Deepfocuslens
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IT ENDS WITH US
🕑 Added 2024-08-17 23:33:46 +0000 UTCI love a good celebrity gossip. It's a deep flaw in me, admittedly. But this one is too good to pass up. It falls right in line with the DON'T WORRY DARLING drama from a couple of years ago, which I couldn't get enough of at the time lol. I haven't seen this new film, yet so a lot of what I am saying here is speculation based on my observances. so take it with a grain of salt. But the marketing for it has been quite interesting. Blake Lively who produced and starred in the film, clearly did not see eye to eye with the director/leading man, Justin Baldoni. It appears they won't even be in the same room together during this whole press tour. Based on the ways that both people have chosen to speak about the film in interviews, the disconnect becomes glaringly apparent. Creative differences often exist in heated ways between cast and crew. It's part of the process. But rarely does the drama escalate to this level of visible tension in the public.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are an incredibly calculated Hollywood "power couple". Very good at playing their part, but the strange mix of branding crossover between DEADPOOL and IT ENDS WITH US feels off to say the least. Lively has always struck me as one to avoid confrontation. She loves to appear the 1950s wife half of the celebrity duo, and for the most part she's proven to be quite good at it. But that's maybe not the best approach to have as your selling point when your new film carries heavy themes of domestic violence. She's chosen to rebrand the film as a lighthearted, girly, romantic comedy for the sake of cross advertising she and her husband. Every promotion for the film is Blake fluffing a bouquet of flowers and laughing with the cast like she's Debbie Reynolds at a photo op. Or Blake trying to make some tasteless segueway from the topic of abuse in the film...to plugging her new hair care line. Every red carpet event she attends, her wardrobe grows kookier and more opulent. The florals, pastels, the princess ballgowns...it's like a little girl's fantasy, but for a 36 year old woman and mother of four. Many people find this weird shoehorning of celebrity self-promotion in such a serious film, self-indulgent, tone-deaf, and disrespectful to the subject matter. Even for this couple. I know they don't have a lot of experience outside of their usual fluff, but they should know better as veterans of the industry that this wasn't the right move. Though...just the idea of the source material being about DV, yet being written as a romance novel, is already tricky in itself. Your battle will always be uphill. So, why do it, if you're someone like Blake Lively?
I know little about the director, but it seems he is the only one who tried to speak about the film seriously. The only one reminding people that the film is about violence towards women. This is not to say that I think the director is some perfect innocent person in all of this. He seems quite calculated too in his responses where you're not sure who to believe. But lest we forget, he was the one who original bought the rights to the film, before Blake was ever on board. This serious tone in his interviews, clearly alienated him from the rest of the cast...who seem to be doing some sort of weird BARBIE influenced touring campaign. It's a self-indulgent way to make a films success completely about yourself. Not to mention the new accusations Blake is accusing Baldoni of, which feel petty and manipulative based on my observance. Like another example of celebrity/female power dynamics that Blake can flex to victimize herself, as she has the privilege to do so. Blake Lively will always have more power over a guy like this, whether it is deserved or not. Though it's all heresay.
I dunno...everything about it all is weird. I'll be honest...even before I knew anything about IT ENDS WITH US, I was already getting vibes. From the whole Gigi Hadid/Blake Lively personalized Superhero costumes worn at the DEADPOOL premiere, to Blake screaming and jumping up and down obnoxiously with Taylor Swift every time she knew a camera was on her at the Superbowl earlier this year. Wearing half a million dollars in jewelry with that track suit....I dunno. It's gone from well calculated to shameless. There's this elitist gluttony that grows more and more excessive in pop culture these days, the more out of touch one grows in Hollywood. Jennifer Lopez wearing that whole Regency-era inspired gown at her own 55th birthday party is another very recent example. Sitting on a literal fake thrown posing like Marie Antoinette. The "Let them eat cake" references there not even remotely subtle. -_- And they wonder why the public has fallen out of love with these people.
Comments
Basic Penguin
Now I just wanna hear your review on 'It Ends With Us.'
Shane Palamara
She was just proud of the film. She’s cracking jokes every few seconds as usual. But it is uncomfortable to watch Bradley gushing over Poor Things while she seems like she didn’t like Maestro. I still like her as a person and an actress. Her Oscars speech was nice.
Deepfocuslens
There's not some crazy sound bite to look for. Just an air of condescension in her. Particularly while promoting Poor Things. The interview she did with Bradley Cooper was off putting.
Shane Palamara
So…I have scoured the internet for this rude interview of Emma’s (google, youtube and tiktok) and I just can’t find it. If it does exist, I must see it lol.
Shane Palamara
Wow, that’s shocking. I’d like to see that interview if you can find it because I just can’t picture her being rude. She does have 2 Oscars now (whether or not she deserved one for La La Land is debatable) so I’m sure that’s gotten to her head a bit, but from the Kinds of Kindness interviews I’ve seen she still seems humble and easygoing. But there’s really no celeb who I would be super shocked to find out is a POS.
Deepfocuslens
Gotta say...I disagree about Emma stone. Lately she has come off as quite self-entitled and rude. You can see how the fame has gotten to her head. My dad even mentioned this to me. That he saw an interview with her, and found her behavior rude. And a lot of the comments did. It's not tone deaf ditsy like Blake or anything. But...yeah, just...Emma got too famous
Deepfocuslens
I never bought into it. Because people who are this obsessed with appearing perfect, are typically anything but. Not like she ever showed signs of glaring problems or anything. Just...the vibes I dont like. I dont like celebrities. I agree. I think that a lot of what you are speculating is probably correct. I think Lively and REynolds are micro manage type people. Ryan has more the creativity and the brains, and thus Blake gains her power through the man, as is typical.
Deepfocuslens
we all do
Deepfocuslens
Absolutely. To extreme degrees. As an example...try looking up a video of say...Chrissy Tiegen 10 years ago. Look how different she is in terms of demeanor. And now...look at her. She's a mess, absolutely desperate for attention and addicted to social media fame. A mess on the verge of a David Lynch movie. Look at Megyn Fox 10 years ago...and look at her now. Look at Jared Leto 10 years ago...and look at him now. I find it quite terifying. i think just everyone having their own source of fame now with social media influencing...it has completely changed the way people act in public, and how they try and create a persona. The Kim Kardashian thing. I have been watching this for years slowly shift. It's insane. Truly.
Deepfocuslens
Wow....I think I need to experience this line delivery you speak of
Deepfocuslens
Yes, I saw the interview yesterday. Was a strange thing for Blake to turn it back on the woman like that. Especially since, she wasn’t pregnant, but beyond that…she was infertile. You really need to be careful what you say to other women when it comes to babies. You really don’t know what someone else is going through, and now it hurts them. Also, I get so sick of female celebrities getting mad when someone asks them what they are wearing. It is not a sexist question. When you wear things that draw attention to themselves…like girls tend to do…you tend to ask about it.. Men are less appearance driven, and so a lot less people care about asking them about the same boring suit and tie they are wearing. Blake was asked this question about a period piece. I would have a similar question. What is it like wearing all that stuff? Since I’m a modern girl I have no idea what it’s like. I’d just be curious. Common sense lol. And the whole fat shaming thing. Typical. Typical valley girl whining when things don’t go your way, so you bend the story using feminist manipulation in a disgusting way. Though in this case, it seems to have majorly backfired. Yes, Ryan and Blake are extremely compatible so far as goals/ambition. But yes, Ryan is the one with more the point of view in a creative sense. I’ve always seen Blake as more the champion of the feminine mom side of things. She takes care of all the fashion, the pretending they have the perfect family type deal. The cookbooks, the skin care lines. It’s Chrissy Tiegen, but with some composure. And less visibly frazzled lol. But people have been falling out of love with Ryan Reynolds as well. I discussed him in my overrated actors video recently. The comments made kinda surprised me. He is not well liked. That his snark and his persona wears thin on people. But he found the sweet spot with Deadpool. And I think in that case you are right. He wanted creative control because he deserved it, went to bat for it. Blake is just another example of a woman trying to capitalize on her husband’s success. She gets to be the partner in crime, and thus she gets that power too. Not to say Blake isn’t talented and driven herself. She does have the it factor obviously. But…she didn’t use it properly to elevate her acting abilities once she became the family woman. Which is fine. I tend to think you should be a mother first and career comes second until the kids are old enough. She chose the celebrity influencer role in the meantime. but…it doesn’t seem to really translate to filmmaking and having great ideas as a professional. It’s just…the wife who gets the husband perks. If she were single, she’d be just another working actor trying to be taken seriously likely for Oscars and such. She’d still be trying to make movies like THE TOWN, if it weren’t for getting married up, I think. But women find their power through men often, when they can’t get it on their own. Just sayin. It would be one thing if Blake were crafty and a strong business woman in the way Margot Robbie is. Robbie is...dialed in, and she knows exactly what she’s doing, to great effect. Robbie is strategic, and she plays the “girl who is down to hang” super well as a persona. She never appears out of touch. She seems to be kind to everyone she meets, even when others like her are not. She’s good at her role, and she has more serious ambitions, and a mind to match. Margot wants industry prestige while not ruffling feathers along the way. She’s found the perfect balance I feel. The art comes first for Margot Robbie, and then the fun stuff comes second. Whereas Blake wants followers, control, and to wear pretty princess ballgowns like a little girl. I honestly think Blake thinks more about the gowns she is going to wear for her premieres, more than she does the actual roles she is playing. Yes both films opened big, but with controversy. Both films are number one, which is the first time this has happened with a celebrity couple in like 30 years. But I do think a lot of it has to do with the drama, which could be very psy-op. But I’m not necessarily wanting to go there just yet. I think some things got exposed. Some valley girls with tons of money showed their true colors through it…and it is what it is. But it’s just funny as hell. Btw, I decided to creep on Blake’s Instagram yesterday to see how she’s handling it. She posts…one story ad that says something like “please get help if you are a survivor of DV.” And all the comments are like “yo…this after thought of a ‘message’ is too little too late.”
Drew Perkins
I absolutely loathe this movie
Shane Palamara
I never minded Blake before all of this. I guess I was naive and bought into her “nice girl” public persona. But her consistent shallowness when it comes to sensitive topics as well as that one 2016 interview where she was extremely rude/cruel to the interviewer with Parker Posey makes me feel differently. Really, I think Blake and Justin Baldoni had a feud because she wanted one of Ryan’s buddies to make their own edit of “It Ends with Us”, which is so weird to me because the actual director of the film should make his own final cut and that should be it. This all could’ve been avoided if she just centered in on a “serious” attitude for the promotion or actually made a more light-hearted film. I don’t know her, but she just seems very self-centered and insensitive to others’ POV. But idk man I think there are a lot of genuine celebs, too. For example, someone who’s around Blake’s age that I really admire is Emma Stone. I’ve seen many interviews over the years and her fun personality always translates but, more importantly, her costars always speak very highly of her; she gives great performances, does her press for the projects, then disappears until it’s time again. That’s a real actor.
Cameron Q Nelson
I get mean girl vibes from Blake Lively.
Ken
Bouncing off your last paragraph, do you think celebrities have grown more disconnected from the public over the past decade or so, or do you think they’ve always been like this. It may not be the best way to judge, but if you look at satire in cinema from previous eras, it seemed more in touch with reality, but a lot of social commentary in movies in the present seems to come from a delusional place from delusional people.
Edward Looney
I have nothing to add, but coincidentally I was researching the Oliver Stone movie Savages today and in the first 5 minutes Blake Lively utters the line "I was having orgasms. He was having wargasms."
Bennett Oliver
She claimed that he fat-shamed her...by asking someone how much she weighed for a scene that required him to carry her. Because he was worried about hurting his back. This comes from a Vox article, which is not exactly a bastion for right-leaning bias towards male perspectives. It should be noted that Ryan Reynolds got into the same kind of trouble during the first Deadpool movie. He and the director Tim Miller got into some intense fights during post-production over the final cut. And Miller opted not to return for the second one because he knew Reynolds insisted on having creative control of the franchise. So Blake and Ryan are two peas in a pod in that sense. In his case though, I understood Reynolds's position. Deadpool was his baby, and he worked harder than anyone to see it got made. It Ends With Us seemed to have started with Baldoni when he bought the rights to the novel. Only later did Blake Lively come on board, and it seemed from thereon she wrested control of the project away from him, starting with insisting on being a producer. Yeah, her promotion was tasteless given the subject matter of the film. She's not nearly the wizard at marketing as Ryan Reynolds is. She's just not as funny, clever, or charismatic as him. What makes it worse though is that she thinks she is. But hey, the film opened big its first weekend, so somebody did something right. Maybe it was carryover from the good will Ryan generated during the Deadpool press tour. Or maybe it was the allure of seeing the book itself made into a film. Who knows? The other thing to note is that press junket interview that resurfaced of Blake Lively being nasty to a journalist for calling attention to her pregnancy and proceeding to freeze her out of the interview for asking her about the costumes she wore for a film set in the 1930s. She thought it a sexist question, which she felt gave her license to be an asshole. Ugh. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/F2-2RBi1qzY?si=c1WGpRkQeWGaLttL
Wolfman Brandon
Elia Kazan warned us about this when he made A Face in the Crowd with Andy Griffith almost 70 years ago. The day Hollywood goes under will be the removal of a net negative to society as long as indie filmmaking sticks around.
