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Colleen Hoover’s books have taken the world by storm, becoming instant best-sellers once a new novel hits the shelves. It’s no surprise that this literary success would soon translate to a book-to-screen adaptation, and It Ends With Us felt like a natural choice. The movie stars Blake Lively as Lily Bloom who meets Ryle (played by Justin Baldoni) on a rooftop. They quickly fall in love and have what appears to be a fairytale romance. This turns when Ryle becomes abusive.
The movie adaptation has a lot of eyes on it considering how beloved the novel has become. Critics have now finally seen the film, and viewers can rest assured that Blake Lively was the perfect choice to lead the cast of It Ends With Us. Said critics are saying that this role shows us more from Lively as an actress than we’ve ever seen, showcasing her range within the emotional turmoil of the character. Isabella Soares at Collider said:
Her transition from being a confident woman in love to a fearful and distraught victim is evident through Lively’s performance. The Gossip Girl alum taps into her most challenging role to date with reverence, taking it upon herself to be a voice for the women watching her character’s story take a violent turn.
Reviews also mentioned that while the Gossip Girl star has showcased her talent as an actress in movies like The Town and The Shallows, this movie in particular asked a lot more from the actress, needing her to be vulnerable like never before. Lively executed this beautifully, and proved that it took a part like Lily to really shine. Owen Gleiberman at Variety said:
But in It Ends with Us, [Lively] has a role she can sink her acting chops into. She fills the screen with her acutely aware and slightly tremulous radiance.
Lively is selective with her roles, and there are often chunks of time between her big-screen projects. She isn’t always considered amongst the class of movie stars that she should be associated with. It Ends With Us dispels all doubts that she can carry a movie, and has the star-power to do so. Observer’s Emily Zemler said:
Anyone still wondering whether Blake Lively is a genuine movie star need look no farther than It Ends With Us, a gleaming romantic drama that succeeds largely because the actress is so compelling.
Rolling Stone critic Esther Zuckerman explained that oftentimes the film relies on Lively’s spirit and energy to carry the film and prevent it from sinking into a soapy tone. The A Simple Favor actress succeeds in being a reliable touchstone, as the writer said:
The film relies on Lively’s take on Lily as its anchor, and she brings an open-hearted warmth to the role that draws you into the character’s joy as well as her suffering.
IndieWire’s Proma Khosla had some problems with the character material Lively was given to work with, but explains that the actress does the best with what she’s given. They said:
Lively is the consummate romantic heroine, all smiles and laughter and quirky job and bizarre outfits and artfully messy hair — arguably to a fault, because there’s not much to Lily’s personality beyond the aforementioned bullet points (and extravagant shoes out of Lively’s own closet).
If fans weren’t initially on board with Lively being cast as the central figure in It Ends With Us, early critic reviews should be reassuring. The movie is getting mixed reviews as a whole, but all seem to agree that the Age of Adaline star keeps the film afloat, preventing it from being cheesy or silly, and bringing a real depth to Lily Bloom. Sounds like a great romantic drama to take your girlfriends too, and the movie will likely satisfy It Ends With Us fans. Hopefully this role opens doors for Lively, who is finally being given the opportunity to shine as a true leading lady.
You can see Blake Lively in It Ends With Us when the film hits theaters nationwide on August 9th, 2024. For more information on other buzzy titles heading to cinemas this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.