “The real lesson here is everybody — and its most prominent creators in particular — needs to change the way we talk about It Ends with Us, a movie that does not centre on kicky floral gowns or on gal pals who just need some girl-talk time, but on domestic violence.”
UNILAD have reached out to Blake Lively’s representatives for comment.
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If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 24/7. You can find a list of local resources here.
Topics: Blake Lively, Film and TV
Michael Slavin