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It Ends With Us Ending's Major Change From The Books Amid Blake Lively Drama Explained
Justin Baldoni’s film, It Ends With Us’ ending received mixed reactions, some viewers like the clear stance on ending abuse, while others miss the book’s more complex ending.
When a beloved book is turned into a movie, fans often have high expectations. They want to see their favorite characters and scenes come to life as they just imagined. And, It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel is no exception. The movie, directed by Justin Baldoni and starring Blake Lively, has stirred up a lot of emotions since its release.
While many were excited to see it, others were surprised by some key changes, especially the ending. Let’s see how the book and the movie had a different ending and explore why these changes matter.
The storyline and characters
It Ends With Us revolves around Lily Bloom, played by Blake Lively. She dreams of opening her own flower shop. After a tough past, including an abusive father, Lily meets Ryle, played by Justin Baldoni. Their relationship starts off happily, but Ryle’s abusive behavior soon becomes apparent. The film also features Brandon Sklenar as Atlas Corrigan. Atlas is Lily’s first love and his entrance adds another layer to the story.
Colleen Hoover’s book was released in 2016. It was both praised and criticized for its portrayal of domestic abuse. Now though the movie has captured the essence of Hoover’s novel but has also made some notable changes. And, these changes have initiated a debate among fans who loved the book’s original conclusion.
The movie’s new ending
The most notable change in It Ends With Us is its ending. In the novel, Lily and Ryle work through their issues and continue co-parenting their daughter. Ryle stays in their lives but only in a limited way. Some critics felt this ending gave Ryle too. However, the film takes a different approach.
Director Justin Baldoni explained in an interview with TheWrap. He said that the original draft included a scene where Ryle drops off their child with Lily and they have a brief conversation. This scene was meant to show they had made progress over the past few years. But then the ending was revised to address the sensitive topic of domestic violence in a better way.
“wasn’t fully comfortable with it. And no one wasn’t fully comfortable with it, and we were trying to find a way to make it work, to honor the book, but too much had to be done in such a short window to explain how they could possibly be co-parenting,” Justin said.
The film’s new approach
Instead of allowing Ryle to continue in Lily’s life, the movie concludes with Lily making a decisive break. After giving birth, she tells Ryle that she wants a divorce. This happens as she asks him how he would react if their daughter came home with an abusive partner. This forced him to confront his own actions. Ryle realizes and accepts his fate He leaves Lily and their daughter.
The ending sends a clear message: Lily is determined to break the cycle of abuse and start fresh. The movie concludes with Lily meeting Atlas. This change gives Lily’s character a stronger and more empowering resolution.
Why the change?
Baldoni decided to change the ending to stay true to the story’s message. He observed that many abusers often go back to their harmful ways. Showing Ryle as truly changed seemed unrealistic without more context. He explained, “From our research, we know that most men go back to being abusers. It didn’t feel right to show Ryle as different, as that wouldn’t honor the original intention of the story.”
The film’s ending received mixed reactions. Some viewers like the clear stance on ending abuse, while others miss the book’s more complex ending.
A new beginning
At the end of the film, Lily and Atlas reconnect, but their future is left open-ended. The book gave a clear conclusion to their relationship. But, unlike that, the film offers only a hint of possibility. This choice shows a more realistic view of healing moving on after the trauma.
Blake Lively thinks the movie does a great job of capturing the story of the book. She believes that if you read the book first, you’ll enjoy the movie and if you watch the movie first, you’ll still love the book.
What do you feel about the ending of It Ends With Us, do tell us in the comments.
ALSO READ: Is Their Ongoing Drama Between It Ends With Cast? Here's What Netizens Think
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