Genre: Drama/ Romance
WEEK 51: A FILM FROM A GENRE YOU DON’T WATCH THAT OFTEN
If I have to believe Colleen Hoover fans, director Justin Baldoni (and also the actor portraying Ryle) was very faithful to the book. I never read it, nor will I ever read it. And after seeing the film, I’m sure I never will.
Even though I have nothing but praise for Blake Lively’s performance, the story just felt off. Somehow I saw red flags with Ryle from the start (not knowing the details of the plot yet). I have never experienced any form of physical abuse myself, but somehow I don’t believe that someone suffering from it herself, or at least witnessed it up close, would see signals of it earlier on in their relationship. And I don’t feel like Ryle is such a catch, even before his dark side really surfaces. I found him very creepy from the moment Lily met him. It’s also very clear from the start, that Atlas is actually the man Lily is supposed to be with. And even though I like Lily’s friendship with Allysa, the way they become friends feels very unrealistic.
Fans of the book will love this movie, and I’m so happy for them. It’s always a wonderful thing to see a favorite book being turned into a movie, that is actually following the book closely. I’m not the right audience for this film. I know Baldoni tried to make a film with such a heavy theme with a lot of respect. And it’s not his fault that the story feels so wrong, because it’s the source material. Which follows a very toxic relationship, a relationship you know is wrong. And this film was marketed poorly, selling it as a romance to go see with your girlfriends, when it’s actually a drama about domestic violence. The film hints at a sequel, since there is also a second book. But it does not look like there is going to be one.
Rating: 2/ 5
