Blake Lively, often adored for her charm and fashion sense, is finding herself in hot water after the release of her new movie, It Ends With Us. While fans were initially excited to see Lively tackle the role in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, the actress is now being accused of being “tone deaf” in her promotional efforts. Adding fuel to the fire, critics say that Blake and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, are desperately attempting to recreate the magic of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, and it’s not landing well.
Barbie’s Sad Truth
The much-hyped movie, It Ends With Us, directed by Justin Baldoni delves deep into the harrowing topic of domestic violence—a stark contrast to the bubblegum-pink world of Barbie that took over cinemas earlier this year. The novel, beloved by millions, explores abusive relationships, and the complexities and emotional turmoil involved. Hoover’s book has resonated with readers around the world, many of whom have experienced or witnessed similar situations. The anticipation of how the novel would translate to the screen was high, but it turned sour after Blake’s ‘lively’ and bubbly approach at the film’s promos. It drew ire from both fans and critics.
A Difficult Conversation
In the days following the release, Lively faced significant backlash for her apparent reluctance to engage with the film's core theme: domestic violence. During press interviews and promotional appearances, the actress repeatedly dodged questions related to the sensitive topic, opting instead to focus on superficial aspects like the fashion choices for her character, promoting her hairline or lighthearted banter with co-stars. This has left many questioning whether Lively truly understands the gravity of the story she’s portraying or if she’s deliberately steering clear of uncomfortable conversations. Several outlets have pointed out her attempts to promote It Ends With Us with the same enthusiasm and energy as one would expect for a romcom.
Sailee Dadarkar, (24) a Mass Media graduate and student from Whistling Woods International Film School says the book explores domestic violence and trauma. She says, “So for Blake to promote it as bring your friends, your girlfriends and wear your florals is a bit dismissive. If a person with similar traumas watches the film unaware of the themes there’s a possibility that it can affect them.”
Trying Too Hard
Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, who has been vocal in supporting his wife’s projects, faced wrath too. Deadpool VS Wolverine was released just before It Ends With Us. Their promotions became a merger. Together, the couple seems to be making a concerted effort to push It Ends With Us into the limelight in a manner that feels forced. The coordinated social media posts, the upbeat interviews, and even the couple’s appearance at the film’s premiere have all been compared to the kind of marketing blitz that surrounded Barbie and Oppenheimer.
While the Barbenheimer marketing phenomenon was organic and resonated with audiences, Reynolds’ attempts to replicate this energy backfired badly. Critics alleged they are trivializing a serious topic in It Ends With Us.
Justin’s Efforts Overshadowed
Meanwhile, film director Justin Baldoni has spoken candidly about the importance of telling stories about domestic violence. However, Baldoni’s efforts have been overshadowed by the media circus surrounding Blake and Ryan. Despite his best attempts to steer the conversation back to the heart of the film, the focus remains on Lively’s missteps and the couple’s questionable promotional tactics. This has led some to wonder whether Baldoni’s vision for the film is being lost in the noise, with the true message of It Ends With Us getting buried under a mountain of PR blunders.
Fans wonder if the co-stars’ underlying tension is some sort of professional conflict or hostility after Blake says she felt like Baldoni fat-shamed her during a scene. When he was meant to carry her and then says “the kiss lingered” during an intimate moment.
The Fallout
As the dust settles, the fallout from this promotional disaster is fans taking to social media to express their disappointment. Articles and opinion pieces have lambasted Lively for being “out of touch” and questioning whether the power couple’s status is doing more harm than good.
Sailee opines that any kind of promotion for the movie becomes a part of your movie. “A film is not just a film especially if you're doing any kind of promotional activity. As an actor, you must make sure that you do complete justice to what the movie is about and the sensitivity of the themes of the movie. Being casual and trivial is not the route to take for this film in particular,” says Sailee.
In the end, It Ends With Us may still find its audience, but for Blake Lively, this controversy is a reminder that not every film can be marketed with the same glittering veneer of the Barbie universe!
