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Blake Lively's It Ends With Us Banned in THIS Country Over Controversial Content
Based on Collen Hoover’s book, the romance drama appears to be a beacon of women empowerment as it centers on Lily Bloom, a florist who strives to break free from the shackles of her abusive husband.
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to domestic violence
It Ends With Us starring Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni opened in theatres on Friday, August 9, and is shaping up to be a box office smash. Based on Collen Hoover’s book, the romance drama appears to be a beacon of women empowerment as it centers on Lily Bloom, a florist who strives to break free from the shackles of her abusive husband and protect herself from repeating her mother’s past.
Now, the PG-13-rated movie appears to have hurt the Qatari authorities’ modesty with its romantic scenes. It Ends With Us was banned from releasing in theatres in Qatar by the country’s censorship committee due to the kissing scenes in the film, per The Hollywood Reporter
According to the source, Qatar perpetuates stifling censorship rules that ban anything that ranges from queer representation to live-in relationships. Thus, the Blake Lively starrer’s intimate scenes portrayed via non-graphic sex and kissing scenes caused a stir in the country barring it from release. One might question if the message about female empowerment had anything to do with the censorship.
It is worth noting that the Sony film deemed suitable for viewers aged 13 or above in the U.S. is flagged as inappropriate for adults of all ages in Qatar, insinuating the restrictive and oppressive nature of the ruling government.
Unsurprisingly, 2023’s greatest blockbuster, Barbie, which explored themes of patriarchy and sexism, also suffered a similar fate in the emirate nation. Likewise, 2021’s Eternals was banned for its inclusion of a same-sex couple and 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness over LGBTQ representation, per the source.
Other blockbuster films that failed to impress the Qatari authorities include Pixar’s Lightyear, No Hard Feelings, Anyone But You, and Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse.
Meanwhile, It Ends With Us is doing a fair job at the box office, raking in $50 million in its opening weekend, per Box Office Mojo. Hollywood’s current favorite couple, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are going against each other as It Ends With Us trails behind the billion-dollar hit Deadpool & Wolverine.
Film critics, however, did not echo the immaculate fan reception of Colleen Hoover’s film adaptation with panned reviews for its apparently superficial exploration of the sensitive issue of domestic violence. It Ends With Us sits with a 59% Rotten Tomatoes score at the moment.
It Ends With Us is now out in theatres worldwide, excluding Qatar.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
ALSO READ: It Ends With Us: Learn About All The Major Changes From The Book
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