Many people who have read the book “It Ends With Us” think that the movie left out important details and scenes. The book came out on February 29, 2016 and the movie came out recently on August 9, 2024. The book was supposed to be promoting the awareness of domestic violence, but when the movie came out a lot of the viewers thought it was a romance because of the way some of the actors have been promoting it.
“I read “It Ends With Us” my freshman year in just a few sittings and I really liked it, so when I heard it was turning into a movie, I was very excited. However, I am one of those people who love the book more than the movie because of how descriptive and in depth the book goes compared to the movie. I felt like the casting was off and that was also a popular opinion among the audience because the casting was older than what they were in the book. Overall, I felt like the representation of domestic abuse in the book and movie was pretty spot on,” said Ciera Faulstick, senior.
Everyone who has watched the movie has their own opinion about the storyline and the similarities and differences, but the movie is meant to raise awareness for domestic abuse and violence that happens all over the world.
“I loved the way Justin Baldoni directed the movie because he strictly advertised it as a film about domestic abuse. The movie is about love, but it is also about hope concerning such a difficult topic that is hard to talk about which, many people experience in this day and age. I would recommend it to anyone and to not get too hung up on the drama surrounding the actors because that’s not what the movie is about. It’s about the message that domestic abuse is something that happens in the world today, unfortunately, but hopefully, this movie can show people that you can get yourself out of that situation and that there is hope,” said Faulstick.
The varied opinions on both the book “It Ends With Us” and the movie adaptation highlight the complexity of translating books to movies. While some appreciate the movie’s ability to convey the powerful message about domestic abuse and hope, others feel that it has fallen short of capturing the book’s depth.
“Overall, I thought it was a well received book, but it wasn’t my favorite by Colleen Hoover. I haven’t seen the movie, but I feel like it has over sensationalized the love story between Ryle and Lily rather than focusing on what really was the issue. I know the press and everything surrounding that was more about the flowers and Lily Bloom being who she is, rather than focusing on the darker parts of the book. I think it’s important that it’s out there because I feel that women don’t talk about it and they don’t seek the help and just stay where they are. I think Lily is a good character to show that you can get out and away from it, and you can still be an individual,” said Mrs. Yost, English teacher and advisor to the Book Club.
Ultimately, the film and the novel both serve as important tools for raising awareness about difficult topics and different perspectives. If you or anyone you know is struggling with domestic violence, please speak up. Help is always available, 800-799-7233, you are not alone.
