It Ends With Us

"It Ends With Us is a film that isn't afraid to preach to the choir: here, director Justin Baldoni (Five Feet Apart, Clouds) doesn't seem to put much effort into creating a plot beyond what writer Colleen Hoover has already told in the book. And, it's worth mentioning, not everything that works on the page will work on the screen. Here, the plot gets a little strange as it tells the story of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a florist who discovers a new love (Baldoni, leaning into his hammy side) while, in her memories, she recalls the love she had in her youth with Atlas (Brandon Sklenar and Alex Neustaedter, the latter portraying the character in his youth) and also her parents' violent relationship. It's a romance reminiscent of Nicholas Sparks, without many surprises, attempting to bet on the novelty of certain situations, such as the fact that Atlas was homeless when he met Lily. A sugary romance, unabashedly embracing its pastiche, that is sure to move those who are already familiar with the book—and those who are suckers for films like this."