In It Ends with Us, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni star opposite each other as Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid. Lily, an aspiring florist, and Ryle, an ambitious neurosurgeon, hit it off during a charming first encounter in Boston, where they share an immediate connection. As time goes on, they become a romantic couple, but Ryle begins to display a darker, more aggressive side and grows physically and emotionally abusive. 

The film, which is now streaming on Netflix in the US, is an adaptation of author Colleen Hoover’s popular novel of the same name, which deals with heavy themes of abuse and domestic violence, as well as generational trauma. Baldoni, who also directed the film for his independent production studio, Wayfarer Studios, told The Hollywood Reporter he was inspired to adapt this story because he felt so “moved by Lily’s bravery and what she had to overcome.”  

In the trailer, Lily herself reflects on all that she has endured, stating, “As hard as this choice is, we break the pattern, or the pattern breaks us.” 

Whether you’re watching It Ends With Us for the first time or planning a repeat viewing, read on for everything you need to know about the film. 

What happens in It Ends with Us? 

Lily Bloom (Lively) is a recent college graduate who moves to Boston from a small town in Maine to pursue her dream of owning her own flower shop. Her plans are interrupted when her father dies, but his death is complicated for Lily. We learn through flashbacks to her adolescence that he was physically violent toward her mother. During that difficult time in her childhood, Lily confides in only one person — a young man named Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), who becomes her first boyfriend and her first love, and reappears later in her adult life. 

After her father’s funeral, Lily takes a moment to decompress and gather her feelings about the loss while sitting on a rooftop in Boston, where she meets Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), an ambitious neurosurgeon. The pair share an immediate connection, and allude to their dating histories — Ryle tells her that he’s not exactly the relationship type, but Lily soon becomes an exception to that rule. Over time, an intense romance develops between Lily and Ryle, which takes a dark turn when Ryle becomes physically and emotionally abusive.  

Blake Lively as Lily Bloom

Who’s in the cast of It Ends with Us? 

• Blake Lively (Gossip Girl, The Town) as Lily Bloom 
• Justin Baldoni (Jane the Virgin) as Ryle Kincaid
• Jenny Slate (The Bob’s Burgers Movie, Jenny Slate: Stage Fright) as Allysa
• Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show, Hasan Minhaj: Off with His Head) as Marshall
• Brandon Sklenar (Westworld, Vice) as Atlas Corrigan
• Kevin McKidd (Grey’s Anatomy, Trainspotting) as Andrew Bloom
• Amy Morton (Chicago P.D., Girls) as Jenny Bloom
• Alex Neustaedter (Colony, American Rust) as young Atlas Corrigan 
• Isabela Ferrer (Fire Burning) as young Lily Bloom 

Is It Ends with Us based on a book? 

The movie is based on author Colleen Hoover’s wildly popular and successful 2016 romance novel of the same name, which spent 169 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Hoover told TODAY it was a bittersweet feeling to be on the bestseller list for so long. “Because people resonate with it. And it’s kind of a sad subject to resonate with,” she said. In 2022, Hoover published a sequel to It Ends with Us because fans wanted more of Lily’s story. The second book in the series, It Starts With Us, is told from Atlas’ perspective. 

Is It Ends With Us based on a true story? 

As Hoover told TODAY, the book is loosely based on her mother’s experience when she was married to Hoover’s biological father. Her mother was able to leave the situation and filed for divorce from her husband when Hoover was 2, and Hoover said it was her mother’s courage that inspired her to write It Ends with Us. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Hoover described it as “the hardest book I’ve ever written.” 

Justin Baldoni as Ryle Kincaid

Where was It Ends with Us filmed? 

Although both the book and movie are set in Boston, the movie was primarily filmed in Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey. Baldoni was keen to find locations that still felt authentic to New England, People reports. Plus, the film uses images of Boston’s skyline as a reminder of where the story takes place. For the most part, It Ends with Us was shot in the Garden State, but the crew also took one long-distance trip to Los Angeles to shoot Lily and Ryle’s first meeting on the rooftop.  

When can I watch It Ends with Us? 

You can stream the film on Netflix in the US now. 

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