Anyone still wondering whether Blake Lively is a genuine movie star need look no farther than It Ends With Us, a gleaming romantic drama that succeeds largely because the actress is so compelling. The film, based on a novel by Colleen Hoover, has the potential to be soapy and overwrought, potentially veering into Lifetime territory. But Lively and her director/co-star Justin Baldoni refuse to let the movie be consumed by the melodramatic nature of the story, which has been adapted for the screen by Christy Hall.

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IT ENDS WITH US ★★★ (3/4 stars)
Directed by: Justin Baldoni
Written by: Christy Hall
Starring: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar
Running time: 130 mins.

Lively plays Lily Bloom, a charismatic young woman with a quirky fashion sense........

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