Blake Lively has become the center of criticism online among some survivors of domestic violence, who say the actress has shifted focus away from the central premise of “It Ends with Us” during the film’s promotional tour. The movie, which debuted in theaters on Aug. 9, is an adaptation of the widely popular Colleen Hoover book of the same name.
It centers around florist Lily Bloom (played by Lively) and her abusive relationship with a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (played by Justin Baldoni). Hoover has said the story was inspired by her parents’ abusive marriage . Some of the marketing around the film — which is being released by Sony Pictures Entertainment — has appeared lighthearted , with viewers being encouraged to “grab your friends” and “wear your florals” to see the film.
As expected with any major Hollywood film, Lively, as the star and executive producer, has been a central part of the marketing campaign. But some of Hoover’s fans online have expressed disappointment at the actress, saying she has promoted the film as more of a romantic comedy and has rarely addressed the darker subject matter of domestic violence. “It was portrayed more so as a chick flick, like, ‘Grab your friends, wear your nice prints and come over here and watch this movie.
’ And that’s not what it was about,” said Yesenia Puente Bravo, a survivor of intimate-partner violence who said she related to Hoover’s book. “A lot of us that read the book and that rel.