When adapting a beloved book into a film, filmmakers often face the difficult task of deciding which elements to keep, alter, or completely remove. In the case of It Ends With Us, directed by Justin Baldoni and based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, one of the most significant changes involves the fate of Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni himself. This alteration not only shifts the story’s resolution but also its underlying message about abuse and redemption.
The Original Storyline: A Complex Co-Parenting Dynamic
In Hoover’s novel, Lily Bloom, portrayed by Blake Lively in the film, ultimately decides to co-parent with Ryle, despite his history of abuse. This decision is complex and reflective of the nuanced, often messy reality of relationships where love and violence coexist. The book’s ending, where Lily chooses to allow Ryle to remain in their daughter’s life, speaks to the challenging decisions many survivors face—balancing their own trauma with the desire for their child to know both parents.
The Film’s Ending: A Definitive Goodbye
However, Baldoni’s adaptation takes a different approach. In the movie, after Lily gives birth to her daughter, Emerson, she decides to cut Ryle out of their lives entirely. This choice diverges sharply from the book’s narrative, leaving viewers with a more conclusive and unambiguous resolution. Ryle meets his daughter in the hospital, but that moment marks the end of his involvement in Lily and Emerson’s lives. The decision to exclude Ryle from the story post-birth underscores a powerful message: some relationships, especially those marred by violence, cannot and should not be salvaged.
Why the Change? A Focus on Reality and Responsibility
Baldoni and screenwriter Christy Hall initially considered staying true to the book, even drafting an epilogue where Ryle is seen co-parenting with Lily. However, as they delved deeper into the realities of abusive relationships and consulted with experts, they decided that this portrayal might not be the most responsible or realistic.
Baldoni’s reasoning was rooted in statistical reality. Research shows that most abusers do not reform, and continuing to give Ryle a place in Lily’s life might have sent a message that was inconsistent with the harsh truths many face in similar situations. By removing Ryle from the picture, the film takes a stand: it’s not about what could be in an ideal world, but about what often is. This ending emphasizes that sometimes, the best and safest path forward is one that leaves the past—and the people who hurt us—behind.
The Impact on the Story’s Message
This change also repositions the narrative’s focus on Lily’s strength and autonomy. By showing her decisively closing the door on Ryle, the film empowers her character in a way that resonates strongly with audiences who might see themselves in her story. It shifts the emphasis from the possibility of redemption for the abuser to the undeniable right of the survivor to seek safety and peace.
Conclusion: A Controversial but Powerful Choice
While some fans of the novel might be surprised or even disappointed by this significant change, it’s clear that Baldoni made this decision with careful consideration of the film’s message and impact. In cutting Ryle out of Lily’s life, It Ends With Us the film makes a bold statement about the boundaries we must set with those who harm us, and about the importance of choosing ourselves and our well-being above all else.
This alteration might spark debate, but it also highlights the power of adaptation: the ability to take a story and mold it to speak to its audience in a way that feels timely, truthful, and resonant. For It Ends With Us, that meant ending Ryle’s journey with a closed door, leaving him—and the audience—with the stark reminder that some actions are unforgivable, and some relationships, irreparable.