It Ends With Us (15)
Directed by Justin Baldoni
★★★

 
ACTOR turned director Justin Baldoni brings Colleen Hoover’s best-selling book to the big screen. It stars Blake Lively, but it is difficult to reconcile what is a romantic drama with the underlying theme of domestic abuse.
 
While the film is pretty much a faithful adaptation by Christy Hall of Hoover’s much-loved work (with a few changes) it is the tone which is difficult to get your head round, just like in the book. It starts off as a glossy romantic drama before it switches gears, turning dark and violent, but set within a sleek and stylish backdrop full of flashbacks. 
 
Lively is captivating as Lily Bloom who has moved to Boston to open her dream flower shop. She meets and falls for a charismatic neurosurgeon, Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). However as their relationship develops he begins to manifest anger issues reminiscent of her dad (a wasted Kevin McKidd) who then took it out on her mother (Amy Morton). Things come to a head when her first love Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar) unexpectedly comes back into her life. 
 
Its great virtue as a film, however, is to portray domestic violence in a realistic way. How women are made to second guess themselves. The shock and the horror of it as Lily attempts to excuse Ryle’s behaviour, and turning into her mum which she promised never to do. Lively gives a standout performance along with Baldoni while Jenny Slate provides the light relief as her best friend and sister-in-law. 
 
The question shouldn’t be why did she stay in an abusive relationship, but why men do the harm. 

In cinemas August 9.

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (18)
Directed by Tinto Brass
★★★

 
CALIGULA was one of the most scandalous films ever made and one of the highest grossing of 1980 despite all the controversy. Finally, after 44 years, comes the ultimate version believed to be how screenwriter Gore Vidal and director Tinto Brass envisioned it. 
 
The pair insisted on having their names removed from the original film’s credits following highly controversial edits made by producer and the founder of Penthouse magazine Bob Guccione. 
 
Produced and recut by art historian Thomas Negovan, this version has been reconstructed from over 90 hours of rediscovered original camera negatives, using alternative takes and camera angles and extensively restored location audio. It is composed entirely of previously unseen footage.
 
It is an arresting visual feast which needs to be seen on the big screen. It has a very 1970s look and feel to it. Malcolm McDowell gives a more nuanced performance as Caligula and both his and Helen Mirren’s roles are extended on screen. They are joined by Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud. 
 
It chronicles Caligula’s rise to power and descent into madness over the course of almost three hours. It contains incest, shocking scenes of a virgin bride and her husband being raped and lots of nudity and explicit orgies. 

At least it finally makes sense. 

In cinemas August 9.

Babes (15)
Directed by Pamela Adlon
★★★
 

THIS quirky comedy takes an unvarnished look at motherhood, female friendships and how life changes when your friends have children, in this assured directorial debut feature by Pamela Adlon. 
 
It is driven by two cracking performances by its leads Ilana Glazer, who also co-wrote the script, and Michelle Buteau. They play lifelong friends Eden (Glazer), who is single, and Dawn (Buteau) who is pregnant with her second child at the beginning of the film. 

Once Dawn gives birth the dynamic between the BFFs changes and it is further heightened when Eden falls pregnant following a one night stand. Meanwhile Dawn’s extremely supportive husband Marty (Hasan Minhaj, who is also in It Ends With Us) takes care of both their kids while dealing with her mood swings. 
 
It is another strange film tone-wise, but it is the unbelievable on-screen chemistry between Glazer and Buteau and their hilarious razor-sharp banter that keeps you invested. 
 
It reminded me why I never ever wanted to give birth.

In cinemas August 9

Borderlands (12A)
Directed by Eli Roth
★★

 
Based on a best-selling videogame franchise, which sadly passed me by, and featuring an illustrious A-list cast, this action adventure comedy isn’t as fun or as clever as it thinks it is. 
 
Co-written and directed by Eli Roth, it stars Cate Blanchett as Lilith (sporting killer cheekbones), an infamous bounty hunter with a mysterious past, who is hired to find the missing daughter of evil corporate overlord Atlas (Edgar Ramirez). She teams up with a group of misfits played by Kevin Hart, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu and Jamie Lee Curtis, while Jack Black voices Claptrap, a small jaded robot. 

Claptrap. An apt description of this lacklustre misadventure which its stunning cast cannot save. 

In cinemas August 9