Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

In 2021, author Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us (originally published in 2016) was taken by storm by the popular phenomenon of “BookTok.” Readers seemed to be romanticizing and obsessing over the book rather than understanding the important topics the book covers.

Hoover’s career began with her book Slammed. The romance author started off slow, but quickly shot off as the release of It Ends With Us took over the internet. Readers quickly found It Ends With Us as a new staple for romance books. The hashtag, “#itendswithus” surpassed 1 million uses on TikTok prior to the release, showing how excited fans were when the movie adaptation was announced in June of 2024. 

However, fans were asking the wrong questions, focusing on the casting, the hair and the clothing; leaving fans to overlook the topic of domestic violence, which is the main story the novel tells.

Fans immediately criticized the casting of the main character, Lily Bloom, as well. A defining characteristic of the protagonist is her long orange hair. In the film, Bloom’s character played by Blake Lively, widely known for her role as Serena Vanderwoodsen in Gossip Girl, has long blonde hair that was dyed for the role. Fans of the novel agree the casting should’ve been given to someone more fitting for the role.

At the start of the movie announcement, fans were mostly criticizing the role of Lily Bloom, but soon after the release, fans began criticizing the bigger issue. Justin Baldoni, the male lead portraying Ryle Kincaid, began interviews for the movie. Not only did Baldoni direct the film, he plays a crucial part as the male love interest and abuser. Baldoni talks about how he got to see the film through a bird’s eye view while also immersing himself in the character, but sheds light on how difficult the role was. Baldoni told Hollywood Reporter, “…as an actor, it was a serious undertaking because I was scared.” 

Ida B. Wells High School social worker Britni Locke shares how just seeing domestic violence can deeply impact people. “I think some people don’t always think about this, but witnessing domestic violence is a huge trauma,” said Locke.

Baldoni cares deeply for this film and fans notice his care and passion, though for Lively, the same can’t be said. In an advertisement with Sony Pictures, she announces the release and tells fans to, “grab your friends and wear your florals.” Fans saw this as a tone-deaf announcement, compared to Baldoni’s interview with CBS Mornings where he shared some takeaways from the film, “First of all, I want men to stop asking the question, ‘why do women stay?’” he said during the interview.  “I want men to go to the theater and in some ways see a version of themselves.” He uses words like accountability and hope.

At Ida B. Wells High School, It Ends With Us is an active book in the school’s library. Some students can relate and feel seen with this book, but seeing certain press of the movie can reverse that relation. 

IBW junior, Maddy Garfinkle said, “The media surrounding the movie did not do a good job, I think Justin Baldoni did a really good job, but the rest of the press team didn’t do a good job.” 

Garfinkle’s thoughts resonate with many and speaks to the relevance of how hurtful this kind of media representation could be to possible students, and people, who have been impacted by domestic violence.