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Blake Lively’s biggest box-office success — aside from “Deadpool & Wolverine” — is making waves on Hulu. So what’s the deal with “It Ends With Us,” which is crushing the Hulu charts according to FlixPatrol?
This 2024 blockbuster, adapted from the hit novel of the same name by BookTok queen Colleen Hoover, made a veritable mint at the box office when it released in August of that year … and it marks Lively’s biggest box office boon as a lead performer. (As far as the aforementioned “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Lively provides the voice of Ladypool alongside her husband, star Ryan Reynolds — but her face never appears on-screen and it’s a glorified cameo. Still, that’s technically the highest-grossing film in which Lively has appeared.) “It Ends With Us” casts Blake Lively as the absurdly named Lily Blossom Bloom, who dreams of opening a flower shop (I know) and finds herself shaken when she meets a handsome neurosurgeon named Dr. Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). (This movie bravely asks: what if there was a guy named Kyle, but with an “R?”)
Let’s be honest, though. “It Ends With Us” is probably still garnering a lot of attention because of the absolutely wild and drawn-out controversy surrounding the film: the one that involves Lively, Baldoni, accusations of harassment and secret smear campaigns, and a massive lawsuit that was only recently settled (as of this writing). To add insult to injury as far as Lively and this whole mess are concerned, the movie isn’t even that good — as /Film’s own BJ Colangelo said in her review, the movie is “an infuriating, emotionally manipulative watch and a disservice to the talents of every actor involved,” because “It Ends With Us” centers around a truly difficult topic: domestic violence.
What is It Ends With Us about?
The first time we meet Lily Blossom Bloom (ugh) in “It Ends With Us” is a difficult time for this fictional character … because she’s attending her father’s funeral. Played in flashbacks by “Grey’s Anatomy” veteran Kevin McKidd, Andrew Bloom was a man who violently brutalized his wife throughout Lily’s childhood — and, as we see in one flashback, also beat a young Lily’s (Isabela Ferrer) first love. Atlas Corrigan (Alex Neustaedter), to within an inch of his life. This, unfortunately, lays the tracks for Lily’s doomed relationship with Ryle.
Ryle seems perfect at first, and Lily also quickly befriends his sister Allysa (Jenny Slate) and Allysa’s husband Marshal (Hasan Minhaj). (No, I don’t know why “Allysa” is spelled like that either. Ask Colleen Hoover.) As “It Ends With Us” continues, though, we discover that Ryle is both quick to anger and extremely possessive, and the latter quality drives a wedge between Lily and Ryle — who hastily get married about halfway through the film — when Lily unexpectedly reunites with an adult Atlas (Brandon Sklenar). Torn between the gentle Atlas and the passion she shares with Ryle, dysfunctional and horrifying as the latter is, Lily realizes she’s pregnant with Ryle’s baby after one of their very worst encounters and struggles with her decision.
Ultimately, Lily tells Ryle, upon the birth of their daughter, that she’s leaving him — hence the film’s title, which she whispers to her newborn as Ryle leaves her hospital room. She has a romantic reunion with Atlas several months later. That’s the general gist of “It Ends With Us,” a glossy movie that often feels more like a romantic comedy than a searing indictment of domestic violence … even as it attempts to show how a “perfect” relationship can be anything but.
It Ends With Us was a massive box office success for Blake Lively — but it took a shocking toll on her career
The absolute wildest thing about “It Ends With Us” is, unquestionably, the divide that emerged between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni after the movie became a financial success. Lively officially filed a lawsuit in late 2024 with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni and his producing partner, Jamey Heath, of rampant impropriety on the set of the film, including sexual harrassment, creating an unsafe work environment, and retaliating against her when she spoke up about the difficult situation. Lively alleged that Baldoni and Heath repeatedly barged into her dressing room while she was in various states of undress, discussed their sex lives, and showed her explicit videos without her consent.
Baldoni returned the favor with a massive lawsuit against the New York Times, which reported on Lively’s initial lawsuit with an in-depth article that detailed how Baldoni was purportedly orchestrating a massive smear campaign against Lively. This entire mess went on until May of 2026, when the two parties finally agreed to settle, but you can certainly argue the damage is done.
Discussing this conflict is tough. The fact of the matter is, though, that Lively’s image is now incredibly tarnished … over a movie that, again, isn’t even good. If you want to watch it, though, “It Ends With Us” is on Hulu now.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
