It Ends With Us
By ADELLE PITTS ‘27 and MELIA THIBAULT ‘27
Content Warning: This article contains references to sexual assault
“Grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out to see ‘It Ends With Us’ in theaters!” What would have been a simple promotional phrase has instead become a symbol of the controversy and backlash threatening to derail actress Blake Lively’s career. Since its release in August, the blockbuster movie — adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel — has been all over the news, but not because of its incredible plot, phenomenal acting, or bold choices. Instead, it’s because of the highly publicized clash between its two stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. These two have raised questions about the original book, the film adaptation, and how the dynamics between the characters they play reflect real-life tensions. So, what does this all mean, and why does it matter?
“It Ends with Us” centers on Lily Bloom, a young woman who falls in love with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid. As their relationship becomes more serious, patterns of domestic abuse become more and more prominent, provoking flashbacks to Lily’s childhood and her abusive father. Ultimately, she has to confront her past and decide whether Ryle is what she truly wants, especially when her first love, Atlas Corrigan, reenters her life. The profound themes of domestic violence and emotional abuse found in both the novel and film adaptation have contributed to author Colleen Hoover’s controversiality. Although one of the world’s most popular authors, she has been criticized for romanticizing both domestic violence and toxic relationships in her novels, particularly in “It Ends With Us.”
If you’ve been reading the news lately, you may have seen headlines about Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Ever since the premier of “It Ends With Us,” rumors have been swirling around about an alleged feud between the stars. It all came to a head in December, when Lively sued Baldoni, accusing him of sexual assault and orchestrating a smear campaign against her during the movie’s press tour. After staying silent for a while, Baldoni, who also directed the film, responded by suing The New York Times for defamation and counter-suing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Evidence has emerged for both sides, and the situation leaves many people confused. With each new development, opinions seem to be constantly changing, with some being completely on Baldoni’s side, others staunchly Lively supporters, and some simply not knowing what to believe. But no matter what side you’re on, the issues raised by this case are significant and worth talking about.
Whether you agree with Colleen Hoover’s message or believe she is glorifying sexual assault, there is no denying the importance of conversations surrounding all of these topics. This same applies to the drama between Baldoni and Lively. You don’t need to be on a specific side to understand the gravity of the situation. No matter what happens in court, the case has raised important questions about what it means to accuse someone of sexual assault — a conversation similar to the one raised in the Jonny Depp v. Amber Heard case. One of the major questions that comes to mind is, what happens when someone is accused of sexual assault? Of course, it’s natural to believe Blake Lively, especially because sexual harassment is so under-reported, and so many cases go unreported each year. But of course, as with most cases, it’s not entirely black and white. Justin Baldoni’s counter-suit seems to challenge many claims and pieces of evidence initially brought forward by Lively. So, the next question that arises is, what is at stake for those accused of committing this crime? And how do we determine who to believe?
Unfortunately, we don’t have the answers to these questions, and it doesn’t seem like they will be resolved soon, either. But hopefully, something meaningful besides the truth will come out of this whole debacle. Hopefully, there will be conversations about what is truly happening in Hollywood and around the country. Hopefully, there will be discussions about what aspects of Hoover’s book made it so popular in the first place. Hopefully, there will be reflections on how quick the media can be to destroy someone’s career. Hopefully, all of these conversations will continue long after “It Ends With Us” and all of its drama has faded from the spotlight. And hopefully, they can help foster real change. Because it doesn’t end with “It Ends With Us” — it’s simply the beginning of a much-needed conversation.