The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, ‘It Ends With Us’, starring Blake Lively as Lily Bloom has captured the hearts of audiences. However, it also sparked discussions about the significant changes made from the book to the screen.
One of the most notable alterations involves the portrayal of the abusive relationship between Lily and Ryle. Moreover, the change wasn’t impulsive, Director Justin Baldoni shared why he felt the change was necessary.
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Justin Baldoni Wanted The Audience To Resonate With Lily Instead Of Judging Her
While the book clearly establishes Ryle’s abusive behavior from the outset, the film takes a more gradual approach. Lily initially downplays the severity of Ryle’s actions, attributing them to accidents. Additionally, this deliberate choice by director and star Justin Baldoni aims to mirror the experience of many victims of domestic violence. Victims often struggle to recognize the abuse for what it is.
“I had to find a way to make sure that we were never judging Lily, and we were protecting her character arc, at all costs,” Baldoni stated while talking to EW. His decision to delay the full realization of Ryle’s abusive nature was to protect Lily’s character and avoid placing judgment on her.
Additionally, Baldoni didn’t want people to judge Lily when she didn’t go with Atlas right away. He wanted the audience to feel what Lily felt about Ryle. “Showing the abuse the way that it’s shown in the book, that early on, by the time Atlas shows up on the screen, there wouldn’t be a person in the audience that doesn’t judge her for not leaving with him right away,” Baldoni explained.
Moreover, he didn’t want this to happen. He wanted the audience to resonate with Lily and understand why she would forgive him. He wanted people to want Lily to forgive Ryle. According to him, if the audience didn’t feel this way, her choice in the end would not feel like it was intended to.
To him, the change was important to highlight how hard it is for an abused victim to make a decision to leave. The movie did an immaculate job of portraying Ryle as someone who was sorry. “It could be so much easier to choose this wealthy doctor who seems like he’s so sorry, and says he’ll never do it again and is the biological father of this child,” Baldoni claimed.
Justin wanted to make it seem like the easier choice was to forgive him. All of this makes Lily’s decision in the end much more impactful. “I wanted to make sure that there was no judgment for how hard of a decision that is for so many women who exist in the world today,” he explained.
Additionally, Baldoni further emphasized the importance of maintaining a sense of hope and empowerment throughout the film. By focusing on Lily’s journey of self-discovery and resilience, ‘It Ends With Us’ ultimately becomes a story of triumph over adversity.
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A Controversial Change With A Powerful Impact
The decision to alter the portrayal of abuse in ‘It Ends With Us’ has sparked both praise and criticism. Some viewers argue that the film’s approach downplays the severity of domestic violence, while others agree with Baldoni. Regardless of the differing opinions, the film’s impact is undeniable.
The movie has achieved what was intended. Baldoni wanted people to feel for Lily and the narrative change was necessary for that. The movie also highlights how a lot of people can be gaslit into believing that they weren’t abused. Additionally, it also highlights the complexities of a relationship.
All isn’t what it looks like. Ultimately, the goal of any adaptation is to translate the essence of the original work into a new medium. While ‘It Ends With Us’ may have deviated from the source material in some respects, it remains a powerful and thought-provoking film that resonates with audiences on a deep emotional level.
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