Movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s viral book “It Ends With Us” sparks new levels of controversy over an already contentious book.

According to Chels Upton from Slate, Hoover’s fan base has been compared to Taylor Swift’s loyal and fierce defenders. To openly criticize Hoover’s books would open a floodgate of social media backlash. Widespread popularity comes with widespread criticism and hateful comments.

“It Ends With Us” was initially released in 2016 and, as stated by Simon & Schuster, quickly  became a New York Times Best Seller. 

This novel follows the story of a girl named Lily Bloom, portrayed by Blake Lively, and her love interest, Ryle Kincaid, characterized by Justin Baldoni, in the 2024 movie adaptation. 

As their relationship blossoms, multiple scenes throughout the movie capture how Ryle turns abusive towards Lily. In one particular scene, he pushes Lily down the stairs. After she regains consciousness, he quickly tries to spin the situation saying, “You fell Lily.”

For more on the novel’s plot you can read “The Controversy of Colleen Hoover’s ‘It Ends With Us’”

Despite the novel’s serious topic, it was advertised as a romantic comedy novel. The movie was promoted in the same fashion. On the official TikTok page of the movie, Lively said to the audience, “Grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out to see it.”

Most fans are shocked by the insensitivity and are calling it tone-deaf advertising.

Based on multiple sources, including Prestige, there are rumors of cast disputes throughout the movie press tour. Baldoni did not walk the red carpet with the rest of the cast and instead chose to walk with his wife, Emily Baldoni. Throughout the press tour, Lively and Hoover are seen with each other and with other cast members, except Baldoni. Fans have also noticed that many of the cast members, including Lively, follow Baldoni on social media platforms. 

During press tours and interviews, it becomes apparent that they avoided mentioning the true nature of the relationship. 

After watching this movie, it is apparent that it is a fictional storyline, about a very serious and realistic issue.

Domestic Violence is defined as “A pattern or behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner, this can also include rape/sexual assault”.

According to the United States Department of Justice, “Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive behavior that influence another person within an intimate partner relationship.”

 From the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 48.4 percent of all women and 48.8 percent of all men in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States that is more than 12 million women and men for a single year.

Though this book and movie portray domestic violence as mainly physical, traces of psychological abuse are present, in the movie, Ryle would attempt to convince Lily that his mistreatment was an accident. In the end of the movie, Lily has an epiphany that he is truly an abuser.

According to thehotline.org, 60 percent of domestic violence perpetrators also abuse children in the household. One study found that children exposed to violence in the home were 15 times more likely to be physically and/or sexually assaulted than the national average.

Seventy percent of female and 53 percent of male victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner had their first experience with domestic violence before the age of 25.

Survivors are three times more likely to engage in self-harming behaviors, have suicidal thoughts, or to be diagnosed with an anxiety condition. They are four times more likely to attempt suicide, and six times more likely to have a substance use disorder.

It’s hard to reach out in situations of abuse, but  there are many ways to get help such as: Calling 800-799-7233, or talking to a trusted adult and if you are in school Safe to say

For more information go to https://www.thehotline.org/stakeholders/domestic-violence-statistics/