442: It Ends With Us, The Instigators

·1 hr 26 min·5 clips

The SiftPop crew debates whether 'It Ends With Us' dangerously romanticizes domestic violence or offers a necessary, nuanced portrayal.

The episode opens with hosts Aaron Dicer, Andrew Ormsby, and guests Jean-Pauline and Allison Genevry McKellie introducing the 'sick and tired edition' of SiftPop. They begin with 'buried treasure' segments where each shares a pop culture pick: Jean-Pauline recommends 'Desperately Seeking Susan' after meeting director Susan Seidelman, Andrew revisits the 'Grand Theft Auto 5' campaign, Aaron suggests the VOD film 'Babes,' and Alice praises Netflix's anime anthology 'The Grimm Variations.' The main review section first tackles 'It Ends With Us,' starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The hosts discuss the film's marketing, which some feel misrepresents its domestic violence themes. Alice, who read the source novel, defends its nuanced portrayal, while others critique its structural pacing and tonal shifts. They analyze performances, with praise for Lively and Jenny Slate, and debate the film's empathy for its characters. Next, they review 'The Instigators,' a heist comedy on Apple TV+ featuring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. Opinions vary: Jonathan enjoys its Coen Brothers-esque humor and Boston authenticity, Alice finds it undercooked, and Andrew thinks it's just okay. They discuss the cast's chemistry, with mixed feelings on Damon's performance, and note a mid-credits scene. The episode also includes a 'best ever Casey Affleck movies' segment, where nominees like 'Interstellar,' 'Good Will Hunting,' and 'Oceans 11' are debated, ultimately crowning 'Interstellar' as the winner. The conversation wraps with final thoughts on both films.

As heard by us

Sif Pop weighs purposeful disorientation against a film's need to prepare its audience.

It Ends With Us is framed as a question of how clearly a film should teach viewers to read its turns. The Sif Pop panel focuses on the uneasy first 40 or 45 minutes, when the movie withholds enough of its shape that one speaker is left wondering what kind of experience it is…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a movie debate about when purposeful surprise helps and when a story needs to show its hand?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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