Endings, Beginnings


Endings, Beginnings is a 2019 American romantic drama film, directed by Drake Doremus, from a screenplay he wrote alongside Jardine Libaire. The film is semi-improvised and loosely based on the screenplay. It stars Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan, and Sebastian Stan.
It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2019. It was released on April 17, 2020, by Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Premise

Cast

It was announced in October 2018 that filming had begun on Drake Doremus’s next film project, which he co-wrote with author Jardine Libaire in Los Angeles. Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan, Sebastian Stan, Matthew Gray Gubler, Lindsay Sloane and Shamier Anderson were set to star. In November 2018, Sherry Cola joined the cast of the film.

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2019. Shortly after, Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired distribution rights to the film. It was originally scheduled to be released on May 1, 2020. On March 26, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the film being brought forward and released digitally on April 17, 2020.

Reception

Endings, Beginnings holds a 40% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 60 reviews, with a weighted average of 5.09/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Endings, Beginnings smothers its talented ensemble cast's committed work in a carelessly constructed, aimlessly dawdling story." On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 40 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Peter DeBruge of Variety gave the film a negative review writing: "Doremus tells his story in snippets, jump-cutting between grubby handheld footage of Daphne's life shot from with her face all or partially obscured. The film traps us outside her head, never really allowing us inside it." David Erbland of The Hollywood Reporter also gave the film a negative review writing: "The movie aims to make Daphne's journey raw and real, but mostly it's just insipid." Jeanette Catsoulis of The New York Times gave the film a positive review writing: "The writing might be a tangle of limp clichés, but the actors - especially Woodley and the terrific Wendie Malick as Daphne's mother - sweat to sell every line." Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood also gave the film a positive review writing: "Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan, and Sebastian Stan enliven and enrich this film of three 30-somethings caught up in a love triangle."
Endings, Beginnings was rated R16 in New Zealand for sex scenes, offensive language & nudity.