The story of Endings, Beginnings
Endings, Beginnings follows Daphne, a woman in her thirties navigating the messy territory of love and heartbreak across a single transformative year in Los Angeles. After a painful breakup, she finds herself drawn to two very different men—each offering a distinct version of what romantic possibility could look like. The film doesn't rush toward resolution. Instead, it lingers in the gray spaces where attraction and confusion collide, where the promise of new love tangles with the weight of past hurt. What unfolds is less a traditional romance and more an unflinching examination of how we stumble toward self-discovery through the people we let into our lives.
Behind the making of Endings, Beginnings
Director Drake Doremus co-wrote Endings, Beginnings with Jardine Libaire, crafting a screenplay designed to breathe—the film was shot in a semi-improvised style, allowing its talented ensemble cast to find authentic moments within the framework. Shailene Woodley carries the film as Daphne, anchored by the romantic tension between Jamie Dornan and Sebastian Stan, both bringing serious star power to their competing roles. Matthew Gray Gubler, Lindsay Sloane, Noureen DeWulf, and Shamier Anderson round out an ensemble that, on paper at least, suggested something special. The film arrived in 2020 as a UK-South Korean co-production, a romantic drama positioned to appeal to audiences hungry for character-driven stories about grown-up love—or the fumbling attempts at it. While the cast credentials are solid and Doremus's reputation as a filmmaker interested in improvisation and emotional authenticity preceded the project, critical reception proved divisive. The film currently holds a 5.7/10 rating on IMDb, and reviews suggest that despite committed performances, the execution couldn't quite justify its ambitions.
What makes Endings, Beginnings stand out—and where it stumbles
Here's the thing about Endings, Beginnings: it's trying to capture something true about romantic entanglement—the way love can be messy, contradictory, and deeply human without being noble or even particularly likeable. Doremus's semi-improvised approach means there are moments where the dialogue feels lived-in, where you catch genuine hesitation in a character's voice, where the awkwardness of desire and vulnerability bleeds through the frame. Woodley's performance, in particular, carries weight—she commits fully to portraying a woman who doesn't have all the answers, who makes selfish choices and contradictory decisions, who grows without the comfort of a clean narrative arc. The tension between Dornan and Stan works on a surface level; both actors are compelling, both offer something. But critics weren't wrong to note that the film sometimes mistakes selfishness for complexity. What's striking is how the movie can feel simultaneously earnest and hollow—it wants you to care about Daphne's emotional journey, yet doesn't always give you enough reason to root for her beyond the fact that Woodley is doing her best. There's a difference between portraying love as messy and portraying it as pretentious, and Endings, Beginnings doesn't always know which side of that line it's on. Still, if you're drawn to character studies about thirty-something romantic confusion, there's something here worth considering—just don't expect the film to tie things up neatly.
Where to stream Endings, Beginnings online
Endings, Beginnings has found a comfortable home across multiple streaming platforms, making it easy to track down depending on your subscription setup. The film is available on Amazon Prime Video (both free with ads and with ads versions), Hulu, Plex, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, and The CW, among others—it's also available for purchase or rental on Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Rakuten TV, and Sky Store, depending on your region. Movie OTT maintains a real-time widget at the top of this page showing exactly where the film is streaming in your area right now, so you don't have to hunt across multiple services. Whether you're looking for a free option or willing to rent, there's likely a way to access this one that fits your viewing habits.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed Endings, Beginnings?
Drake Doremus directed and co-wrote the film alongside Jardine Libaire. Doremus is known for his work in romantic drama and his use of semi-improvised performances to capture authentic emotional moments.
Q: Is Endings, Beginnings based on a true story?
No, it's an original screenplay written by Doremus and Libaire, not based on a true story or existing source material. The semi-improvised nature of the filming process gives it a naturalistic feel, but the narrative is fictional.
Q: What's the runtime of Endings, Beginnings?
The film runs 110 minutes, giving Doremus enough space to explore Daphne's year-long romantic journey without feeling rushed.
Q: Where can I watch Endings, Beginnings for free?
You can stream it free with ads on Amazon Prime Video, Plex, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, and The CW. Check the Movie OTT streaming widget for current availability in your region.
Q: What genres does Endings, Beginnings fall into?
It's primarily a romantic drama, focusing on intimate character relationships and emotional growth rather than plot-driven action or comedy.
Final thoughts on Endings, Beginnings
Endings, Beginnings isn't a film everyone will connect with—and that's okay. It's deliberately paced, emotionally ambiguous, and uninterested in giving you a hero to root for without reservation. If you're in the mood for a character-driven romance about a woman figuring herself out through love, heartbreak, and everything in between, it's worth the 110 minutes. Just go in knowing that Woodley, Dornan, and Stan are doing the heavy lifting, and sometimes that's enough. Sometimes it isn't. The beauty of having this many streaming options available—from Hulu to Apple TV to YouTube—is that you can test the waters without much commitment.
