Blake Lively Demonstrates Creative Disagreements in “It Ends With Us”
How is Ryle’s abuse portrayed in It Ends With Us?
The depiction of domestic violence in the film differs significantly from the novel, with certain scenes unfolding in distinct ways. In the book, when Ryle burns his hand, he only pushes Lily down while trying to cool it off under the sink, whereas in the movie, he immediately becomes violent after touching the hot surface.
During this incident in the book, Lily is also depicted as uncontrollably laughing due to intoxication until Ryle’s outburst. “Goddammit, Lily,” Ryle scolds her. “It’s not funny. This hand is my career.”
After pushing Lily down the stairs in the book, she kicks Ryle out of the apartment, forcing him to sleep in the hallway all night.
The discussions surrounding abuse unfold differently in the film. For example, in the movie, Ryle only learns about Lily’s family history of domestic violence after they have been dating for a while, whereas in the book, he discovers it on their first meeting.
A notable addition in the movie is a meaningful conversation between Lily and her sister-in-law Allyssa (Jenny Slate) after learning about Ryle’s abusive behavior and his accidental shooting of his brother as children. In the book, Ryle explains his brother’s death to Lily, and Allyssa never advises Lily against taking Ryle back despite his abusive behavior.