Movies News Talk
The major age difference in the protagonists of Colleen Hoover's acclaimed book It Ends With Us has generated debate about the forthcoming movie version. Renowned for his work on Jane the Virgin, Director Justin Baldoni chose to age Lily and Ryle, the book's main characters, from 23 and 30 respectively in line with older counterparts played by Blake Lively and Baldoni himself.
Baldoni said he welcomes the online debate on the age shift in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He added that he chose older characters since he saw a movie appealing to a larger audience: "I just knew from the outset the type of movie I wanted to do was not about a 23-year-old girl. I wanted women of all ages to see themselves. Baldoni thinks that by maturing the characters, a more universal narrative may be told, therefore transcending the YA genre and maybe appealing to a more grown audience.
There are several points of conflict around It Ends With Us not simply over the age shift. Published in 2016, the book was attacked for its treatment of domestic violence. The narrative tracks Lily's path through maltreatment under her father's hands and then in her relationship with Ryle. Although some hailed the book for tackling such a delicate subject, others believed that the romanticized elements of the connection with Ryle might have lessened the gravity of his acts.
Further fueling the debate was the way It Ends With Us was marketed as a romance book. Critics contended that Ryle's violent actions were glamorized by this classification, therefore obscuring Lily's suffering's gravity. The IMDb category rating for the movie right now still falls under "romance," which begs questions regarding whether this feature has been given enough attention.
Baldoni's justification for the age change points to a wish to make It Ends With Us a more potent and mature story, notwithstanding the objections. Baldoni hopes to perhaps allay the worry about potentially elevating unhealthy relationships by separating the picture from the YA category. Though Baldoni's comment shows a deliberate attempt to produce a more complex and powerful narrative, the movie's ability to surpass the flaws in the book is still to be seen.