The Most Controversial Romantic Drama of 2024 Has Been Locked for Some Netflix Users

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Jenny Slate crying in a green floral dress.

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.

His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

If you were planning to stream one of 2024’s most talked-about romantic dramas without paying full price, there’s a snag: It Ends With Us isn’t available on Netflix’s ad-supported tier in the U.S. As of January 2026, the cheaper advertising plan still blocks 145 titles — about 1.85% of Netflix’s 7,834-title library — due to licensing limitations. While the platform has chipped away at this problem since the ad tier launched in November 2022, It Ends With Us is among the high-profile films that remain unavailable to watch with ads.

It Ends With Us was one of 2024’s most debated adaptations, praised for its sensitive handling of difficult subject matter and strong performances but also generating conversation around its portrayal of complex relationships. Its absence on the ad tier means that even though Netflix subscribers might see it listed, they’ll be prompted to upgrade if they want to watch. Basically, that's part of the problem with the broader trade-off Netflix is still working through, which is giving subscribers a cheaper route in to their services but still managing to handle their licensing agreements, which don't always place nice with ads.

Is 'It Ends With Us' Worth Watching?

Collider’s review of the movie stated that It Ends With Us successfully translated Colleen Hoover’s hugely popular novel to the screen with care and restraint. It's best if we don't discuss what happened after the film was released, but at the time, it was praised for treating domestic violence with sensitivity rather than exploitation, largely due to Justin Baldoni’s direction and Blake Lively’s performance.

Aging up the characters was seen as a smart choice that added maturity and universality to Lily’s journey. While the film was criticized for underdeveloping Atlas and underusing its flashbacks, it was ultimately described as a powerful, respectful portrayal of breaking generational cycles and reclaiming agency.

"The film is sensitive to the main topic, and its performances and direction allow for Lily's experience to empower survivors. The project is also careful not to romanticize the aggressor, which is a positive distinction from the source material. Although slight changes were made to the story present in the novel, most of them (including the change in age) serve the adaptation well. As a whole, Baldoni's directorial effort isn't made for the fans who were drawn in by the love triangle, but rather intended for the audiences who resonate with Lily's journey, and maybe that is for the better."

It Ends With Us is streaming now on Netflix.