Hello, readers,
I haven't read any of author Colleen Hoover's books,
which are widely translated into Lithuanian and, from what I gather from the
comments, are quite popular here. Her book, "It Ends With Us" (2024),
was adapted into a film and, as a psychological romance, was quite popular in
both Lithuanian and US cinemas.
The movie tells the story of Lily Bloom, who opens a
flower shop in Boston after her father's death, fulfilling her dream. Unable to
forgive her deceased father for his constant abuse of her mother, she yearns
for a different life and to make the right choice, believing that no happiness
can exist in a dysfunctional relationship. One day, she meets Ryle, a wealthy
surgeon who makes no secret of being a womanizer. After finally seducing Lily,
he commits to her for the first time, but Lily soon begins to realize that Ryle
is plagued by abnormal jealousy that provokes aggressive behavior...
The film's structural fabric is essentially
elementary: Lily wants to avoid living like her mother, but she ends up with
exactly that—a dysfunctional relationship. A classic of classics! The film
attempts to discuss "healthy relationship hygiene," meaning that
everyone must distance themselves from what is hurting them. The story is told
through two timelines: Lily as a schoolgirl and Lily as an adult in Boston. In
the background, the story of Atlas, a homeless boy who escaped a dysfunctional
family, also emerges as an exemplary case: how Atlas, after crawling out of a
hole, manages to create a safe and dignified life for himself without repeating
his parents' behavioral patterns.
On the other hand, Ryle and his behavior are also
interesting. Behind his womanizer mask lies a complex and deeply complicated
childhood trauma that influences his behavior. Lily as a character seemed a bit
odd to me, an overly literary doll. What inspired her in her youth to help a
homeless boy and even have the audacity to kiss him on the school bus, when she
had no value system, given that her father was a controlling materialist and
her mother was a submissive silent woman? How does an innate, empathetic
kindness form? There was a little something missing... But then again, this is
a genre film made from genre literature, so you don't need to dig too deep, as
the characters' actions are simply and elementally woven together according to
"trauma biographies" that are declaratively shown and explained
verbatim to the viewer.
Despite all this, I liked the film. I had expected a
slightly worse outcome, considering that the beautiful actress Blake Lively
generally plays similar and overly obvious roles. But it suits her! Even in
such a flat film, it takes a certain sparkle to shine, and the actress has it,
creating a colorful film atmosphere that works according to the usual and
self-evident laws of Hollywood cinema: a little romance, a little perfect actor
bodies and erotica, some drama and psychological abuse, and the declaratively
necessary didactic decisions of the characters. You'll also hear the
universally popular soundtracks of Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift.
I found the film even more interesting because it was
embroiled in a huge scandal from the start of its promotional campaign. Actress
Blake Lively sued the main actor and director of the film, Justin Baldoni, for
sexual harassment and bullying on set. So far, witnesses agree that Baldoni did
indeed behave very badly, not only with Lively but also with other actors.
Knowing this, the film functions slightly differently, as a psychological
terror emerges between the main characters, which essentially mirrors the
reality of the actors. It is true that the book has a sequel that was also
planned for a screen adaptation, but due to this scandal, it's obvious that the
sequel may not happen, or the cast will change drastically. Overall, the film
is polished and straightforward, but as a genre film, I liked it.
Maištinga Siela
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