In my humble opinion, Lily’s journey, as portrayed in Colleen Hoover’s heart-wrenching novel “It Ends With Us,” is a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who have faced and overcome domestic abuse. The story follows Lily’s tumultuous relationship with her abusive partner, Ryle, and her healing journey with her supportive friend and love interest, Atlas.
This article contains discussions of sexual assault, domestic abuse, and domestic violence.
In August 2024, people rushed to cinemas to watch the big-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 bestselling novel “It Ends With Us,” a heart-wrenching tale of a seemingly ideal relationship that takes a dark turn. (Indeed, they did rush; the film made a significant impact at the box office in 2024.) In this adaptation, Lily Blossom Bloom, a character with quite literal names given her florist profession, is portrayed by Blake Lively who also produced the movie. Ryle Kincaid, the man who captivates her, is played by Justin Baldoni, who also directed the film. But, what transpires in the relationship between Lily and Ryle? How does their story unfold with its twists and turns, and ultimately, what causes them to part ways permanently?
As a dedicated fan, I’d like to delve into the captivating narrative woven by Baldoni and Lively in their film adaptation of Hoover’s book. Let’s trace the major events that unfold in both the movie and the original work, but it’s important to note that there’s also a compelling literary sequel titled “It Starts With Us,” penned, you guessed it, by Hoover herself.
Lily and Ryle meet and fall in love
In the opening scenes of both adaptations of “It Ends With Us,” we find ourselves rejoining protagonist Lily Blossom Bloom as she returns to Boston following her father’s funeral. At this point, Lily is far from mentally stable due to more than just grief over her parent’s passing. Her bond with her father, Andrew Bloom (portrayed by “Grey’s Anatomy” regular Kevin McKidd in the flashback sequences), was strained and complex. Soon after seeking a peaceful spot for reflection, Lily ascends to the rooftop of an unspecified skyscraper and gazes upon the city below, but her solitude is short-lived when Ryle makes an abrupt and noisy appearance on the rooftop terrace, which turns out to be his apartment building. The commotion arises due to Ryle forcefully opening the door and flipping over a chair.
After Dr. Ryle has finished causing a ruckus with the furniture, he unexpectedly encounters Lily, and it’s an understatement to say that his behavior becomes forceful. Lily tries to resist, but she finds herself drawn to Ryle… almost leading to a kiss before a hospital page calls him away for an urgent operation. At this moment, Lily believes she might never cross paths with Ryle again and shifts her focus towards her flower shop, where she meets Allysa (portrayed charismatically by Jenny Slate in the movie), who later decides to work for Lily. However, when Lily finds out that Ryle is actually Allysa’s sibling, Ryle reenters Lily’s life once more. Initially hesitant and despite Ryle insisting he only wants a casual relationship, they quickly fall for each other; but not long after, someone from Lily’s past reappears.
Lily has a love from her past
In the novel and movie “It Ends With Us,” the story occasionally goes back to when the main character, Lily, was a teenager, revealing her tumultuous family life. Specifically, we find out that her father often physically harmed her mother (portrayed by Amy Morton). However, the narrative also delves into Lily’s relationship with Atlas Corrigan, portrayed by Alex Neustaedter in these flashbacks. One day, while standing at her bedroom window, Lily spots a young man named Atlas living in an abandoned house near the affluent Bloom household. After timidly interacting with him on the school bus, Lily and Atlas develop a strong bond. During their parents’ work hours, Lily invites Atlas into her home to use the shower, offers him her father’s clothes, and ensures he eats sufficiently. Over time, we learn that Atlas left his own home after his mother defended his abusive father, leading them to grow even closer.
In the movie and book, it’s revealed that Lily and Atlas share a romantic relationship, which leads them to sleep together. However, when Lily’s father discovers them in bed, it creates one of the most distressing scenes. Enraged, Lily’s father violently drags Atlas out of her room, causing such severe injuries that Atlas is hospitalized. This event marks the end of their relationship, with Atlas fading from Lily’s life thereafter. Despite his absence, Atlas remains a significant part of Lily’s heart, symbolized by a heart tattoo on her collarbone. As fate would have it, Atlas re-enters Lily’s life as an adult, appearing exactly when she requires him the most.
Ryle abuses Lily
As a devoted reader of “It Ends With Us,” I must say that one aspect which sets this narrative apart from typical portrayals of violence in literature and film is the seemingly flawless nature of Ryle at the outset, making his initial act of violence all the more startling. During Lily and Ryle’s budding romance, everything appears to be going incredibly well – by every standard, their relationship is thriving, with Ryle being quite the romantic and always ready to pull off a grand gesture. One morning at Ryle’s apartment, I find myself waking up to the delightful aroma of an elaborate breakfast he’s preparing for me. However, it’s during this seemingly idyllic moment that things take a dark turn. While removing a dish from the oven without using oven mitts, Ryle accidentally burns his hand and, reflexively, I let out a laugh before attempting to assist him. Enraged by my laughter – an emotion he later attributes to the upcoming important surgery – Ryle strikes me, leaving me reeling in shock. In both versions of the story, Ryle manages to convince Lily that it was merely a freak accident and that he had been hastily withdrawing his hand from the hot pan unintentionally hitting her.
In the book and movie, there are other instances of abuse, not just the one you might think of. Atlas, who rekindles his relationship with Lily as an adult, becomes a point of contention between him and Ryle because he often becomes enraged in jealous fits. He physically harms Lily on multiple occasions – hitting her, pushing her down the stairs, and later falsely accusing her of tripping. However, the most disturbing incident is when Ryle attempts to sexually assault Lily violently. But you might wonder, what role does Atlas play in all this? Why does Ryle get so enraged over Lily’s first love?
Atlas returns to Lily’s life
In essence, Ryle’s reprehensible and appalling actions concerning Atlas stem from a hidden fact: Atlas Corrigan, portrayed by Brandon Sklenar in the movie, runs a renowned Boston restaurant named Root (originally called “Bib’s” in the book, an acronym representing “Better in Boston,” a phrase young Atlas often said around Lily). This name change is not entirely clear, but in the film, it still holds significance as it connects to Lily, recalling a scene where they planted a garden together and discussed how plants take root and thrive. Before Ryle harms Lily, the trio (Ryle, Lily, and Jenny) dine at Root unaware that Atlas is the owner of this famous eatery. When Lily encounters him during dinner, she feels surprised yet delighted.
On the very same day that Ryle physically harms Lily for the first time, they opt to continue their dinner plans with Allysa and her husband Marshall (portrayed by Hasan Minhaj) at Root. When Atlas notices Ryle’s bandaged hand and Lily’s noticeable black eye, he becomes enraged and strikes Ryle. This action only intensifies the tension between Lily and Ryle. Later, when Atlas visits Lily’s store, he secretly places a slip of paper containing his phone number within her phone case, urging her to contact him if she ever requires assistance. It is the revelation of this note that triggers Ryle’s most violent act – the previously mentioned attempt at sexual assault.
Lily and Ryle marry and have a baby
Let’s take a step back before we reach Ryle’s most severe and regrettable action, and the part involving Atlas and Lily. After Ryle inadvertently strikes Lily for the first time and Atlas offers his phone number to her (which she doesn’t refuse), Lily chooses to inform Ryle that the reason she is deeply wounded, both physically and emotionally, by his supposed attack is due to her parents’ past experiences. In that instant, Ryle shows empathy, but he continues to behave in ways that suggest he isn’t truly listening to Lily.
During their visit to Allysa and Marshall at the hospital following Allysa’s childbirth, Ryle surprisingly proposes to Lily, who agrees. Consequently, they decide to elope. However, an event on the staircase and an attempted sexual assault occur post their marriage. Following this traumatic incident, Lily leaves her and Ryle’s home and seeks help from Root, eventually finding refuge under Atlas’ care. It is during this hospital stay that she learns she is pregnant with Ryle’s child.
For a brief period, Lily stays with Atlas and opts to raise the baby herself, marking an end to any attempts at reconciling with Ryle. In fact, when Lily discloses the abuse to Allysa, Ryle’s sister who has grown particularly close to her, Allysa reveals some startling truths about Ryle’s past.
Lily leaves Ryle
Following Lily’s decision to raise the baby, she has a conversation with Allysa where they uncover that Ryle’s aggressive behavior might stem from a deeply distressing incident from his past. When Ryle was merely six years old, he unintentionally took the Kincaid family gun and fatally shot Emerson, their older brother, an event that left him severely scarred for life – despite it not being his fault. However, Allysa is resolute in her disapproval of how Ryle treats Lily and makes it clear to Lily that she stands by her during this parenthood journey. Moreover, Allysa urges Lily emphatically not to reconsider reconciling with Ryle under any circumstances.
During Lily’s pregnancy, Ryle continuously asks and implores, but she remains steadfast and eventually departs from him, not long after the birth of their daughter, whom Lily names Emerson in honor of Ryle’s brother. A poignant scene in the movie sees Lily confront a contrite Ryle, questioning how he would feel if anyone harmed their baby girl. It’s then that it seems Ryle truly comprehends that he and Lily cannot coexist, and that he urgently requires help to manage his abusive behavior. In the end, Ryle consents to a divorce, and once he exits the hospital room, Lily whispers to her daughter, whom she affectionately calls Emmy, that they hope their cycle of abuse – as experienced by both Lily’s mother and herself – comes to an end with them (referencing the title).
Lily and Atlas get together
In the movie, the storyline and its essence remain consistent with the book despite minor variations: Lily and Ryle have broken up, and their paths no longer cross. In the film, we see Lily at a market years after the split, accompanied by young Emmy, who encounters Atlas while shopping for his restaurant. Their exchange suggests unresolved feelings, but that’s where the movie ends. However, in Colleen Hoover’s book, the ending is more intricate and sets up the stage for the sequel.
In the book, while the timeline isn’t explicitly detailed, it provides a stronger portrayal of Lily’s relationship with Atlas following her separation from Ryle. However, there’s a significant aspect that the movie omits for narrative convenience. Unlike in the movie, the novel depicts Lily and Ryle sharing parenting duties post-divorce. One day, on the street, she encounters Atlas. After dropping Emmy off with Ryle, she reaches out to Atlas to reveal that their daughter’s middle name, Dory, is a tribute to “Finding Nemo,” a movie that held emotional significance for both of them during their teenage years (the novel includes an Ellen DeGeneres subplot, which the movie also chooses to exclude). What makes this scene unsettling is that Ryle, who has a history of physical abuse, still shares custody of Emmy. This theme is further explored in her 2022 sequel, where she delves into the repercussions of this co-parenting arrangement.
Lily at Atlas beyond It Ends With Us
The story “It Starts With Us” continues directly from where “It Ends With Us” concludes, with Lily encountering Atlas while she’s taking 11-month-old Emmy to see Ryle. Lily’s life is indeed intricate; although Ryle has asked for more time with Emmy, she insists that her daughter doesn’t spend overnights by herself with Ryle until Emmy can communicate clearly (a difficult requirement Lily must impose). However, after their chance encounter, Lily and Atlas gradually rekindle their relationship at a steady pace.
Concurrently, Atlas, who receives perspective chapters in the follow-up story, is grappling with his personal demons. Following an attack on his restaurant where food was also stolen, Atlas has an unexpected reunion with his long-lost younger brother, who had fled from home due to their abusive mother. As Atlas and Lily navigate their family issues, they encounter additional hurdles, such as Ryle, who slips back into old habits upon learning that Atlas and Lily are a couple. Eventually, Lily, Marshall, and Allysa stage an intervention for Ryle, informing him that he can only see Emmy again if the meetings are supervised and that he must enroll in anger management classes to maintain a role in her life; Ryle eventually agrees to these terms. Six months later, Atlas and Lily decide to live together, and the story concludes with Atlas rehearsing his vows before their wedding.
“It Ends With Us” is streaming on Netflix now.
Should you or someone close to you encounter domestic abuse, feel free to reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Alternatively, you can explore further information, resources, and assistance on their website.
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2024-12-18 18:30