Despite all the controversy around the Blake Lively-led movie, It Ends with Us was one of the most hyped productions of 2024. On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts a 90% audience score. Based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, the story follows Lily Bloom, who thinks she’s found the love of her life when she meets the neurosurgeon Ryle (Justin Baldoni). But as their relationship progresses, things take an unexpected turn, and she realizes it’s starting to mirror the kind of relationship her parents had – one she always swore she’d never accept. Old traumas resurface, and when she runs into her first love, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), she’s forced to choose whether to stay in her rocky relationship with Ryle or not.
The movie also managed to ride the wave of marketing thanks to its release being so close to the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine, with Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, even jumping in and playfully engaging with the promos. In the end, the feedback was super positive, especially for the way it tackled society’s issues, violence, and other relationship taboos. With that, it really makes you think – what other movies are as good as It Ends With Us and deal with similar themes?
Fair Play
Fair Play is a movie set in 2023 that has received great critical praise. The thriller follows Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich), a couple who work together at a finance company. They end up getting involved in a forbidden relationship, as it goes against company rules. The problem arises when Emily is eventually promoted, which shifts the dynamic of their romance, turning it toxic and abusive as Luke believes she doesn’t deserve the position.
[RELATED: Fair Play Trailer: Alden Ehrenreich & Phoebe Dynevor Star in New Netflix Erotic Thriller]
The film dives into the battle of egos, especially between men and women, with themes of power struggles and the toxic effects of work on personal relationships.
Fair Play is available to stream on Netflix.
Marriage Story
Marriage Story, one of the most talked-about films of 2019 and 2020, and nominated for several awards like the Golden Globe and the Oscars, tells the emotional story of Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) and her husband Charlie (Adam Driver) as they decide to get a divorce. A number of problems arise as a result, especially after Nicole changes her mind about not hiring lawyers to handle the separation, following advice from the divorce specialist Nora Fanshaw (Laura Dern).
Noah Baumbach, also known for co-writing Barbie, directs this moving drama that gives the audience a detailed, outside perspective on the ups and downs of a relationship, starting with a couple’s decision to separate and exploring the complex emotions and challenges involved in the process.
Marriage Story is available to stream on Netflix.
Safe Haven
Safe Haven is a 2013 movie that tells the story of Katie (Julianne Hough), a mysterious woman who arrives in the small town of Southport, South Carolina. She quickly becomes the target of the neighbors, who are suspicious because they know nothing about her, especially since she keeps her distance from everyone. Then she meets Alex (Josh Duhamel), a widower and father of two, and over time, they fall in love. However, as she grows close to his family, Katie finds herself having to confront the ghosts of a troubled past.
The story, also based on a bestseller by the famous novelist Nicholas Sparks, explores how someone can heal and move forward after enduring abusive experiences.
Safe Haven is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Sleeping with the Enemy
Although it’s not exactly a drama and leans more towards the thriller genre, Sleeping with the Enemy is a 1991 film that follows the married life of Sara (Julia Roberts) and Martin (Patrick Bergin). On the surface, they have a prosperous relationship, but the reality is much darker due to domestic violence. In order to escape, Sara fakes her own death and flees to another city with a new identity. Eventually, she falls in love with Ben (Kevin Anderson), but her husband uncovers the truth and realizes she is still alive.
As in It Ends with Us, the character also ends up confronting the decision to leave her husband, questioning her choices and facing the consequences of her past.
Sleeping with the Enemy is available to stream on Disney+.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
A classic from 2004 and a favorite of many, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind tells the story of a relationship that fails after many attempts. Clementine (Kate Winslet) decides to forget Joel (Jim Carrey) for good by undergoing an experimental treatment that removes all memories of their time together. In response, Joel, still in love with her, falls into depression but eventually decides to undergo the same procedure. Unexpectedly, he begins to try to preserve Clementine in the memories where she doesn’t belong.
This is one of those films that resonates deeply because it portrays the challenging mourning process after a complicated yet intense relationship.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is available to stream on Netflix.
Blue Valentine
Blue Valentine is a 2010 film about the lives of Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling), a married couple with a daughter. After years together, they find themselves facing a crisis that leads to doubts and uncertainties, largely due to reasons like lack of ambition and egocentrism. In an effort to overcome these problems, they try to revisit the very story that brought them together in the first place.
Like Marriage Story, the film explores the difficulties and stages of a relationship. The pursuit of love and the exhaustion that comes with it, along with both the highs and lows, are at the heart of the narrative.
Blue Valentine is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
A Star Is Born
With more than one remake, the most recent version of A Star Is Born, from 2018, was also an Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated production, winning the statuette for Best Original Song. The story, which is also a musical, follows the life of singer Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), who is at the peak of his fame when he meets Ally (Lady Gaga), an insecure singer working in a restaurant. Captivated by her talent, Jackson helps her rise to stardom, but at the same time, he struggles with alcohol, which eventually drives them apart.
The tragic love story aims to highlight the challenges of relationships when they’re influenced by personal and psychological issues, which is not too different from It Ends with Us.
A Star Is Born is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
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