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The movie 'It Ends With Us' faces criticism for glamorizing domestic abuse
Critics have said the promotional materials for the film It Ends With Us glamorize domestic violence.
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Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel It Ends With Us has been adapted into a star-studded film, starring the likes of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. But the much-talked-about film is facing criticism for appearing to glamorize its depiction of domestic abuse.
The film, which draws from Hoover’s own parents’ relationship, tells the story of florist Lily Bloom, who falls in love with a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid.
During their courtship, Kincaid goes from charming and charismatic to physically and emotionally abusive. Bloom eventually ends the relationship, telling her daughter that the cycle of violence “ends with us,” reflecting the film’s title.
Based on promotional materials for the film, however, some critics say the message about abuse might not come across to viewers.
“The trailer does a disservice to the fact that this could really raise awareness,” said activist and domestic violence survivor Ashley Bendiksen. “But it seems to just be glossing over what the movie’s actually about.”
In one trailer — set to the song “Strangers” by Ethel Cain, which includes the lyrics “don’t talk to strangers or you might fall in love” — the movie seems to hit all the right notes of a typical romance movie.
Viewers see the two main characters — played by Lively and Baldoni — launch into a romantic relationship. You’re teased with the potential of a love triangle, down to a fistfight between the two male suitors. And there’s a brief bout of rage from Kincaid as he breaks a piece of furniture in his apartment.
But the full story is much darker. The abuse Bloom suffers at the hands of Kincaid in the film includes being pushed down a flight of stairs and attempted rape.
“When we use trauma as entertainment, it can feel really exploitative, and just irresponsible, and, in many ways, tone-deaf to the actual issue,” Bendiksen said.
Fan blowback
The film, which was released on Aug. 9, has earned a respectable $242 million worldwide. But despite its success at the box office, criticisms have been scathing.
In one promotional video posted on Instagram, a smiling Lively sits alongside the novel’s author, Hoover, and encourages the audience to “grab your friends, wear your florals and head out to see it.” Florals in this context are a reference to her character, Bloom, owning a flower shop in the film.
Comments on the video criticized Lively’s upbeat tone and attempts to promote the movie as a lighthearted love story.
“As someone who lived through DV as a child, ‘grab your friends, wear your florals’ is a terrible phrase to use about a film of this nature,” one commenter wrote.
“You had an opportunity to turn this into a beautiful thing for women who suffer every day. Shame on you and your PR team for turning a blind eye,” another said.
Many of the comments praised Baldoni, however, for his style in promoting the story.
In one interview posted to the star’s Instagram page, Baldoni says his message for viewers is to always have hope.
“Everybody has the ability to end a cycle that they didn’t ask for. We can all say, ‘It ends with us’ in our life,” Baldoni said.
Baldoni directed the film, and Lively is one of its producers.
“Thank you so much for being the ONLY person on this cast promoting the actual point of this film,” one commenter wrote in response.
“It’s funny to me how the person that is portraying the offender is the only one making the point of the actual story.”
Brandon Sklenar, who plays Baldoni’s romantic rival in the film, said that he and his fellow cast-mates understood the gravity of telling a story about domestic abuse.
“Trust me when I tell you, there isn’t a single person involved in the making of this film that was not aware of the responsibility we had in making this. A responsibility to all the women who have experienced generational trauma – domestic abuse – or struggle with looking in the mirror and loving who they see,” Sklenar wrote in a lengthy statement posted to his Instagram account.
“This movie is a harsh reality check for the men who need to get their sh-t together and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.”
Comments on the statement were turned off, but comments on unrelated posts took the cast to task over the way the film was being promoted.
“Your most recent post is just perpetuating how TONE DEAF this whole cast is (besides Justin). We don’t want to hear you all defend each other. How about apologize and change the way you’re all promoting the movie and talk about the issue – [domestic violence],” wrote one frustrated commenter.
Hoover, in a separate interview with Lively, said she felt that the film had been “faithful” to the story she wrote.
“Trigger warning”
Obbie West, a spoken-word artist and advocate for victims of domestic abuse, said that the framing of the film could wind up being triggering for abuse victims.
“Prior to presentations or prior to trainings, I give trigger warnings, and the trigger warning lets anyone in the room know that this content is going to be very sensitive in nature. That way, if any of it aligns with something they’ve been through and they feel triggered, we identify who are the people in the room that’s qualified to help you,” West said.
Trailers for the film do not include any sort of trigger warnings for content.
“So when you present this movie as a love movie without that precursor, then you have a theater full of people who aren’t aware that they may potentially be triggered.”
West said that in framing the movie as a love story, it could be damaging, particularly to young people who don’t have a healthy frame of reference for love and aren’t as easily able to recognize signs of abuse.
“If this is common practice and we’re constantly presenting love in this way, then for those children who are still developing, it normalizes it and desensitizes them to abuse,” West said.
Ariana Grande arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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The brightest stars in TV and film kicked off the 83rd annual Golden Globes tonight in Beverly Hills, Calif. with Ariana Grande, Noah Wyle, Teyana Taylor and George Clooney are just some the names who walked the red carpet. This year’s ceremony was hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser.
Here’s a glimpse of what some of the attendees are wearing tonight.
Michael B. Jordan
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Ryan Coogler and Zinzi Evans
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Michel Martin
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Steve Inskeep
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Queen Latifah
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2026 Golden Globes
Nikki Glaser Shouts Out Rob Reiner …
Dons ‘Spinal Tap’ Hat at Close of Show
Published
Rob Reiner wasn’t forgotten at this year’s Golden Globe awards … because host Nikki Glaser paid tribute to him just weeks after his murder.
Here’s the deal … during the sign-off for the awards show, Nikki came onstage wearing a black and white “Spinal Tap” hat — the band which serves as the subject of Reiner’s iconic 1984 mockumentary of the same name.
Worth noting … the Golden Globes do not typically air an in memoriam — so this was the only time Reiner was mentioned at the show.
As you know … Rob and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home last month. Their son Nick Reiner has been arrested for murder in connection to the case.
TMZ.com
Nick’s arraignment was scheduled for last week … but, his lawyer Alan Jackson dropped out of the case — leaving Nick with a public defender and new arraignment date set for late February.
Jackson told a gaggle of reporters outside the courthouse that Nick’s not guilty … but, he simply can’t defend him. He did not provide a reason for his withdrawal.
Our new documentary “TMZ Investigates The Reiner Murders: What Really Happened” dives into Rob and Michele’s grisly deaths … as well as Nick’s history of mental health issues and even how his weight gain set him on a dangerous path.
“TMZ Investigates The Reiner Murders: What Really Happened” is now streaming on Hulu.
On-air challenge
Today’s puzzle is called “Pet Theory.” Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word start starts PE- and the second word starts T-. (Ex. What walkways at intersections carry –> PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC)
1. Chart that lists all the chemical elements
2. Place for a partridge in “The 12 Days of Christmas”
3. Male voyeur
4. What a coach gives a team during halftime in the locker room
5. Set of questions designed to reveal your traits
6. Something combatants sign to end a war
7. Someone who works with you one-on-one with physical exercises
8. Member of the Who
9. Incisors, canines, and premolars that grow in after you’re a baby
10. Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to score this at the Olympics
11. What holds the fuel in a British car
Last week’s challenge
Last week’s challenge was a numerical one from Ed Pegg Jr., who runs the website mathpuzzle.com. Take the nine digits — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. You can group some of them and add arithmetic operations to get 2011 like this: 1 + 23 ÷ 4 x 5 x 67 – 8 + 9. If you do these operations in order from left to right, you get 2011. Well, 2011 was 15 years ago. Can you group some of the digits and add arithmetic symbols in a different way to make 2026? The digits from 1 to 9 need to stay in that order. I know of two different solutions, but you need to find only one of them.
Challenge answer
12 × 34 × 5 – 6 – 7 + 8 – 9 [or] 1 + 2 + 345 × 6 – 7 × 8 + 9
Winner
Daniel Abramson of Albuquerque, N.M.
This week’s challenge
This week’s challenge comes from listener Ward Hartenstein. Think of a well-known couple whose names are often said in the order of _____ & _____. Seven letters in the names in total. Combine those two names, change an E to an S, and rearrange the result to name another famous duo who are widely known as _____ & _____.
If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, January 15 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.
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