Did You Catch These It Ends With Us Easter Eggs?
It Ends With Us takes viewers on an emotional journey of self love and breaking toxic cycles. Adapted from the bestseller written by Colleen Hoover, the film stars Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Brandon Sklenar. When transitioning this story onto the big screen, eagle eyed viewers will catch some fun Easter eggs and hidden meanings that stemmed from the book. Here are some things to be on the lookout for when you see the film!
Lily’s Flower Shop
Lily’s flower shop is a staple piece to both the book and in the film. The irony of Lily’s shop’s name Lily Bloom’s stems from the main protagonist’s full name. The film even makes a note to poke fun at the name Lily Blossom Bloom and how she loves flowers. But the irony is not lost on the readers who understand the deeper meaning of what these flowers symbolize for Lily’s character.
In Lily’s journey, she talks about the reward that comes with taking care of flowers. She says, when you take care of their roots and water them, they reward you with beautiful colors and blooming petals. This is a clear metaphor for Lily’s life and her journey.
The Heart Symbol
The iconic heart symbol is seen throughout the film in a tattoo on Lily’s neck and the shape of young Atlas’s wood carving. In their childhood, Lily uses an oak wood tree as an opportunity to teach Atlas that not every plant is in need of nurturing, some are able to stand on their own. Atlas then carves an open heart out of wood from the tree in Lily’s backyard. While flowers symbolize Lily’s life, oak wood trees symbolize Atlas’s, and the carved heart represents the love between Atlas and Lily.
Since the initial release of the book, the open heart symbol has become an emblem in the Colleen Hoover fandom. It signifies Lily’s strength, which she wears proudly as a tattoo seen on her neck in the film. There are many times in the film where Lily thinks back to this moment that changes both her and Atlas’s lives forever.
A Nemo Plushie in the Nursery
When Lily gives birth to her daughter, it not only changes her entire view of the world, but gives her the strength to break a toxic cycle bound to her by her own mother. A significant quote that is prominent in the book is “just keep swimming” from Finding Nemo. Lily repeats this quote to herself time and time again in the novel. While the film doesn’t use this quote directly, it does honor it in a very creative way.
When we are introduced to young Lily, we can see a poster of Finding Nemo hung in her bedroom. Then later on in the film, Lily is preparing for the arrival of her daughter in her nursery where we can see a Nemo plushie in the corner of the chair! By adding in these small details, it is such a heartwarming way to respect the quote for the readers who love the story.
Colleen Hoover’s Cameo
I love when film adaptations include their authors in the process and, in this case, even make an appearance! In the film, Lily arrives at her friend Allysa’s (Jenny Slate) birthday party. In this scene, all of the main characters are seen interacting with one another. But in the background, we can see the one and only Colleen Hoover making an appearance.
Hoover got to live in her own world and interact with the characters that she wrote, which is very special. Having her make a small cameo in the film is such a unique Easter egg that I appreciated.
