Lisa Johnson Mandell’s It Ends With Us review says the film serves its audience of female fiction readers well, and takes an important look at domestic abuse.

This is the film female fiction readers have been waiting for—the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s smash bestseller, It Ends with Us, starring Blake Lively as Lily Bloom, the brave every woman who attempts to put an end to domestic violence in her life, in every way, shape or form.

Of course I read it—I try to read almost everything that gets adapted, and this story especially moved me, because as a child, I was not unfamiliar with the subject. Could Lively bring Lily to life? Would director/star Justin Baldoni give Ryle his due?

I’m happy to report that Lively and Baldoni are up to the challenge, as are co-stars Jenny Slate and Hasan Minhaj. I’ll go as far as to say I liked Lively’s sweet and spicy, fragile yet strong Lily much better on the big screen than I did on the written page, and for that reason, with all apologies to Hoover, I actually like the movie better than the book. How many times do you read that?

In essence, it’s about a young woman who grew up with a violent father, and then faces domestic violence issues in her later life.

But it also contains several grand love stories—between Lily and two men, Lily and her best friend, Lily and her baby, and Lily and herself. The dark but lovely Bostonian world they live in is a sumptuous setting.

The adaptation is spot on, with some of the dialogue and scenes ripped directly from the pages of the book. I was especially impressed with how the violent incidents were staged—intentionally murky, as they were in Lily’s own mind, and in the minds of many abuse victims.

It Ends With Us review — Why it’s important

The film expertly captures the way abusers craftily gaslight their victims. “It was an accident!” “You tripped.” “I did it because I love you!”

The film also portrays some of the many reasons why women should not stay in abusive relationships “for the sake of the children,” as one prominent politician has asserted. The profound damage inflicted on children, even on those who are not abused themselves, is often passed on from generation to generation.

Not everyone has the courage to declare, “It ends with us!” But this film can help them build it.

For these reasons and many, many more, I think it’s an important film for women to see.

Is it an Oscar winner? No — it’s bogged down by a heavy-handed pop score, a fairly obvious plot (even if you haven’t read the book), and cliched dialogue. But Lively’s poignant performance truly elevates what could have devolved into a cloying Hallmark moment.

Those who read the book will not be disappointed. It Ends With Us nicely services its core audience.

It’s kind of nice to see something other than an army of superhero nerds being well served.

Rated PG-13

2 Hours 10 Minutes

If this It Ends With Us review encourages you to stroll over to the cineplex and take a seat, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s It Ends With Us review says the film serves its audience of female fiction readers well, and takes an important look at domestic abuse.